Volume 77, Number 7 | October 2025 | NEXT MEETING: November 1st!
Join us for our November program on Media Literacy! We will have a panel consisting of Matthew Kelly, the Kansas City Star's Kansas State Government reporter, and Clay Wirestone, the Kansas Reflector's opinion editor. We are excited to hear their perspectives on how to evaluate the news we are reading and watching and how we can influence those who are gathering and reporting the news to be factual in their work.
Saturday, November 1st from 9:30am-11am (Doors open at 9am)
Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church
9400 Pflumm Road
Lenexa, KS 66215
We'd love for you to share the League information with a friend! Share this email, our social media posts, or invite them to join you at an upcoming event.
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| LWV US Joins No Kings 2 as a National Partner
LWVUS is joining No Kings 2 as a national partner on Saturday, October 18. LWVUS has decided to become an official partner for this day of mobilization to stand in solidarity with partners and stand up against hate and authoritarianism. The League has consistently and boldly spoken up in the face of rising authoritarianism. This is an opportunity to put words into action and show up in defense of democracy and as an effective ally. We encourage Leagues to lean in locally and participate in activations with partners on the ground in a nonpartisan manner. We understand that we cannot control how other partners show up, and participating in any event comes with some risk. If representing the League or wearing LWV shirts (which we encourage), please use good judgment when creating signs and participating in nonpartisan chants.
-From LWVUS President, Dianna Wynn
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| NEW MEMBERS ORIENTATION
Whether you are a potential, new, or existing member of the League of Women Voters, we invite you to learn more about the history and mission of the national organization and the varied volunteer opportunities with our local chapter. This is an easy way to meet other members and get signed up for committees and events.
October 26th at 1:30pm at the Central Resource Library - Register Here
HOLIDAY SOCIAL
Enjoy a festive evening with hearty appetizers and refreshments as we celebrate the accomplishments of our beloved grassroots organization. Bring a friend to learn about our mission of empowering voters and defending democracy. Please RSVP by December 3rd.
Check the Events Calendar to see or register for all upcoming events!
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| Vote411
Election day on November 4th is quickly approaching! Get vote ready with Vote411, a nationwide resource on candidates in local, state, and federal elections. The League of Women Voters Education Fund launched this "one-stop-shop" site in 2006, and it is an essential tool as you prepare to cast your ballot. Our Voter Information team and a group of volunteers have been working with local candidates, distributing a candidate survey, to help build up the database.
Just visit Vote411.org and search for your address: https://www.vote411.org/ballot. You'll find the races coming up in your area and you can review your candidates' positions on issues important to you. If your candidate's information is missing please contact your candidate and ask them to complete the survey so they can inform their constituents.
You can also download cards to print and share with friends and neighbors to remind them to make a plan to vote on or before November 4th!
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The Observer Corps has open spots for the Board of County Commissioners, JCCC Board of Trustees, Olathe School Board, JOCO Parks & Rec Board, Olathe City Council, and Lenexa City Council. Email observercorps@lwvjoco.org if you can help!
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| I am very happy to report that our members have been working hard to register voters and inform voters for the rapidly approaching November 4 Election. The Voter Registration, Voter Information, Communications, and Membership teams have been collaborating together and having a lot of success. These are not the only teams who have been busy, and I thank everyone who has been volunteering and working on our league activities; some are team members, but many others are members who are helping out these teams.
- Voter Registration recently held 6 events, 3 at high schools and 3 at colleges.
- Voter Information (VI) had Postcard Parties (2 in August, 3 in September) and a total of 3,975 postcards were recently mailed out to voters 65 and above encouraging them to vote on or before November 4; these are voters who have voted but not in recent local elections.
- VI helped to host 4 Candidate Meet and Greets in late September and early October. The team tried something new and texted about 10,000 people who live around the Olathe Library where the Olathe Meet and Greet was going to occur, inviting them to come. A larger crowd than normal showed up and particularly more young people.
- VI is planning to text about 50,000 voters in Johnson, Wyandotte, and Allen counties who are 17 – 64 years of age with a Get Out the Vote message. These are people who voted before in even years, but not in local elections (odd years).
I want to thank all LWVJoCo members who submitted their responses to the Five Powerful Questions which everyone received by email in September. I also am very grateful to the members who volunteered a lot of time to review the responses and create a summary. The summary was reviewed by our Board of Directors at their recent meeting and approved. Our league’s summary will be reviewed on October 18 by all the League Presidents in Kansas at a special meeting in Topeka where all the leagues will share their responses.
The largest number by far of responses to the question “How does LWV add value to your life? What do you like most?” was “Working Together to Empower Voters / Defend Democracy”. Continue to call/write your elected representatives, encourage people to vote and to learn about the candidates/issues, and do whatever you can to make things better.
Harry Bognich
President@lwvjoco.org
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| Reminder about New LWVUS Dues Payment & Updates
The League of Women Voters sends out membership renewal reminders 60 and 30 days prior to your membership’s expiration date, as well as 30 days after that date. If you don’t renew within 30 days of your membership expiration date, you will be considered a new member when you renew your membership. This is inconvenient, but it is how the new national system works.
If you wish to continue with the League (and we sure hope you do), please renew your membership at lwv.org or on our website’s Join Us button that now connects directly to lwv.org.
You may also renew by check but be sure to make the check payable to LWVUS and mail it to League of Women Voters Johnson County, P.O. Box 13491, Overland Park, KS 66282-3491 or bring your check to the welcome table at a Saturday league meeting.
Your $75 dues are divided among the national league, as well as the Kansas league and our local chapter. We also greatly appreciate donations made to our chapter. One way to donate is to go to our website, lwvjoco.org and click on the donate button. Or you may mail a check payable to LWV JoCo, P.O. Box 13491, Overland Park, KS 66282-3491 or bring your check to the welcome table at a Saturday league meeting.
We appreciate our Johnson County League members! Please contact membership@lwvjoco.org with any questions about first-time membership, renewals or donations.
| | Looking to add some LWV merch to your closet? What about a yard sign to show your support?
Previously printed shirts, pins, and yard signs will be available for purchase at our November 1st meeting! Please bring cash or check to purchase.
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Our monthly newsletter, The VOTER, provides information on League programs and events. Get it delivered to your inbox. Subscribe for free!
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