(Above: Dorothy Parker, Jane Raymond handle record Annual Meeting check-in)
(At left: Guest speaker Chris Thomas)
A Note from the President
xxxJune is a joyous month – graduations, weddings, Father’s Day, the end of school and the beginning of visiting season. All of the above have been experienced by my family this year with the usual chatter of catching up and connecting. However, this June there was a more somber tone as we tried to make sense of the news from Washington, DC. It began with reliving January 6, 2021, and then moved on to the very difficult and life changing decisions of the Supreme Court. The joy of June is still with us, but so is the sobering realization that we must continue to work harder than ever to defend the rights of all citizens and to Making Democracy Work.
xxxYYour LWVBCC continued its work of Making Democracy Work at the annual dinner meeting on June 21. There was a record turnout (below) for a delicious dinner and our very distinguished and knowledgeable speaker, Chris Thomas (above) – retired Michigan Director of Elections. Chris spoke on the security of our electoral process and how it is designed to provide secure and fair elections. One of the questions during the Q&A was about election observers and challengers. Chris explained what an election challenger does and how important that role is in safe guarding the electoral process.
xxxThe business meeting included a report from the treasurer that showed we are in good shape to continue presentations and to sponsor forums in the fall. The nominating committee
nominated three currently serving board members, Audrey Lester, Zaundra Lipscomb, and Dorothy Parker for official two year terms. Their contributions have been invaluable in Voter Services
and overall planning for Zoom presentations. The board is planning for fall candidate forums, and topics we are looking at for presentations include the relationship between social media,
free speech, and the future of democracy, and the housing crisis in Berrien County.
xxxLeague of Women Voters MI reported in League Links the following, worth noting, items:
1) Promote the Vote – the campaign is winding up and the numbers look good! “We are in the final push to reach our goal of 425,059 valid signatures. If you have questions about the petition details, the FAQ from the Promote the Vote 2022 website link follows: https://promotethevote2022.com/frequently-asked-questions/
xxxFor additional News and Updates-please go to
2) LWVMI Action Alert – after reading the article in League Links, I went to LWVMI, clicked on Take Action, followed the prompts and within two minutes I had contacted my state representatives urging them to promote gun safety measures the League endorses. So easy and so needed.
3) Article on Election Workers and Challengers – just the information you need.
4) Advocacy Committee report on League endorsements and status of ballot proposals – keep up to date with what the League endorses and with what could be on the November ballot.
xxxSo good to see so many of you at the dinner meeting. Watch your inboxes for updates and have a Happy 4th of July.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx – Faith
