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"
The Voter" Newsletter for August, 2020
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(Please click above on "Display images below")
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The Board of Directors is planning for a special virtual meeting on Wednesday, August 12 at 6:00 p.m.
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Members are welcome to participate with the Board during the conversation with our guest, Dr. Andrae Townsel, Superintendent, Benton Harbor Area Schools. Dr. Townsel will introduce himself and talk about the school district. At his invitation, the Board is preparing a list of issues and concerns that we will share with him prior to the virtual meeting so that he can talk about them with us. This is a great opportunity to learn how LWVBCC can expand our connections with the Benton Harbor community.
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Please notify Amy Scrima at
drscrima@comcast.net
for a Zoom invitation to this meeting. After our session with Dr. Townsel, the Board will convene its regular monthly meeting.
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VOTE!!!
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Why vote in the August 4 Primary?
-Contested races in each party for Congressional or State Representatives are often decided in the Primary. Your vote counts!
Who are the candidates and what are their stands on the issues?
-Vote for the best qualified candidates who most closely represent you. Go to VOTE411.org enter your address, and see how candidates have responded.
Vote Your Ballot
-Return your Absentee Ballot to your local clerkās office by 8 p.m. on Election Day, August 4. Drop it off in person or at the drop-box at your clerkās office.
Want to vote in person on
Election Day?
- Check that you are registered to vote and where your polling place is at
mi.vote/gov
. Wear a mask and gloves, if you have them and social distance.
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Book Group
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The Book Group can meet on Monday, August 17. Itās your choice. Up to ten members can gather inside around the table at Chris Zilkeās home. If more than 10 members plan to attend, each member will be asked to bring a chair so that we can sit outside in a socially distanced circle.
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We will be sharing our thoughts about
The Book Woman of Troublesome
Creek
by Kim Michele Richardson.
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If you plan to attend on Monday, August 17 at 10 a.m., please let Chris know by calling her at (269) 449-2225.
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Centennial Celebration
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Can we celebrate? Should we do something socially distanced and in masks, of course, so that this cursed pandemic does not swallow up this 100
th
year anniversary altogether?
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Although having fireworks would be fun, we can schedule an event on August 18th to mark this milestone. As āWell Behaved Women: Celebrating 100 years of Womenās Suffrageā, we can go to the Lubeznik Center for the Arts in Michigan City, Indiana and appreciate an exhibition of artworks by women to celebrate the 100
th
year anniversary of the ratification of the 19
th
amendment to the Constitution of the United States, giving women and men equal voting rights.
āWell behaved women seldom make history.ā Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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LWVBCC members are invited to a curator-led gallery tour on Tuesday, August 18, at noon. The exhibition is in a very large room that makes social distancing possible. If you plan to attend, please contact Anita Rutlin at (860) 304-4867 or
anitarutlin@hotmail.com
for more details.
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VOTE411.org
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The Leagueās plan for VOTE411.org for the November General Election is to publish online and to begin paper distribution by September 19.
xxxThere are many factors that will come into play for all of us in this pandemic year, yet the need to distribute printed Voter Guides to those who do not have access to computers or Wi-Fi is greater than ever.
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It is challenging to distribute the printed VOTE411 Voter Guides. LWVBCC will receive a shipment, and our members will need to deliver copies to local libraries, some city, village, and township offices, and several other logical or creative sites.
xxxMembers who are able
to help with distribution in September, please contact Chris Zilke at (269) 449-2225.
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Get Out the Vote (GOTV)
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Direct voter contact is key to increasing voter turnout -- especially among young people and first-time voters.
With new challenges arising as a result of Covid-19, the League is developing innovative voter contact programs to give us the tools to conduct effective Get Out The Vote activities.
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Some ways to incorporate GOTV during times of social distancing include:
- Promoting VOTE411.org as the source for the most trusted, up-to-date information.
-Using digital presentations like the āVirtual High School Registration Lessonā to register and inform voters.
-Engaging with community partners who have direct access to affected communities and underrepresented voters.
-Using our social media to communicate and important or new information leading up to elections.
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LWVBCC can be as successful with GOTV this year as we were with Voter Registration last year.
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Voter Suppression
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This year, in both the state-wide August Primary and the November General election very large numbers of citizens are expected to vote by mail and also at polling locations.
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Voter suppression could occur due to the closing of polling locations because of a lack of poll workers or due to a delay in Postal Service delivery. Soon we will know if/where voter suppression has occurred during the Primary election.
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Even in the midst of a global pandemic, we will have an election on November 3, 2020. We may need to recruit others or sign up ourselves to be election workers at the polls assisting voters and/or counting ballots for the presidential election. Election workers are pivotal to the success of the upcoming election and must adhere to health guidelines and best practices to keep all staff and voters safe. Election workers are the front lines of our democracy and are crucial in helping to prevent voter suppression and to protect elections.
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At a time when the country is seeing a surge of this deadly virus, we need our elected leaders to make the necessary investments to safeguard the November election. States need billions of dollars to invest in equipment and technology, to support increased demand for vote-by-mail, to train election workers and poll observers, and to supply sufficient cleaning supplies to polling locations to protect voters and election workers.
xxxLast week the United States Senate released their latest stimulus bill ā excluding any additional funding to support our election. Lack of funding can result in Voter Suppression.
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Environmental News
xxxThe withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement becomes final on November 4, 2020, one day after the presidential election on November 3, 2020. Though a small number of countries have not ratified the Agreement, no other country has pulled out of this accord. To date, President Trump is the only leader to order withdrawal from the Agreement.
xxxThe Agreement, entered into force on November 4, 2016, and was supported by 196 nations; it remains in effect.
xxxIn addition to this unfortunate action, the Trump administration has reduced or eliminated many of the environmental protections for our air, water, lands, and wild life. Over 100 existing rules and/or regulations have been impacted.
xxxI wish he could reduce the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
xxxWishing you good health, Chris Zilke
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Tuesday, August 4
Primary Election
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Wednesday, August 11
6-8 p.m.
Mtg. with Dr. Townsel and LWVBCC Board Meeting on Zoom
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Monday, August 17
10 a.m.
Book Group
Chris Zilke's Home
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Tuesday, August 18
12-2 p.m.
Gallery Tour
Lubeznik Center
for the Arts,
Michigan City,
Curated Gallery Tour:
100 Years of Women's Suffrage
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Tuesday, Sept. 8
6-8 p.m.
LWVBCC Board Mtg. on Zoom
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Thursday, September 17
Constitution Day
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Saturday, Sept. 19
VOTE411 Hardcopy Distribution
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Tuesday, Sept. 22
Nat'l Voter Regis. Day
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Saturday, October 31
Census 2020 Count Closes
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Tuesday, November 3
General Election!
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LWVBCC
Board of Directors
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Anita Rutlin, President
Michael McCaffrey, Secretary & Voter Svc.
John Ripley, Treasurer & Communications Coord.
Linda Cheek
Jane Raymond
Karen Ristau
Charmae Sanders
Amy Scrima
Leslie Wood
Christiana Zilke
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TELL THEM YOU SAW THEIR AD IN THE LEAGUE OF
WOMEN VOTERS NEWSLETTER!
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Joe Jilek
Insurance Agent
(269) 695-2200
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Please Encourage
Membership in LWVBCC!
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xxxIn case you missed the news, on Tuesday, July 21, 2020, the Trump Administration released a memorandum ordering the U.S. Census Bureau to exclude undocumented immigrants from counting toward congressional apportionment.
xxxThe Constitutionally mandated count of all persons living in the United States was created as a non-partisan means to ensure fair representation and allocation of resources. Section 2 of the 14
th Amendment states, ārepresentatives shall be apportioned among the several states according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of
persons in each stateā¦ā
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āPersonsā means āpersonsā and that means
everyone. There are no exceptions for immigration status, no secret language here. The Constitution means what it says. It is unconstitutional not to count everyone in the census. Our forefathers meant to ensure a fair and accurate count of all persons living in the United States.
Census 2020 Notes
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As of July 23, the national self-response rate was 62.4% . Michigan dropped rank, now coming in #4 with a self-response rate of 68.4%. Among the 83 counties in Michigan, Berrien ranks #33 with a self-response rate of 63.9% and Cass ranks #41 with a self-response rate of 61.9%. Households can still respond by mailing back the paper questionnaire they received, by responding online at 2020census.gov, or by phone at 844-330-2020.
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In Berrien County, cities range in self-response rates from 70.8% to 37.9%, townships range in self-response rates from 81.7% to 31.2%, and villages range in self-response rates from 76.2% to 24.4%.
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In Cass County, cities range in self-response rates from 64.0% to 55.5% and townships range in self-response rates from 76.0% to 42.2%.
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Youth Climate Litigation Update
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It has been many months since Iāve written about the lawsuit filed years ago on behalf of a group of 21 young people against the United States government. At that time, the lawsuit was filed as Juliana v. United States.
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July 10 marked the ten-year milestone of litigation filed by what is now referred to as āOur Childrenās Trustā. On
August 3 at 3:00 p.m. EDT
, an online event will celebrate and reflect on how the initial lawsuit has progressed, the other accomplishments secured, and the organizationās plans and goals for the future.
Governments are responsible for actions related to climate change. -- Chris
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League of Women Voters of the United States
1730 M Street NW Suite 1000
Washington D.C. 20036-4508
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The League as an organization does not support or oppose any political party, candidate for elected office, or any group that supports candidates. As individuals, though, but not as representatives of the League, members are encouraged to participate in political activity and to run for office. Our non-partisan policy does require two Board members--the President and the Voter Service Chair--to totally abstain from partisan political activity.
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The League: Helping to Make Democracy Work Since 1920!
And Celebrating our 100th Anniversary!
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Interested In Joining The League? Click here.
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P.O. Box 1032
Niles, MI 49120
Tel: 847-363-1179
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