VOTER UPDATE | MAY 2020

Our June 6 Virtual Annual Meeting will look similar to these engaged Leaguers! Picture yourself up on the big screen.

VIRTUAL Annual Meeting June 6, 2020 ~ 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m. The League’s Annual Meeting sets the stage for the next program year: the organization’s operating budget is approved, local program is determined, officers and directors are elected, changes to the bylaws are approved, and a general direction is given to the board. What You Need to Do to Prepare Click here to: Find information about the virtual Annual Meeting Download the materials you'll need for the meeting RSVP for the meeting by June 1 RSVP to join a Zoom training before June 6 Link for Zoom Meeting on June 6 Below is the link to enter the Zoom meeting on June 6 starting at 9 a.m. We'll be sharing it in a few more newsletter updates and an email on June 5. LWV Kent Annual Meeting Zoom Link June 6th, 2020, 9:00 am - 11:30 noon. Join by computer, tablet, mobile device, or landline. Meeting ID: 836 2134 7031 Join Zoom Meeting on June 6th using the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83621347031 Don’t have a computer or a microphone? Dial in by phone: +1 312 626 6799 US +1 929 205 6099 US (if other line is busy) Meeting ID: 836 2134 7031   Have questions? Email lwvkent@gmail.com or call 330-688-9545.

LWVK Education Committee Issues Call to Action in Support of Public Schools in Ohio

Your help is needed now to insist that the General Assembly stop siphoning dollars from the state’s public schools in order to increase funding for the Ohio EdChoice private-school voucher program. Continued funding of the voucher program will undermine and erode the quality of public education in Ohio. Join in the campaign to preserve public education funding by sending a postcard, email, or letter or by calling your state senator and state representative and the members of the Senate Education Committee as it begins hearings on funding the Ohio EdChoice program. See below for the names and contact information for local state senators and representatives and the members of the Senate Education Committee. Here are some talking points on the issue that you can use in your correspondence with the legislators: Diverting public funds to vouchers weakens public schools, punishes the students who attend them, and disproportionately affects public school students in high-poverty school districts—the very students who are the least able to forego educational resources appropriate for their needs. The state report card is an unfair and inaccurate measure of school quality and should not be used to trigger access to vouchers. The deduction method of funding vouchers undermines equity and adequacy in funding public schools. One hundred forty school districts are now responsible for funding vouchers. Local taxpayers are left to use their own dollars to make up for the funds diverted to the payment of private-school voucher. This increased reliance on local property taxes creates even more inequality in school funding across the state. We believe in our public schools. It is time to abandon policies that judge and punish the public-school system while allowing an unregulated system of private schools to take precious resources that the public system rightly deserves. Our public schools are the bulwark of our democracy and our communities. Funding public schools adequately through the COVID-19 pandemic crisis must be a legislative priority. This is a time of scarcity. We need your leadership to prevent further loss of funds to vouchers at the expense of an essential community asset—our public schools. Vouchers are not essential and are a drain on public resources, making it even more urgent to end the deduction method of funding the vouchers and modifying the regulations

Local State Senators Senate Building, 1 Capitol Square, Columbus, OH 43215 Use this address for senators, include their floor information.

John Eklund (R), District 18 Portage County 1st Floor 614-644-7718 eklund@ohiosenate.gov Kristina Roegner (R), District 27 Stow Area 2nd Floor 614-466-4823 roegner@ohiosenate.gov

Local State Representatives 77 S. High St., Columbus, OH 43215 Use this address for representatives, include their floor information.

Randi Clites (D), District 75 Portage County 11th Floor 614-466-2004 rep75@ohiohouse.gov Diane Grendell (R), District 76 North Portage Co 13th Floor 614-644-5088 rep76@ohiohouse.gov

Casey Weinstein (D), District 37 Stow Area, Hudson 11th Floor 614-466-1177 rep37@ohiohouse.gov ‌

Ohio Senate Education Committee Senate Building, 1 Capitol Square, Columbus, OH 43215 Use this address for all senators, include their floor information.

Peggy Lehner (R), District 6, Chair 2nd Floor 614-466-4538 lehner@ohiosenate.gov Andrew Brenner (R), District 19, Ground Floor 614-466-8086 brenner@ohiosenate.gov

Teresa Fedor (D), District 11, Ground Floor 614-466-5204 fedor@ohiosenate.gov Louis Blessing, III (R), District 8 Ground Floor 614-466-8068 blessing@ohiosenate.gov

William Coley, II (R), District 4 1st Floor 614-466-8072 coley@ohiosenate.gov Theresa Gavarone (R), District 2 Ground Floor 614-466-8060 gavarone@ohiosenate.gov

Matt Huffman (R), District 12 2nd Floor 614-466-7584 huffman@ohiosenate.gov Stephen Huffman (R), District 5 Ground Floor 614-466-6247 shuffman@ohiosenate.gov

Tina Maharath (D), District 3 Ground Floor 614-466-8064 maharath@ohiosenate.gov Nathan Manning (R), District 13 Ground Floor 614-644-7613 manning@ohiosenate.gov

Vernon Sykes (D), District 28 Ground Floor 614-466-7041 sykes@ohiosenate.gov ‌

Health Equity Virtual Consensus June 17, All Member Meeting, 6:30-8:30 p.m. The Health Equity Study addresses the issues of public health and health disparities in Ohio, as well as the distribution of resources for health care. Health Services include health care, public health, and the creation of environments in which people have the opportunity to be healthy. ​ At the June 17 online meeting, Kent League members will discuss and come to consensus on a set of questions about health equity in Ohio. Need to review the study information? Click here . Member participation in this step of the process is important because the results of each local League’s consensus on the issue is considered by the Ohio League as it works to create a statewide position. After consensus has been reached at the state level, LWVO and local Leagues can take positions on public health policy and government health programs.  The link to join the meeting will be in an upcoming VOTER UPDATE.

Farewell to Alfreda! For those who have come to know Kent League member Alfreda Brown , you may be aware that she is retiring from her post as vice president of the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Kent State University. Her many contributions to the Kent League include helping the League to establish a diversity program and serving on the Kent LWV board. Brown also served on the board of the League of Women Voters of Ohio. She and her husband will be leaving the area to relocate. You can see a tribute to Brown (in which the Kent League will participate) on May 22 at 3 p.m. here . We wish her much happiness and fulfillment in her retirement and thank her with many virtual embraces for the gifts she gave us.

TIME FOR ACTION TO PROTECT VOTERS AND VOTING Email and call federal lawmakers today. Ask them to fund safe, secure elections. Go to bit.ly/2020ProtectTheVote . Follow the prompts to call your lawmakers. Ask lawmakers to support the U.S. House Heroes Act relief package. Here's statement issued by LWV President Chris Carson. Use the content to craft your own message.   Our democracy depends on an election system that protects voters, poll workers, and the right to vote. The latest House bill does just that. Expanding vote-by-mail and ensuring safe and early in-person voting options gives all eligible voters the flexibility to cast their ballots safely this fall. At this unprecedented time, voters should not have to choose between their health and executing their constitutional right to vote.  By providing $3.6 billion to state and local election administrators, this bill ensures that our election systems are prepared for changes related to COVID-19. This funding, combined with the $400 million from the CARES Act, meets the required $4 billion election experts estimate is needed to safely administer elections this fall.

Gerrymandering and Ohio video forum In 2021, district lines in all states will be redrawn. How will the results of the delayed census affect the fairness of how those lines are drawn not only in Ohio but also throughout the country? Will the lines be drawn fairly, or can efforts at gerrymandering be expected to continue? Find out what the following national and local experts have to say during an online forum set for Thursday, May 28, at 7 p.m.: Michael Li, senior counsel for democracy, Brennan Center for Justice Kathay Feng, national redistricting director, Common Cause (national level) Jen Miller, executive director, League of Women Voters of Ohio Catherine Turcer , executive director of Common Cause Ohio will moderate the forum. The forum is cosponsored by Common Cause Ohio and the League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland.   RSVP here for login information.

Virginia Kase, LWVUS CEO, top Carolyn Jefferson Jenkins, former CEO

Save the date! LWVO to celebrate its 100th year virtually on June 16 The virtual evening event will include a panel discussion with: Carolyn Jefferson Jenkins: former LWVUS CEO Virginia Kase: current LWVUS CEO Jennifer Smith Richards: Chicago Tribune data reporter Registration details coming soon!

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