eVOTER
Newsletter of the League of Women Voters of Williamsburg Area
January 19, 2025 - Vol. 6, No.07
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- 04 Feb 2025 Great Decisions Begins | Registration Ends Jan 31 | Sign Up Here
- 05 Feb 2025 | 4 pm | Board Meeting | JCC Library on Croaker Road
- 05 Mar 2025 | 4 pm | Board Meeting | JCC Library on Croaker Road
| No Time To Give Up!
Harry, Our Social Media Director, has been posting on our League’s social media sites about Great Decisions, the Reproductive Freedom Constitutional Amendment, the Equal Rights Amendment, and other vital matters related to League Priorities. His messages include the League Calls To Action.
Unfortunately, in this post-election period, people are retreating from engaging with social media and even politics. Our League social media platforms are now getting a fraction of the likes and re-posts that we had pre-election. Even our follower numbers are diminishing, thereby downgrading our reach.
REV UP for 2025!!
There are three proposed constitutional amendments to the Virginia Constitution before the General Assembly now! These align with League priorities and positions:
The Right To Vote
The Right to Marry
Reproductive Health Protections
It's essential that we get Virginians excited, active, and participating in these prospects. Don't step back! Step up! Please go to our platforms daily! Like us and re-post us on any or all: Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Mastodon, X (formerly Twitter)
Here are the links
Below is a sample recent post on X
|  | Great Decisions 2025
Registration Closes Jan 31
| The Constitutional Amendments (CAs) are the LWV of Virginia priority for passage in the 2025 General Assembly (GA). The three CAs are the
- Fundamental right to reproductive freedom
- The right to vote (abolishing felony disenfranchisement and the loss of voting rights if individual is placed in a guardianship)
- The affirmative right to marry -repeal of same sex marriage prohibition.
These CAs were passed by the House of Delegates and are being considered in the Senate Privileges and Election Committee.
Hopefully, they will pass out of the Senate committee and be considered by the entire Senate. Once that occurs, the CAs will be reconsidered in 2026 by the GA. If they pass both houses again in 2026, they will be placed on the ballot for consideration by the voters in November 2026. The governor cannot veto a CA.
Nine members of LWV-VA will attend League Day in Richmond on 22 January and meet with Senator McDougle. Senator Diggs, and Senator Locke or their Legislative Liaisons. | Support Reproductive Rights in Virginia
There will be an important online meeting sponsored by the coalition Virginians for Reproductive Freedom on Thursday, January 23 at 7 PM on securing the Reproductive Freedom Amendment for the Virginia Constitution.
The League of Women Voters of Virginia is a member of the coalition and Planned Parenthood is assisting the Coalition with this special virtual program that will:
- Break down the current state of abortion laws in Virginia.
- Explore the constitutional amendment process to enshrine reproductive freedom in our state's constitution.
- Show us how to take action to ensure abortion remains safe, legal, and accessible in Virginia.
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WOMEN'S LEGISLATIVE ROUNDTABLES
| Women's Legislative Roundtables (WLRT's)
Every year during the General Assembly session, LWV of Virginia organizes nonpartisan forums open to our members and the public to discuss and share information on issues and legislation. We invite Legislators to discuss bills they are sponsoring and answer questions. Leaders of nonprofit groups share priority issues. League Issue Group Leaders update us on League priority issues.
These Roundtables are in-person and virtual (on Zoom).
The in-person meetings are in the Virginia General Assembly Building, 201 North 9th Street, Richmond - in the 7th Floor North Meeting Room. Presentations run from 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM. |
Jan 23 | 4:30 PM | Member's Home
Discuss with us Holding It Together: How Women Became America's Safety Net by Jessica Calarco.
| Our Intrepid Team
Our local League Voter Services leaders, Maryann Simpson and Denise Koch, organize numerous voter registration events and candidate forums. Many voting services events will be scheduled in 2025!
| Welcome! Thank You!
Thank you renewing members! And a Special Welcome to new members! Names with asterisks gave an extra amount above basic dues!
James Barton & Family, Mary King, Catherine McGaw, Melissa Miller, Amy Schmitz, Regina and Richard Thek, **Carol Wolf
Thank you Renewing Members
**Flora Adams & Steward Goddin, Susan Bivins & James Akridge, Pat & Mark Bowyer, Virginia Carey, Patricia Coe, Denise Fehrenbach,Tanya Fisher, **Linda & Joran Gendell, Janet Graham, Anne Hart, **Victoria Kessler, Judy Kinshaw-Ellis, John McGlennon, Karen McPherson, Susan Mulnix, Lane Olson, Scott Orr, Susanna Owens, Christine Payne, Leonard & Blanche Scharf, Bob & Cindy Stoothoff, Deborah Van Doren
[as of 1/17/25] | In the first week of February 2025, LWV is switching to a new member portal for all Leagues across the country! There is no action that you need to take now, but we want to give you an overview of this upcoming event.
Special Membership Portal
When the system launches in February 2025, you will receive an email inviting you to log in to the new portal and view your record. However, at that time you will not need to renew your membership unless it is 12 months since your most recent renewal.
In the new system, you have the option to set up an auto-renewal every 12 months. In the portal, you can update your own information - name, address, phone number, email.
When it comes time to renew, you will receive another email reminder asking you to sign into the portal and renew with your credit card.
Changes to Dues Structure
Dues will no longer be a fixed rate ($50 individual and $80 household) but will be "pay-what-you-can". The recommended dues amount for all members across the country will be $75, but you may pay any amount that is at least $20.
Currently, LWV of Williamsburg pays a fixed dollar amount per member to LWV of Virginia and to LWVUS. Under the new system, a percentage of your dues will go to the state and to the national League. When renewing, if you would like to make an additional donation directly to LWV of Williamsburg, you will be able to do that in the new portal.
There will still be the option to pay by check but we strongly encourage you to use the online system and pay with a credit card. | |