Educating Voters. Defending Democracy.

The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

The Voter

February, 2024

President's Letter

What Do We Mean by “Non-Partisan”?

A foundational pillar of all levels of the League is the principle of non-partisanship. This means that we take positions on issues but never on candidates or parties. We speak with one voice about our vision of a healthy democracy – for example, it is one in which everyone has the knowledge, confidence, desire and right to participate – but we leave it to each voter’s judgment to decide which candidate or party has the better program for achieving those ends.

Our full non-partisan policy can be found here.

Our League wants to encourage and support women’s full participation in government at all levels, including working on campaigns and running for office. We’re delighted when a member takes a leadership role in politics or government. At the same time, to protect the League’s non-partisan reputation, those of our members who are elected officials or who take a leadership role with a party or campaign are not considered for any volunteer position where their activities might pose a conflict of interest. We would ask someone else to moderate our candidate forums or serve on our board. As your president, I will forgo displaying any campaign signs in my windows and stick with encouraging everyone to visit vote411 for accurate election information to support their voting decisions!

Last fall the Local League coaches organized a webinar to explain what the League means when it speaks of non-partisanship. If you’d like to see the recording of that one-hour webinar, just email me for the link and passcode and a copy of the slides.

While many commentators have bemoaned a great divide in our electorate, my personal view is that we are less divided than it sometimes appears. A Wikipedia article on so-called red and blue states (referencing a 2016 article in the Washington Post) puts it this way: “All states contain considerable amounts of both liberal and conservative voters (i.e., they are "purple") and only appear blue or red on the electoral map because of the winner-take-all system used by most states in the Electoral College.”

Wisdom is rarely the exclusive possession of one person or point of view. This is why the League continues to uphold the value of non-partisan participation in our democracy. Do you feel we live according to our non-partisan policy? Are you confident that you can describe our policy to new members and the public? Is there a way your League could support your non-partisan participation? Drop me a note at president@lwvncsmc.org and let me know your experience or thoughts.

Margaret Lukens, president

February General Meeting

Long-Time Player in Local Conservation: The Resource Conservation District

Tuesday, February 20, noon – 1:30 p.m. via Zoom

From the Dust Bowl of yesteryear to the Climate Crisis of today, San Mateo County Resource Conservation District (RCD) has been a partner to those wishing to best manage natural resources. In 1939, visionary farmers in San Mateo County formed the first conservation district in California, which was also one of the first in the nation, in response to the Dust Bowl crisis.

Today, the RCD connects private and public landowners, land managers, public agencies, interest groups, and others with technical, financial, and educational assistance to focus on the conservation of San Mateo’s wildlife, water, climate, and agriculture.

Join us to learn about the San Mateo Resource Conservation District, its mission, current initiatives, and accomplishments from a recent 15-year impact report.  

Is there a way for the League or you personally to become engaged in its important environmental work? Let’s find out together. Join us!

Linda Jansen and Eileen Easterbrook, Program Planning

Housing Caucus

Ask an Expert:

The journey from homeless to housed

Monday, February 19 at 5 p.m. (via Zoom)

Please join us for a Q&A session with Jenny Michel, who will speak to her personal and professional expertise navigating the path from homeless to housed.

Jenny is a commercial property manager at Cushman & Wakefield, with over 20 years of experience in the local real estate industry. Her journey through homelessness in the early 2000s led her to envision and create for herself – and now assist others to create – a stable work environment where one job is enough and housing is a protected right, like domestic water use. 

She works with local groups such as MPC Ready, YIMBY Action, Menlo Together, and CERT with Menlo Park Fire. Most recently, Jenny helped Menlo Park submit their 6th Housing Element. Jenny Michel is a native of Palo Alto and a resident of Menlo Park where she resides with her husband and young son.

Q&A topics will include housing instability, educating the community on homelessness, and how to prepare if one finds themselves in unstable housing.

Mia Clapham, member, Housing Caucus

We are pleased to share this flier from the Sonoma County League, announcing a series of three free, virtual presentations in February and March to help people quickly and easily learn about how California state and local governments function.  

Voter Service is Trending

Thanks

Thank you to everyone who attended our inaugural Voter Service orientation sessions in January. We appreciated the energy you brought to the meetings. With your help we look forward to expanding opportunities to serve our League’s area with voter outreach, candidate forums and more.

Stop by

Our team will be in South San Francisco on February 3, from 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at the Park & Rec building / Library at 901 Civic Center Drive. Stop by and say hello to the team if you are in the area. Thanks to Edith Jones and Ann Kuchins for managing this event!

Counting on you

We will count ballots for the Shelter Creek annual HOA election on Tuesday evening, February 13. Thank you to the volunteers who signed up to serve.

If you haven’t already expressed interest in Voter Service work, and would like to help our team during this election year, please reach out to us at voterservice@lwvncsmc.org. 

Margie Gater and Kathy Wheeler, Voter Service Co-chairs

Vote No on CA Proposition 1: Mental Health Bill

California Proposition 1 will appear on your March 5 Primary Ballot. The League of Women Voters of California acknowledges the critical need to resource better mental health and addiction services to address our crisis of homelessness. The League opposes Proposition 1 for a number of important reasons; while the additional housing resources offered through the proposition are sorely needed, they do not outweigh its flaws.

The Bond portion of the measure was rushed through the legislature with last-minute amendments that opened the door to funding involuntary treatment in locked facilities. This prevented substantive debate and ignored arguments from diverse community-based organizations and health care and civil rights advocates. These groups contend that community-based care is more effective than institutionalization, and that incentivizing institutionalization will both lead to worse health outcomes and curtail individual liberties.

Furthermore, Proposition 1 does not increase the overall funding for mental health services for counties – the bond money is to build treatment units and supportive housing. Under the changes this measure makes to the Mental Health Services Act: 

• Equity is reduced: More of the money received by counties must be used for housing of a certain group of patients and for intensive, personalized support services like assistance fund employment and accessing education opportunities. 
• MH Funds are reduced: This reallocation reduces the funds available for other mental health services that counties currently offer to patients such as treatment, crisis response, and outreach. 
• Local priorities are reduced: The overall effect reduces counties' ability to set priorities based on local needs for mental health services. 
• Flexibility is reduced: While variances could allow counties to adjust spending in specific categories, they would also incur higher administrative costs and wouldn't fully address the limited flexibility they face for meeting specific needs,

Finally, budgetary decisions should be made by the legislature, not by earmarking funds through ballot initiatives. Earmarking restricts the counties and the state from redirecting funds to alternative models of care that may arise in the future, or to other emerging and essential needs.

Action: Your NO vote on Proposition 1. Please share this information with family and friends and encourage them to take action!

Support US HR 14: Restore the Right to Vote

Every day, the freedom to vote is under attack. Since the Supreme Court decision of Shelby County v. Holder that gutted the Voting Rights Act (VRA), at least 29 states have passed 94 laws that make it harder to vote, with the burden falling hardest on Black voters and other voters of color. 

We need a fully restored VRA to defend our democracy and protect the freedom to vote. That is why the League is proud to support the reintroduction of HR14, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, vital legislation needed to fully restore and modernize the VRA and ensure that discriminatory voting policies are stopped in their tracks. 

Action: Urge your Representatives to protect the freedom to vote by supporting the passage of the JRLVRAA. 

In both of these cases, equality — and our democracy — cannot wait. 

Edith Jones, Advocacy and Action

SAVE THE DATE

Saturday, March 23, 2024

County League Day

In-Person Meeting!

The Leagues of Women Voters of San Mateo County

present

Supporting Farmworkers Housing, Services and Advocacy on the Coast

by

Puente de la Costa Sur



Building a healthy, sustainable, and inclusive South Coast Community

Location and details to come

Announcement: Board Meeting Date Change

Our February board meeting will be Saturday, February 10 at 9:30 a.m. in the League office, 444 Peninsula Avenue Suite 1, San Mateo. (This will replace our usual time of 4 to 6 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month.) Following the meeting, the board – and anyone who wants to join in – will have an envelope stuffing party to prepare our annual fundraising letter.

All members are welcome to attend League board meetings. You can stop by, observe our League board in action, then stay to paste a few stamps and help prepare the mailing, if you wish. We expect to finish the February meeting around 11 a.m. We expect to wrap up the work of preparing the mailing in an hour or so, by about noon. Of course, this timing represents my best estimate, depending on our final agenda.

If you’d like to receive an email copy of our meeting agenda when it’s ready, please send me a message.

Margaret Lukens, president

The Wednesday Caucus

Wednesday, February 28, 10-11 a.m.

This informal meeting is all about conversation and camaraderie. Ask questions, share what you're working on, and gather inspiration.

All are welcome. Register here.

Welcome to Our New Members

Moira Cullen

Robin Montoya

Shirley Weathers

In Memoriam

We regret to announce the passing of our League of Women Voters' national president, Dr. Deborah Turner, on January 28th, 2024. Dr. Turner leaves behind a legacy of voter advocacy, women's reproductive rights, promoting racial equity, and many other accomplishments. Our leadership is committed to continuing Dr. Turner's work by upholding the League's core values. Click here to read the announcement from the League.

Mark Your Calendar

Stay informed

Stay informed with updates and alerts from your state and national Leagues. Use these links to register:

• For California League updates, sent monthly: LWVC    
• For national League updates, sent twice a month: LWVUS (scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up for e-mail updates).
• Subscribe to Bay Area Monitor Notes here

Keep an eye on our website, https://www.lwvncsmc.org, for the latest on upcoming events.

Join the League

We love having new members join us and help with the important work we are doing. Click here to join online or print out a mail-in form. Scholarships are available for new members. Please contact us at membership@lwvncsmc.org.