Winter Edition
In this issue:
President Notes
Wasn’t it enough to work toward bringing people out to vote in 2020? As our country faces the threat of moving away from the principles of democracy, we can never be satisfied that we have done enough. And some days, it’s a little exhausting. How do we keep it up?
One way is by working with others to protect our democracy. Alone, we make noise but together, we make progress. I repeat myself when I say that your membership alone makes a difference. When you are a member, those of us who have the time to be active can say that others have signed on to this mission.
Another way is to focus on principles and the love of democracy, rather than spend our energy being angry at people and behaviors that are pretty darned infuriating. Venting helps (and maybe wine too) but love will bring us together. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela were transformative because they chose love even as they were jailed or had their lives threatened.
What can you expect this year? We are trying to educate the community about the risk to voting in Michigan. We are assisting in securing voting rights for Michigan citizens. This edition of The Northern Voter is leading with a “must pass” ballot initiative called Promote the Vote 2022 to secure and enshrine the freedom to vote in the state of Michigan. We are observing local government meetings in an effort to connect people with public servants and government. We are supporting our election clerks (over 40 of them!) as they face unprecedented challenges in their roles. We will have forums on issues that make a difference in day-to-day living, like health care issues in rural Michigan, gun violence and the health of our local environment
We are part of a long line of committed women who came before us: on February 14th 2022, the League of Women Voters celebrated 102 years of activism to protect voting rights. Your LWVNLM continues to grow into an active and vibrant organization. I encourage you to get engaged in or attend one event and see what a team of committed individuals can do together. It is great to know that in all the chaos, you can make a difference. We are living in times that will be in our history books. Thank you for being part of it as we continue to march toward a more perfect union.
Robin Jordan
Promote the Vote
The League of Women Voters of Michigan supports the Promote the Vote 2022 (PTV2022) Ballot proposal approved by the MI Board of Canvassers (BOC) on February 11, 2022. This proposal is a constitutional amendment that will go before the voters and is proactively intended to assure that we have a voting system that works for all of us. Promote the Vote 2022 is supported by a robust coalition of nonprofit organizations and:
Ensures that voters can vote free from harassment, intimidation and interference.
Allows the ballots of military and overseas voters to be counted if they are postmarked on Election Day and received within 6 days of the election.
Provides access to state funding for 1) postage on absentee applications and ballots, 2) security for drop boxes, and 3) absentee ballot tracking that alerts voters if there is an issue with their ballot and how to fix it.
Allows voters to request an absentee ballot be mailed to them for all future elections without having to apply each time.
Allows voters to prove their identity when voting in person by showing a photo ID or signing a legal document. When voting by mail voters must provide their signature, which is then verified by the election officials.
Requires election audits be conducted in public, by state and county election officials, based on methods established prior to each election.
It also makes clear that the Legislature or political parties play no role in the vote certification and that boards of county canvassers have a clear and ministerial duty to certify election returns received by municipal clerks.
Provides a minimum of 9 days of early voting, for 8 hours per day, before statewide elections.
LWVMI has agreed to be part of the army of signature gatherers for the ballot proposal as soon as petitions are printed and are available. All LWVMI League members are being asked to assist in this process. We will notify you of the of signature training webinar on how to collect signatures accurately to help assure the BOC will validate them. Because this proposal is a constitutional amendment, it will require 425,059 valid signatures by July 11, 2022, more than the 340,047 required for legislative initiatives. Signature gatherers will be provided talking points to be sure we are communicating the same message and that it is accurate. We speak with one voice.
The LVWNLM is collecting names of the volunteers for signature gatherers NOW. We encourage all of you to participate as able. If you’d like to participate, please send your full name and email address to info@lwvnlm.org. We hope to start collecting signatures in April.
Additionally, all Leagues in Michigan will hold events virtually and/or in-person as conditions warrant to explain the proposal and indicate support. Our session will be in April, stay tuned for developments on this front.
Please take a few moments to learn about this petition drive. Getting this passed is essential to making democracy work in Michigan, and we can all take a small part in seeing it through.
Local News
Health Care Committee
Our new Health Care Committee is off to an amazing start! The committee hosted the well-attended January public forum on the impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Northern Michigan.
Our Health Care Committee meets twice monthly, currently on Friday mornings via Zoom. We are exploring topics for public forums to help educate community members on important health-related issues. Topics under discussion are:
Healthcare access in Northern Michigan
Healthcare financing, the impact of the pandemic
Healthcare staffing issues.
Also information about our community from the MI THRIVE (Transforming Health Regionally in a Vibrant Economy) data analysis currently being conducted.
MI THRIVE is an unprecedented effort facilitated by the Michigan Health Improvement Alliance (MiHIA) and the Great Lakes Regional Alliance with a dual focus on creating sustained economic growth and improved health for the entire community through valued partnerships within the Great Lakes Bay Region. Regional data has been gathered on approximately 40 different health and economic measures for the region and each individual county.
Please contact Pat plfralick@gmail.com or Eileen eileen.mikus@gmail.com if you have ideas or want to join the committee.
Submitted by Eileen MIkus
Environmental and Natural Resources Committee News
The ENR committee held a virtual public forum in February about Pesticide Use in our Community. It was outstanding! If you missed it, you can find it on the LWVNLM YouTube page.
The resource list provided to participants includes invasive species and many links to pesticide information is available here.
If you are interested in joining the committee to work further on the pesticide issue or on other environment issues, please contact Ann Scott for our zoom meeting information. alscott2050@gmail.com
Submitted by Marcia Meyer
Voter Services News
We tackling the concern about voter suppression in Michigan in several ways:
Community education –Our committee gave two public presentations on voting rights this winter. We are also scheduled to speak to a Rotary group about the Promote the Vote 2022 ballot proposal. Our Observer Corps has expanded and now has an easy accessible summary of public meeting on our website. One stop shopping to stay informed! Check out the meeting summaries here. In addition to the Ballot Proposal activities described above, our spring activities will include:
VOTE411 online voter guide – a team will be reaching out to candidates in our city and county elections in Emmet and Charlevoix Counties. (We hope to add Cheboygan County in future elections.) Their responses to questions will be posted on the VOTE411 online system, along with information on all ballot proposals and initiatives.
Candidate Forums – We will be providing virtual forums for candidates to be able to present their ideas to voters.
Voter Registration - As the COVID pandemic (hopefully) recedes, we will be setting up Voter Registration drives in schools and other venues.
We will need help with large tasks (such as producing a voter forum) and small tasks (such as compiling and distributing voter guides). The Voter Services Committee meets the Second Thursday of each month on Zoom, at 4 PM. Please contact Dibby Smith dibbys@aol.com if you would like to learn more about the committee. Watch for requests for volunteers for specific activities!
Submitted by Dibby Smith
Becoming an Independent League
Over the 3 years since we first began, we are close to becoming an independent League!
We first were mentored by the LWV Leelanau County. This amazing group allowed us to create a strong foundation and sound structure to our League. The next step was to submit a (long!) application for approval to become a Member-at-Large allowing us to have some independence while mentored by the state League.
Members of the BOD meet monthly with state mentors who are readily available to answer questions as they come up. Our (even longer!) application to become an independent league is ready to submit for its first review. We hope to submit a final application in March.
In Case You Missed It…
We’ve had some fabulous programming this winter thanks to the members of our Health Care Committee and our Environment and Natural Resources Committee. Please see our YouTube channel to view any public forums you missed.
Our Communications
It’s easier than ever to find out what we’re doing! Our webpage continues to expand and improve- thank you Jessica Shaw Nolff! LWVNLM posts and messages get more traction outside of our group the more people “like”, “follow” and subscribe to our communication venues!
Like us on FaceBook
Follow us on Twitter
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Check out our website, LWVNLM.org
Welcome New Members!
New members since 11/15/21:
Russ Carpenter
Christine Carpenter
Ann Baughman
Sarah Baughman
Jackie Pierce
Cheryl Staats
LWVNLM Upcoming Events
March 9th @ 5:30 -6:30-pm
Join in this members and friends Zoom event as we celebrate women’s history month by remembering and honoring women who have been inspirational in our own lives. This will be an informal time to share stories of women who have impacted our lives; can be a relative, public figure, living, or passed. All members are invited to share! Sign up for a 4 minute slot to share your story.
A brief member meeting will follow.
April 13th @ 5:30 -6:45 pm
We will learn about the Promote the Vote 2022 ballot initiative and how we can participate in securing Michigan voting rights. This is a particularly important time in Michigan history as we face unprecedented voter suppression laws in the legislature. As of this writing, the plans for this forum continue to be in process; more to come.
April 20th @ 7-8 pm
A list of book for the annual Book Read event in April 2022 was presented to the membership for a vote. It was a close one! By member majority vote, the book, Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation, as the selection for our annual Book Read event. This book explores the white evangelical cult of masculinity that is replacing the Jesus of the Gospels with an idol of rugged masculinity and Christian nationalism. Join other members for relaxed fellowship and lively discussion! Look for the email with the Zoom link in early April.
Represent Our League at the LWVUS Convention
The LWVUS holds an bi-annual convention every 2 years. This year the convention is both virtual and in-person (Denver CO), on June 23-26.
Any League member can attend. Based on our membership numbers we are allowed to send 2 voting delegates.
Attending convention is a great way to learn how the LWV works. If any member want to attend in person or on-line as a voting delegate, please email info@lwvnlm.org. Your registration fee of $300 will be covered. Learn more about the LWV national convention.
Member Meetings and Covid-19 Update
While the pandemic is not over, Covid-19 cases are on the decline in the state and our area! It was always the plan to hold the member meetings scheduled in the winter months of January, February and March on Zoom due to potential for wintery weather and roads.
We are taking a wait and see approach for our April meeting. Stay tuned.
Help Wanted
One to two more people are needed to join our new Nominating Committee.
Help identify future leaders within our League – a very important component to ensure a dynamic and growing League! Take part in the process to create a slate of officers and board members presented at our annual meeting. Tasks are minimal and time limited to late winter - early spring. Contact Penny Crim paigeacrim@charter.net
State News
Lawsuits to Defend Democracy
On January 24, 2022, LWVMI won the lawsuit on PA 608 of 2018 that dramatically changed how petitions could be circulated in Michigan. The MI Supreme Court held that the 15% signature cap for Congressional districts and the pre-circulation affidavit for circulators were unconstitutional. The court did uphold the checkbox requirement to indicate paid circulators on petitions. Read the ruling. This was an important victory for the League and everyone to assure that citizens can initiate legislation and amend the Michigan Constitution without undue restrictions.
On February 1, 2022, The League of Women Voters of Michigan and other voting rights groups filed a lawsuit in the MI Supreme Court challenging the Michigan House District Map Hickory that was drawn by the Michigan Citizens Redistricting Commission. The new maps have a bias rating of 5 and other maps can get it closer to 0. We have been fighting for fair maps in Michigan for several decades and we will continue this fight. Read the press release. The complete filings of the case are available at www.lwvmi.org.
Bills the LWVMI Supports and Opposes: LWVMI Advocacy
What does advocacy mean?
The League of Women Voters of Michigan often takes positions on legislative or citizen initiatives and other proposed governmental policy or regulatory decisions. Below are some recent positions taken on select bills. View the full list of bills and League positions.
OPPOSE BANS ON TEACHING CULTURALLY INCLUSIVE HISTORY
The LWVMI voted to oppose SB 460 and HB 5097 which would require the board of a school district or board of directors of a public school academy (PSA) to ensure that the curriculum provided to pupils could not include critical race theory, the 1619 Project, or other specified theories. HB 5097 would prohibit race or gender stereotyping and in effect, prohibit instruction of any culturally inclusive history. This action is supported by the LWVUS’s positions: Federal Role in Public Education, Equality of Opportunity and the League’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy. Take action here.
SUPPORT FIREARM PROHIBITION FOR THOSE CONVICTED OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
The League supports HB 5371 and HB 5372, SB 678 and SB679 which would prohibit possession of firearms and ammunition by persons convicted of a misdemeanor involving domestic violence. Sentencing guidelines would be updated. A person convicted of a misdemeanor involving domestic violence could not possess, use, transport, sell, purchase, carry, ship, receive, or distribute a firearm or ammunition in this state until the expiration of 8 years after all of the following circumstances exist: person has paid all fines, person has served all terms of imprisonment, person has successfully completed all conditions of probation imposed for the violation. This action is supported by the LWVUS positions on Early Intervention for Children at Risk; Violence Prevention and Gun Policy.
SUPPORT REPRODUCTIVE CHOICE IN MICHIGAN
The LWVMI supports HB 5542-5548 that would ensure access to safe, legal abortions in Michigan. These bills would guarantee that people are free to make their own medical decisions, including the right to use or refuse contraceptives or sterilization, deciding what type of birth control to use, if any, and if pregnant, deciding to give birth or have an abortion. The RHA repeals dozens of Michigan’s outdated abortion language. This action is supported by the LWVMI and LWVUS positions on Health Care.
Voter Suppression Ballot Initiative Continues to Move Forward
The petitions for Secure MI Vote are still out there and you DON’T have to sign. This is your reminder that this petition is all about voter suppression and will be hijacked by the Michigan Legislature and approved without the possibility of a veto and without the possibility of a new referendum to quash it, due to the one-year appropriation clause. Tell a friend.
The group, Voters Not Politicians (VNP) gives an excellent overview of how this petition can easily be made law and what we can do to oppose the initiative.
New Action Alerts – Stay Informed
The LWVMI has revamped its website. For a handy list of bills in the legislature that the LWVMI is following, click here. Its highly recommend to visit starting with voting rights and advocacy. Some wonderfully committed members are working hard to keep us informed of the ever-changing landscape of voting rights!
National News
Fight for Voting Rights Continues in Many States
The LWVUS has been at the forefront of the fight to secure our voting rights by actively challenging restricting voting laws, ensuring compliance with laws like the Voting Rights Act (VRA) and the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), which have helped millions of Americans access their right to vote, forming partnerships with other Voting Rights groups across the country to oppose legislation that reduces access to the ballot.
Voting Rights groups including the LWVUS recently protested in front of the White House to end the filibuster to pass the Freedom to Vote Act which resulted in the arrests of 25 participants, including the LWVUS President Virginia Kase. This bill is THE legislation to ensure nationwide ballot access and fair elections, yet it continues to be held up by a Senate minority.
Happy Birthday to the League of Women Voters!
Happy Birthday to the League! We celebrated the 102nd birthday of the League of Women Voters on February 14th. Formed by the suffragists in 1920, the League was designed as “a mighty political experiment” to help 20 million women carry out their new responsibility as voters. To this day, the League remains as one of the most trusted sources of nonpartisan election information for American voters, empowering voters and defending democracy.
Women’s Rights and the Survival of Democracy
The Revenge of the Patriarchs
This article is an insightful and powerful critique of the suppression of the full rights of women by powerful white men and how this effects democracy. It well worth the time.
LWVNLM Member Appreciation
Getting to know members who have been active in League work this quarter!
Ann Scott
I grew up in a suburb of Detroit- Dearborn Heights. My grandparents emigrated from Ukraine and Poland and I grew up with pierogies, paczkis (homemade) and polkas. My parents emphasized education and demonstrated hard work. I went to college at the University of Michigan and earned a BSN and MS in Mental Health Nursing. The first half of my 44 year career was in Mental Health Nursing in hospital, community and educational settings. The second half of my career was devoted to Diabetes Education mostly in community and then finally primary care.
My love of the outdoors was influenced by my senior Girl Scout leader who took her “city” troop camping and hiking. I worked in the UP and Northern Lower Michigan before I met my husband James, whose roots were in the UP. Our move to Petoskey 25+ years ago from Ann Arbor was driven by a desire to be nearer to lakes, forests and to our cabin in the UP. Our daughter Kate now lives in London, England (go figure!). Our 15 year old dog, Ivan, is the last of our four Large Munsterlanders- wonderful bird and loving dogs.
I have always been curious about human behavior and science. My mother told me it was important to “walk in someone else's shoes” to understand others. I found this was not always easy. Now retired from nursing, I read ( historical fiction and science), travel , study and view art to satisfy that curiosity. My other hobbies include gardening (Mom was my teacher), golfing (Mom again!), bike riding, hiking, oil painting and trying new hobbies.
I have volunteered with the Girl Scouts, the Tip of Mitt Watershed Council, the Nature conservancy, the Crooked Tree Arts Center, and the Citizens Climate Lobby (for national carbon fee and dividend legislation).
I joined LWVNLM because I want to actively support and protect our democracy and our planet for ours and future generations. In my opinion, the LWV is powerful because it debates important issues in a respectful nonpartisan manner to reach consensus and it uses its platform to educate and advocate for social justice.
Footnote: I visited Poland and enjoyed the food! I am also terribly saddened and angry about the attack on Ukraine by Putin.
Ethel Larson
I joined LWV NLM at its inception, and currently serve as Membership Chair. I grew up in Hancock, in the UP, the child of a small town small business owner and a teacher who both identified as Republican, but later leaned toward the democratic socialism of their Nordic heritage. My introduction to politics was an intense week of American Legion Auxiliary Girls’ State when I was 17. I found the wheeling and dealing of partisan electioneering off-putting. Politics was not for me!
I was in college at the University of Michigan during the turbulent years of 1968 - 1972. I opted to keep my nose to the grindstone, and, except for a memorable anti-Viet Nam War march in Detroit, I largely avoided as distractions the strikes and protests swirling around campus.
During mid-life, my energies went primarily to child-rearing and my career as a Physical Therapist. I volunteered with Planned Parenthood and with Hospice (we need the freedom to make our own choices about our bodies and our lives). Through Friends of the Library, I worked to upgrade library facilities and services (everyone needs to be able to access good information). Now, involvement with the Historical Society facilitates appreciation for and preservation of the past (including Petoskey’s amazing suffragists!). And paticipation in the Petoskey Area Garden Club and the Little Traverse Choral Society allow me to help bring beauty to our lives.
I have always regarded voting as my responsibility as a citizen. Until recent years, I saw it as the responsibility. The assault on our democratic norms and our civil rights has shaken me from my unconcern for the political process. I now appreciate that ongoing vigilance is necessary to protect and preserve hard-won rights. LWV NLM addresses my need for a non-partisan political vehicle for becoming informed and actively protecting our democrary.
LWVNLM Calendar
Friday March 4: Health Care Committee Meeting 9:30-10:30 am
Monday March 7: LWVNLM Board of Directors Meeting 9-10:30 am
Tuesday March 8: Environment and Natural Resources Meeting 2-3 pm
Wednesday, March 9: LWVNLM Member Meeting, “We Look to You”: 5:30 -6:30 pm
Thursday March 10: Voter Services Meeting 4-5 pm
Monday April 4: LWVNLM Board of Directors Meeting 9-10:30 am
Wednesday April 13: LWVNLM Member Meeting: PTV2022
Wednesday April 20: Annual Book Read 7-8pm
Tuesday April 26: LWVNLM presentation to Rotary Club on PTV2022
LWVNLM Board of Directors – through June 30, 2022
Officers:
Robin Jordan – President: 2021-2022
Susan VanDeventer - Vice President: 2021-2023
Paige (Penny) Crim – Secretary: 2021-2022
Jessica Shaw-Nolff – Treasurer: 2021-2023
Directors:
Susan Hannah: 2021-2023
Ethel Larsen: 2021 – 2023
Marcia Meyer: 2021-2023
Anne Scott: 2021-2022
Elizabeth (Dibby) Smith: 2021-2022
For more information:
Email us at info@lwvnlm.org
Follow LWVNLM on Facebook
Twitter @LWVnorthernlowerMI
Visit our website