| Join us for an authentic discussion about individual biases and forging new relationships and perspectives. Two accomplished professionals share their life experiences to help us explore the power and promise of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Each participant will be asked to reflect and commit to enriching themselves and their communities.
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Our Pace Picks Up!
Folks know that LWVJoCo protects, advises and helps voters. Requests keep coming -- for speakers at virtual meetings, partners at proposed voter events and media interviews. We’ve ramped up to 80 mph, and it’s still two months until the general election!
The latest:
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Candidate forums. Talks are underway with Mainstream Coalition, ACLU and others for virtual events covering these Johnson County races: three Board of County Commissioner seats and the District Attorney. JoCo would work with Mainstream, using the latest LWVUS forum guidelines. Mainstream would handle the virtual technology.
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DEI kickoff. Start your journey with “A Call to Action: Your Personal Exploration of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion,” on Saturday morning, 9/12, 9 a.m. Speakers are local experts Dr. Andrea Hendricks and Juan Rangel. See more details above.
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Postcards. Using funds from a generous donation to LWVK, we’re targeting un-registered youth ages 18-22. The postcards will use our JoCo poster art (shown below) and be in both English and Spanish. See Help Wanted in this issue.
How can you help? Sign up when we text, phone or email. Choose what works best for you from:
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Our “home alone” projects include addressing postcards (handwriting gets attention) and contacting the local office of Sens. Roberts and Moran, and Congresswoman Davids.
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Our “out and about” projects include the October 10 Souls to the Polls second car caravan and opening mailed ballots at the Election Office. Watch for more information about these opportunities.
Remember: Watch for our weekly emails for hot news and “Help Wanted” requests. 2020 is THE year for our action.
Amber Stenger and Ellen Miller, Co-Presidents
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Canvass Results
To finalize election results, the Board of Canvassers meets to review the provisional ballots and decide which ballots to count or not to count. The Election Office has researched the submitted ballots and checked for signatures, registrations, etc. and makes recommendations to the board. See the reasons behind the decisions in the two charts below.
The meeting was held in the election office warehouse on August 12 and 13, with required masks and spaced seating. The November canvass date is not yet set, but usually is held a week to 10 days after the election.
| | Of the challenged mail/provisional ballots, 2533 were counted: | | and 1499 were NOT counted: | | Several people attended Johnson County's election canvass after the primary, following social distancing guidelines. | |
Make Sure Your Mailed Ballot Counts!
Get your mail-in ballot counted! Share these tips with friends and family:
✅ Fill out all required information on the envelope.
✅ Sign the envelope.
✅ Put only your ballot in your envelope; no doubling up with others in your household.
✅ Mail it as early as possible. (Bonus: As soon as you vote, you’ll be taken off candidates’ and parties’ call lists!)
✅ If you haven’t mailed it at least a week (or even two weeks) before the election, consider dropping it off at the 24-hour secure drop box at the Johnson County Election Office in Olathe.
✅ To avoid lines, drop mailed ballots off at any early in-person voting location or any polling location in your county on Election Day. (You'll be able to skip the lines to drop off completed mailed ballots.)
Tip: Consider voting early, in person, at the seven Johnson or three Wyandotte county locations. It’s convenient and fast, and you avoid lines on Election Day. Find more voting information on our website.
| | Olathe Proclamation Celebrates 19th Amendment
Recognizing the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, the City of Olathe, KS Government issued a proclamation commemorating the contributions of women. Co-presidents Ellen Miller and Amber Stenger were on-hand to receive it on August 18. You can read the proclamation here.
Thank you, Olathe, for commemorating and recognizing the contributions women have made, and continue to make, to create a more perfect democracy.
| | | Save the Date
📅 October 3 - Virtual monthly meeting via Zoom about election preparedness. Registration required.
📅 October 10 - Souls to the Polls Car Caravan
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Jeannine Linnane
Ann Alcasabas
Grace Speicher
Alleen VanBebber
Lisa Carson
Carolyn Celestine
Kristy Reynolds
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In August, 282 members were telephoned by the board and other leaders. Callers first asked how things were going in this COVID era. Then we asked how best to get the person’s attention: via text, email or telephone. Email is the preferred method (52%), then text (30%) and finally a phone call (18%). Member comments included:
📱 “I’m so glad you called! I haven’t been out of my house except for groceries and doctors since March.”
📱 “I’ve never been on Zoom, but will try it for the September DEI program.”
Many thanks to our callers!
| | Candy Birch
Dorothy Crooks
Viv Gibbens
Jerry Gilson
Lynn Hardy
Robyn Hart
Gloria Hiller
Kathy Hockley
Susan Horst
Christine Hutchins |
| Mary Lou Jaramillo
Danielle Keller
Diane Kuhn
Lisa Kuhnke
Karin Leacox
Julie Lester
Marcia Manter
Eileen Manza
Eileen Marshall
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Cathy Matlack
Ellen Miller
Kathleen Morrow
Cathy Nix
Ellen Porter
Mimi Rainen
Caryn Ranes
Deb Scott
Karen Wulfkuhle |
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| Yard Signs - $10
T-Shirts - $15
Rhinestone "VOTE" Pins - $20
Car Magnets - $5
| | Get your election swag today!
To place an order
| | | | Observer Reports
We now have an observer for the Shawnee Mission School Board! In other news, COVID updates from the BOCC, protesters at the Overland Park City Council meeting, and a new diversity task force in Prairie Village. Catch up on the actions, decisions and proposals of our local public officials.
Read the latest summaries by League members who attend several public meetings in our area. | | | GOTV-postcard writers:
Handwrite scripted messages to 10 assigned voters three different times before the November election.
People to put up voter registration posters:
Help us paper our community with voter registration posters. We need people to put up posters at places in the area where people are still gathering.
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Non-Partisan Policy Reminder
League members who are not in sensitive board positions such as President, Voter Service Chair, and Advocacy Chair are encouraged to participate in campaigns and run for office!
What is important to remember is that you are participating as an individual - you do not represent the League of Women Voters. Only a President can represent the League, speak for the League or authorize another member to speak for the League.
So, for instance, if you are at a League event, standing in front of a LWV banner, you do not make partisan statements to the media. If you feel that you are strongly identified in your community as a LWV member, and you decide not to have yard signs or contribute to campaigns, you can still have an important role, helping encourage Voter Registration (like with the online Voter to Voter project), or participate in a Get Out the Vote (GOTV) phone bank effort before and on Election Day.
Source: LWVK August Voter Notes | | Member Spotlight: Jerry Gilson
Defending democracy, giant kites and technical projects are keeping our treasurer busy. Learn more about Jerry. | | | Board and Committee Briefs
📰 LWVK in the news: Read what LWVK Co-President Cille King had to say in this article about mail-in-ballot issues.
⏱️ Time for you to renew? Many memberships expired June 30. Renewing is quick and easy on our new website. If you have trouble logging in, call Club Express, (866) 457-2582. Thank you to the many members who have renewed for 2020-2021.
🗳️ Souls to the Polls update: About 30 churches are building Voter to Voter teams within their congregations to encourage members to vote. This peer-to-peer voter engagement program has been an effective way to increase voter turnout. A second car caravan is scheduled for October 10. Watch for more details.
📫 GOTV postcards: LWVJoCo is using a $5,500 grant to create a recurring postcard campaign targeting unregistered young voters (18 to 22) in Johnson County. This grant was part of a larger grant given to the state League for voter education and engagement in 2020. LWVJoCo volunteers will be writing messages on the postcards to promote voting among this traditionally underrepresented segment of our society. Please email our Voter Registration team if you would like to help send postcards.
🧧 LWVJoCo donated $200 to Friends of Shawnee Town as a way to recognize and support their many suffrage events this year, including the very successful Votes for Women tea with Girls Scouts this spring before the pandemic.
🤔 Free online DEI training opportunity: From now through September 15, League members have the opportunity to take "The Equity Journey," courtesy of Leaderosity and the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance. This FREE, three-module, self-guided journey will help you enhance your understanding of equity and bias, uncover your equity journey and gain awareness of the structural/systemic barriers that hinder equity. Register here. |
Can This Voter Be Saved?
Conversations With Voters
Submitted by Kathy Minges
Voters have many questions, especially during this unusual election season:
"I plan to mail my ballot in as soon as I get it. But what if I wait until November 1? Try to find a post office box?"
"Will there be people to pick up the ballot standing outside polling stations on the Election Day?"
"How long should I allow for the Post Office to get and process my ballot?"
Here are just some of the resources available to help voters find answers:
The Johnson County Election Office website has comprehensive Voter Information, including a page devoted to Advance Voting.
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Nominating Committee: Always Looking Ahead
What makes a great organization? For a start, its members. And as members, we need a strong, diverse board of directors to set the course and plan our action. Have you considered a leadership role with the League? If you are interested in learning more about the work of the board and the open positions for 2021-2022, the Nominating Committee would like to hear from you.
The Nominating Committee’s task is to prepare a slate of officers and directors to be elected at the annual meeting in March. Because we won’t be together in person for a while, you are encouraged to contact a member of the Committee about your own interest, or to recommend another member you feel would be a good addition to the board. But we won’t just be waiting for your call; committee members are actively seeking recommendations from members, and may be calling you.
The following are the positions that will be filled for terms starting April 1, 2021. Each board position has specific responsibilities. The bylaws allow for co-office holders, so responsibilities could be shared. For more information on the board and roles, see the League Bylaws, Articles IV and V. The board currently meets the second Tuesday of the month at 5:30 p.m.
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President – a one year term. The president is basically the manager of the organization, as well as the official public spokesperson.
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Vice-President – a one year term. The vice-president’s most important responsibility is the program for the general membership meetings.
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Secretary – a two year term. The secretary keeps the minutes.
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Membership Coordinator – serving one year. Membership coordinates the recruitment, welcome and involvement of new members, and maintains the member database.
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Voter Information and Get out the Vote – a two year term. The position provides accurate and unbiased information to the public, as well as planning legislative and candidate forums.
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Nominating Committee – three positions are elected to develop the slate for the following year.
Please contact one of us, if you would like to learn more:
Kathleen Jennings: kathy522204@gmail.com
Donna Lauffer: djlkansas@gmail.com
Cathy Matlack: cjmatlack@gmail.com
Danielle Simpson Keller: daniellesimpson09@hotmail.com
Karen Wulfkuhle: kjwulf2013@gmail.com
Submitted by Karen Wulfkuhle
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