Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy.

The beginning of September brings us Labor Day, a day in which the U.S. honors American workers and marks the end of summer. It seems fitting at this time to honor and thank the League Board Members and Committee Chairs for all the behind-the-scenes work that they do in our shared effort to advance our goal of “Empowering Voters and Defending Democracy”. These efforts by our members are compensated with the satisfaction received in contributing to the goals of our organization and the camaraderie and friendship generated by working with others. Many hours are spent organizing events for our members, such as high school voter registration trainings and events, keeping our finances straight, our meeting minutes written, preparing and sending out our monthly newsletter “The Voter”, updating our website, maintaining our Membership Roster and email lists as well as organizing Candidate Forums, Pros and Cons presentations, and community outreach and other events.

Our committee chairs work to inform others about topics such as Housing and Homelessness Issues, Climate Change, Racial and Social Justice as well as DEI efforts. We appreciate these efforts and learn from them. Thank you to all who contribute your time and efforts to our League.  

At the same time, we would welcome others who would like to contribute their time and talents to our efforts. The upcoming election season will be busy, and we could use more volunteers. If something you read in this newsletter sparks your interest, please reach out. You will be glad you did! You will be repaid by the satisfaction of working for the common good, but also by meeting new people, developing new friendships and hopefully having fun!

Kathy Morgan and Susan Roth

Co-Presidents

The League of Women Voters In-person Candidate Forums for Election 2024

The League of Women Voters of Ventura County is pleased to announce our upcoming series of Candidate Forums for the 2024 election.

These non-partisan events will cover races in all cities across Ventura County, providing you with an invaluable opportunity to hear directly from the candidates vying for local offices. Whether you're interested in city council, mayoral, or school districts positions, our forums will help you make informed decisions at the ballot box.

Mark your calendars and join us to learn about the candidates' qualifications, platforms, and visions for our community's future.

Please stay tuned for additional forums, or unexpected changes to the below schedule.

Additionally, we will be contacting LWVVC members who expressed an interest in helping at candidate forums by sending out sign up genius notifications. If you are available and interested to help please sign up for the date(s) that works for you. 



For additional information please contact Kathy Morgan or Pat Essick. .

Co-Hosted with Midtown Community Council and College Community Council

Date: Thursday, September 12

Location: Cabrillo Middle School at 1426 E Santa Clara St, Ventura

Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM

6:30 – 8:15 City Council – 10 candidates total in Districts 2, 3 & 7

8:30 – 9:00 School Board - 3 candidates in Area 2

Date: Monday, September 16

Location: Thousand Oaks City Council Chambers

(also known as Scherr Forum).

Thousand Oaks Civic Center

2100 East Thousand Oaks Blvd, Thousand Oaks

Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM

6:30 – 8:00 City Council – 6 candidates total in Districts 4 & 5

8:15 – 9:00 Conejo Valley School Board – 4 candidates in Areas 1 & 5

Date: Thursday, September 19 (date subject to change)

Location: Fillmore City Council Chambers, 250 Central Avenue, Fillmore

Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

7:00 – 8:00 City Council – 4 candidates in Districts 2 & 5

8:15 – 9:00 Fillmore Unified School Board – 4 candidates in Areas 3 & 4

Date: Monday, September 30

Location: Simi Valley Council Chambers,

2929 Tapo Canyon Road, Simi Valley

Time: 6:3 PM - 9:00 PM

6:30 – 7:30 PM Simi Valley Mayor - 4 candidates

7:45 – 8:45 PM Simi Valley Unified School Board –

6 candidates in Areas A, B & C

Co-Hosted with Moorpark Chamber of Commerce

Date: Tuesday, October 1

Location: High Street Arts Center, 45 East High Street, Moorpark

Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

7:00 – 7:45 V.C. Community College District – 3 candidates in Area 4

8:00 – 8:45 Moorpark Unified School District – 3 candidates in Area 2

Co-hosted with Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce

Date: Tuesday, October 8

Location: Santa Paula Community / Senior Center,

530 West Main Street, Santa Paula

Time: 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM

6:30 – 7:20 PM City Council – 3 candidates in District 5

7:30 – 8:00 PM  School Board – 2 candidates in Area 2

8:15 – 9:00 PM  Ballot Measure R (Sales tax) debate

Date: Tuesday, September 24

Location: Port Hueneme City Council Chambers, 250 N Ventura Road, Port Hueneme

Time: 7:00PM - 8:30PM

At Large City Council (2 seats) – 7 candidates

Mayor – 5 candidates

City Council District 3 – 4 candidates

City Council District 4 – 5 candidates

City Council District 6 – 2 candidates

Mayor – 2 candidates

All City Council and school board races have only one candidate in each district.

We're excited to invite you to our upcoming Fall Meeting, where we'll dive into important civic matters and enjoy some quality time together.

Date: Saturday, September 21, 2024

Time: 2:00PM - 4:00 PM

Location: Camarillo Community Center, Classroom 1 & 2, 

1605 E Burnley St., Camarillo, CA  93010

What to Expect:

1. Pros & Cons of State Ballot Measures: Get informed about the upcoming state ballot measures with our comprehensive overview.
2. Committee Presentations: Hear updates from several of our active committees and learn about their recent work and future plans.
3. Social Time: Connect with fellow members and friends in a relaxed atmosphere.

Light refreshments will be provided.

This is a great opportunity to stay informed, engage with your community, and contribute to the democratic process. Whether you're a long-time member or new to the League, we'd love to see you there!

Please note: Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP early to secure your spot!

For more information, please contact us at lwvvc.info@gmail.com.

We look forward to seeing you at this informative and engaging event!

Our Vote is Our Power

Through our votes, elections make our voices heard. The League protects and empowers millions of voters every year to ensure that our elections are fair, accessible, and representative of all Americans.

Why It Matters

Elections affect every area of our lives, from health care to jobs to racial justice. When we choose our leaders by voting, we’re choosing the people who will make decisions that shape the direction of our country and our communities.

• Do Verify Before You Share - Consider the source, check the date, and cross-check the information across outlets.

• Do Question the Content - Read past the headline and question emotionally charged content.

• Do Share Accurate Information - Without mentioning the wrong info, set the record straight by sharing the correct messages.

• Do Report It - Report inaccurate info to social media platforms, group administrators, and election officials.

• Don't Click or Share - If you quote the bad information, you help spread it.

• Don't Engage Publicly - If someone you know is sharing bad info, message them privately and ask them to take it down.

For trusted, nonpartisan voting information at VOTE411.org!

Stay informed. Visit VOTE411.org, our award-winning, nonpartisan one-stop-shop for election information.

Discover all your voting options, from early voting to absentee and mail-in voting, to voting on Election Day, and make an election plan that fits your life.

VOTE411.org is the League’s one-stop-shop where you can find all the information you need to cast your ballot. It's virtual, nonpartisan, and available in both English and Spanish. Whether it's local, state or federal, every election is important to ensuring our laws and policies reflect the values and beliefs of our communities. For more information checkout the website using this button.

Local Pros & Cons Chairs: Pat Essick and Susan Roth

California voters are being asked to vote on 10 ballot propositions in the November 2024 election. Members of LWV throughout California provide a rich network of deep knowledge in law, education, medicine, budgeting, and the history of California legislation. This makes understanding the measures much easier than if we each attempted it on our own. The opportunity to understand ballot measures in an unbiased way is a rare opportunity given the mass marketing surrounding the election.

Local Pros & Cons Presentations Update

We're preparing for our local Pros and Cons presentations, which will run from September 18 through most of October. Here's what you need to know:

1. We've committed to eight presentations so far, with the possibility of more depending on volunteer availability.
2. Each presentation requires at least two presenters and lasts about 1.5 hours.
3. We can accommodate additional presentations if we have sufficient volunteer capacity.

Presentation Content

Our presentations will provide unbiased information on the ten propositions appearing on the November ballot, including:

• Explanations of each proposition
• Supporting and opposing arguments
• Information on major financial supporters and opponents

The state League is finalizing their research and will provide us with a completed pros and cons slide deck by September 16 for use in our presentations.

Volunteer Training Session - Open to Members Only

Date: September 10

Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Volunteer presenters will meet to practice and learn presentation techniques. Those who signed up at the July Volunteer luncheon meeting will receive invitations via email or phone.

If you'd like to help but haven't received an invitation, please contact Pat Essick or Susan King Roth.

We welcome and appreciate all volunteer support for this important initiative! 

LWVVC looks forward to sharing this information with fellow-voters in our community so we can all make the best informed decisions possible as we each mark our own ballots based on our individual choices.

Wednesday, September 4th, 5:30pm - Happy Hour at Aloha Steakhouse, 364 S. California Street, Ventura, CA 93001

Saturday, September 7th, 10:30am - Voter Registration Training, Camarillo Community Center, Classroom 7 (1605 E Burnley St, Camarillo 93010)

Tuesday, September 10th, 2:00pm, Pros & Cons Presentation Training, if interested please contact Pat Essick.

Wednesday, September 18th, 5:30pm - Happy Hour on Zoom 

Saturday, September 21st, 2:00pm - 4:00pm - Fall Meeting – Camarillo Community Center, Classroom 1 and 2 (1605 E Burnley St, Camarillo 93010). Discussion Pros & Cons, committee reports, and social time. Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP early to secure your spot!

Wednesday, September 25th, noon - Lunch & Learn with the League - topic is Electoral College - on Zoom 

Sunday, October 20th, 9:00am – 4:00pm - Community Outreach (Tabling) Thousand Oaks Rotary Street Fair, Moorpark Road (between Hillcrest & Wilbur, Thousand Oaks).

Be a Part of the Greater League

Participate in LWVUS and LWVC. Sign up for Updates and League Groups - Open to all League Members

Join by signing in at: Join an Online Discussion Group and work with other leagues, LWV California staff and LWV US staff.

Additionally, the LWVC has several interest committees - see details below.

Contacts: Kathy Morgan or Pat Essick

What do you know about the Electoral College?

Want to learn more?

This timely discussion is crucial as we approach the 2024 presidential election. Understanding the Electoral College is key to comprehending how our presidential elections work and the ongoing debates about potential reforms to our electoral system.

Please join us for an interesting and informative Lunch & Learn on the Electoral College:

Date: Wednesday, September 25th

Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Format: Zoom presentation - Use the button below to register for this event:

Our Speakers

High School, College & Community Events

Contact: Betsy Patterson or leave a message at (805) 303-1476

Voter Registration Training Sessions:  If you are interested in helping with our high school voter registration project, please sign up to attend one of the following training sessions. Even if you attended a training in the past year, we have updates for everyone. Below is the remaining training session for this year - registration is required. 

Saturday, September 7^th at 10:30am – noon, at Camarillo Community Center, Classroom 7, 1605 E Burnley St, Camarillo, CA 93010

At the Voter Registration Volunteer Trainings in August we trained 65 volunteers with more expected at the Sept 7 training in Camarillo. 

Schools and teachers are beginning to invite us into their classrooms. Trained volunteers will receive a Sign Up Genius invitation to sign up for the events as they become available. We need at least 2-3 volunteers in each class - and there are 20+ high schools that we have visited in the past, many with multiple teachers and classes.

Contact: Pat Butler  

We are working on two street festivals coming up in October and November. One in Simi Valley, one in Thousand Oaks. Watch for SignUpGenius opportunities as these draw closer.  

Become an Observer - Ventura County Government Meetings – including the Board of Supervisors

Contact: Carol Lindberg

The LWVVC Observer Corps observes county and city meetings of governing boards and councils. Please reach out to Carol Lindberg if you are interested in becoming a part of the Observer Corps. You can participate as your time permits and will be providing a great service to the other League members.

Dates for remaining calendar 2024 County Board of Supervisors meetings are: September 10 and 24, October 8 and 29, and December 10 and 17.

Contact: Kay Armstrong

This month we will being working with participating local colleges on the 2025 scholarships. 

Scholarship donations, of any size, are very much appreciated!! If anyone has questions for us about our meeting or would like to join us, please contact Kay Armstrong.

3rd Thursday of the month, 4:00pm on Zoom

Contact: Kay Armstrong or Laura Hernandez

We have an exciting meeting coming up Sept. 19 from 4-5pm.

We have invited representatives from the Vera Institute of Justice to join us to offer their research and perspective regarding low level traffic stops. We are inviting our committee members and anyone from our League to join us! Please contact Kay with any questions about this event and how to join us.

2nd Sunday of the month, 4:00pm on Zoom

Contact: Sharon Crane

We are excited to become a full-fledged committee and look forward to welcoming new members. We would like to invite any interested League members to join us. We haven’t heard from our East County members yet and would welcome their participation also. 

Members of the Housing & Homelessness Committee have attended grand openings or other events  at:

1.  Westview Village II in Ventura, 50 affordable apartments - click for additional information.
2.  Somis Ranch Farmworker Housing, 360 affordable apartments for farmworkers - click for additional information.
3.  Mesa, 14 transitional housing apartments for transition aged youth in the Ojai Valley - more information in the link.
4.  Central Terrace, 87 affordable apartments in Oxnard, more information in the link.

It is worth looking at the sites to see the good quality of the places and to gain an understanding of the complexity of these undertakings as well as the clinical services that will be provided. Ventura County is making an effort to address this critical issue.

The California state budget for 2024-2025 allocated fewer resources for affordable housing, but it did include the state Low Income Housing Tax Credit and funding for the Multi-Family Housing Program

Ventura County Sherrif’s thoughtful and humane response to the Supreme Court’s new ruling to force people to leave encampments without beds available and the state’s new mandate to clear all encampments. This is an issue that needs to be further addressed.    See https://local.nixle.com/alert/11163669/

The Ventura County Continuum of Care is a good resource for information and reports on the issue of Housing & Homelessness. They are the umbrella agency for the County. Their site has yearly reports as well as all the current issues and plans. The 2024 State of Homelessness and the Supportive Services Guidebook is informative and comprehensive. Also check out the Agenda’s for current information.

https://www.venturacoc.org/

Housing & Community Development (HDC) is launching a video series on manufactured housing opportunity and revitalization program as a source of affordable housing.

And check out these reading options

We welcome the following new members:

Ventura - Sally Budd, Rebecca Catterall, Nancy and Richard Francis and Kristin Tranquada

Camarillo - Therese Cummings and Beatrice Lutterbeck

Oxnard - Barbara Marci-Ortiz

Thousand Oaks - Mary Ann Lajcik and Bonnie Gieschen.



NEW MEMBERS: Please contact any officer, board member, or committee chair to volunteer for the activities that spark your interest. You can be partnered with an experienced member if you like. We will help you learn what you need to know. And please sign up for whatever committees you would like to participate in by contacting the committee chair to be invited to meetings. Do as much or as little as you like. We look forward to your participation.

RENEWING MEMBERS: Many thanks and gratitude to our members who have renewed their membership and to those who have made an additional contribution toward the expenses of operating the LWVVC and towards the scholarship fund.

To join or renew your membership: find our membership form and the online payment option here, or send a check to P.O. Box 6786, Ventura, CA 93006.

Your support is critical!

Happy Hour – 1^st & 3^rd Wednesdays



1^st Wednesday @ 5:30pm, IN PERSON

Aloha Steakhouse, 364 S California Street, Ventura, CA 93001.

Please RSVP to Matty Park.  

3^rd Wednesday @ 5:30pm, on Zoom. Please RSVP to Kay Armstrong.

Happy hour events are not just for new members – everyone is welcome, including guests. Join us for an informal conversation about all things LWVVC. Interested in becoming more involved in our mission of "Empowering Voters, Defending Democracy"? Come, learn about what we're doing, and how you can help.

You don't have to be a League member to join us for happy hour. Come for five minutes, the whole hour or anywhere in between. We hope to see you there! You are welcome to attend either or both Happy Hours. Please register with the host in advance. If you would like to have an in-person Meet the Members in your area, please let us know. 

For all relevant news about the County of Ventura: https://www.ventura.org/  Find out how to view Board of Supervisor agendas, documents, broadcasts, and videos. Connect with County services.  

The dues rates for 2024-2025 are: 

Individual Membership                  $75.00

Student Membership                     $25.00

Family Membership                      $125.00

Associate Membership                   $25.00

OR make your check payable to LWVVC and send it to

P.O. Box 6786, Ventura, CA 93006

Membership Scholarships available with the approval of the Board of Directors.

   Donate 

Tax deductible donations may be made to:

•      General Fund

•      Scholarship Fund

•      Ann Gist Scholarship Fund  

•      Ann Gist Voter Education Fund

 OR make your check payable to LWVVC and send it to

P.O. Box 6786, Ventura, CA 93006

If you wish to donate in remembrance of someone, please include their name and a few lines about their life. Please specify the fund you want to support.

Thank you  

Raise Awareness of the League 

Email: info@lwvVenturaCounty.org

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LWVVenturaCounty  

Mailing Address: LWVVC, P.O. Box 6786, Ventura, CA 93006 

Phone Number: (805) 303-1476 

  Facebook: @lwvventuraco

 Twitter: https://twitter.com/LwvVentura

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lwvofventura/

The League of Women Voters of Ventura County is a 501(c)3 organization.

All contributions are tax deductible.  

The League of Women Voters, a grassroots non-partisan 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 League of Women Voters does not support or oppose candidates or political parties.