LWV-Wake Update 7/21/2025 |
Welcome back to your exclusive, bi-weekly newsletter of the League of Women Voters of Wake County. If someone forwarded this to you and you'd like to become a member, or are interested in learning more, just click here.
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Dear ~~first_name~~,
LWV Wake County 2025-26 Board Members were elected, and registration for Women's Equality Day has officially opened.
The Wake County League announced its newly elected Board and Nominating Committee at their June 17th Annual Meeting.
Fifty+ members and guests enjoyed the evening including an opportunity to reflect on accomplishments, shape the future direction of LWV-Wake, and connect with fellow members over shared priorities. | |
Many thanks to our outgoing Board Members: Dale Cousins, Retta Riordan, Cheryl Tung, and Helen Zimmerman.We’re grateful for their Board service and look forward to continued work together.
We welcome new Board members for 2025-26: Suzanne Botts (Development Chair), Robin Hammond and Liz Simon-Bryant (At Large), and Gaye Williams (President). Board members continuing their service this year: Sandra Birckhead (Treasurer), Johanne Christensen (Voter Services Co-Chair); and Kristen Howard (Secretary & Women’s Rights Co-Chair).
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Women's Equality Day 2025
LWV Wake invites individuals and organizations to attend or sponsor its annual Women’s Equality Day celebration. This year’s event is Thursday, August 21, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m., at All Faiths Chapel, Dix Park, Raleigh.
The keynote speaker is Leoneda Inge, award-winning journalist and co-host of WUNC’s Due South. Tickets available now!
Sponsors wanted
This event raises much needed support for our educational programs, voter outreach, and operating expenses. We invite you to become a sponsor at $150, $300, $500 or $1000 levels. To learn more about Leoneda Inge and to register, click on the link below.
Volunteer Shifts have been posted on our LWV-Wake website and we are encouraging all members to sign up for one of the 30-minute volunteer slots.
Log into the LWV Homepage and scroll all the way to the bottom of the page. Under "Support Us", click on "Volunteer" and you will see the options. Any questions, contact KristenLWV@gmail.com.
During the event, we will recognize and honor all women who serve as elected officials in Wake County.
This event is our major fundraising event of the year, and we hope all members will support us by attending and purchasing a sponsorship.
Members and non-members are welcome to attend and become sponsors.
Invite a friend!
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As an all-volunteer organization, our work is largely achieved through Committees. Investing your time here is a great way to learn about the work of our League and meet other active League members.
Not ready to commit? That’s okay, try out as many as you would like to hone-in on the areas where you would like to invest your time and energy.
When you decide to join a group, you will receive emails from the chair about meetings and activities. You decide the extent to which you are able or willing to volunteer.
You can review our online calendar anytime for upcoming meetings and other events happening every month.
See Upcoming Meetings and register online. Don't miss the opportunity to attend the Healthcare Committee Meeting on the 22nd, the Environmental Committee Meeting on the 24th or the Women's Equality Day Planning Meeting on the 28th.
A new season of Timely Topics will be shared through the Events and in upcoming newsletters. Plan to attend and bring a friend!
To learn more about LWV-Wake’s current committees or to email a chair/co-chair, go to our Our Work page.
|  | | Voter Services will be tabling at Galaxycon.com to register voters and promote Vote 411.
We will be there for two days:
July 25th from 10am to 7pm
July 26th from Noon- 6pm.
Take an look and pick a time to join us. You need to be logged in when you go to sign up.
LWV-Wake's Voter Services committee works in our community to reach out to voters and provide them with the information they need to make their voting plan and vote through a variety of events, community presentations, candidate forums and our flagship voter information website, vote411.org. |  | |
In recognition of Plastic Free July, sixteen members of the Environment Committee have “taken the pledge” to reduce plastic in our everyday lives, and in the world around us.
Our resolutions include everything from shopping with reusable containers and totes, to discarding a lifetime supply of Tupperware (and replacing it with glass containers), to installing a microfiber filter on a washing machine, to encouraging restaurants to provide compostable takeout boxes. One of our members has signed up with the ReCollective, which collects hard-to-recycle items, and two have committed to joining a monthly cleanup of the Jordan Lake shoreline.
We’re also looking outside our own homes. We’re tracking—and, whenever we can, taking action on—relevant legislation. And we’re all spreading the word (politely!) to our families and friends.
We hope that other LWV-Wake members will feel inspired to join us.
If you’d like some ideas for what you can do, please contact Environment Committee co-chair Jackie Jordan. She’d love to hear from you.
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Federal Legislation
On July 4th, the budget reconciliation, known as the ‘Big Beautiful Bill,’ passed the U.S. Congress and was signed into law by President Trump. All Democrat members of the House of Representatives from North Carolina voted against the bill, while all but one Republican member of Congress voted in favor of the bill.
Interestingly, North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis broke with party lines and voted no, citing concerns over Medicaid and SNAP cuts to North Carolinians. We applaud all NC members of Congress listed below for voting no and prioritizing the economic needs of our state’s most vulnerable citizens above party politics. Unfortunately, the passing of this bill means that, without NCGA intervening, over 255,000 North Carolina residents will lose Medicaid coverage.
LWVNC is preparing to send thank you letters to all members of the U.S. Congress who voted against the bill, and members are encouraged to email or call those listed below individually to thank them for standing up for North Carolinians by voting against this bill. You can find their contact information below:
State Legislation
The NCGA has been on a summer break since June 30th, but not before passing a slew of new legislation. As of July 16th, Governor Stein has vetoed 14 bills. The bills and veto memos can be viewed on the NCLEG homepage.
From reading Governor Stein’s reasons for vetoing these bills, it was evident that he was following deeply held principles of equality and transparency, as well as defending pubic education, public health, sensible gun safety, and supporting working families.
NC State Bills of particular focus for LWV include:
- HB 549: Clarifies Powers of State Auditor expands the authority of Republican State Auditor Dave Boliek to investigate individuals, businesses, and nonprofits. This would allow the auditor to demand access to databases, datasets, and digital records needed for any purpose within the authority of the auditor.
- SB 254: Charter School Changes removes oversight of the state's charter schools from the elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction to a board appointed mainly by GOP state lawmakers. This raises issues of transparency and accountability.
- SB 266: The Power Bill Reduction Act would exempt Duke Energy from meeting the carbon-reduction goals it agreed to just four years ago as part of a separate law. It would also allow the company to charge its North Carolina customers for power plants that have not yet been built.
- SB 558: Eliminating "DEI" in Public Higher Ed
- SB 227: Eliminating "DEI" in Public Education
- HB 171: Equality in State Agencies/Prohibition on DEI, cracks down on pro-diversity efforts in public schools and state government agencies and mirrors efforts made by the Trump administration.
- HB 805: Prevent Sexual Exploitation/Women and Minors, started as an effort to help people take down private photos or videos of themselves from the internet, which passed the state House unanimously. But the state Senate then turned the bill into a grab-bag of social conservative issues about transgender people and other issues related to gender and LGBTQ rights.
- SB 416: the Personal Privacy Protection Act, does little to protect personal privacy but instead serves as a means of shielding dark money donors to campaigns and candidates. Additionally, it provides opportunities for tax fraud to escape investigation by the NC Department of Revenue.
- HB 96: Expedited Removal of Unauthorized Persons, had broad bipartisan support until Senate special interests inserted a completely unrelated clause to protect operators of puppy mills and pet stores that sold puppies.
- HB 193: Firearm Law Revisions endangers students and teachers at private schools by allowing untrained persons to have concealed firearms in the classroom and on campus. Private schools are already allowed to hire professional security guards.
- HB 402: Limit Rules With Substantial Financial Costs would make all regulations with an economic impact of $1 million or more over a 12-month period subject to a legislative disapproval process. This would severely hamper efforts to enforce environmental and health regulations.
LWVNC President Jennifer Rubin recently submitted a letter to Governor Stein on behalf of all members of the League of Women Voters of North Carolina thanking him for vetoing several bills. We encourage members to reach out individually to thank Governor Stein for his efforts. You can see the letter from LWVNC here.
It is unknown when possible veto overrides will be scheduled. NCGA is expected to reconvene on July 29th. You can check the NCGA Legislative Calendar for updates. |  |
LWV-Wake Civics Education Committee
Did you know that "The Rule of Law" is one of the 14 Principles of Democracy? Take a look at this short video from the Civics Resources page on the LWC-WAKE website for an explanation of what "The Rule of Law" actually means.
If you want to learn about other Principles of Democracy or how our government is structured, click on the blue "Civics Resources" tab at the top of the LWC-WAKE homepage.
| | New LWV-Wake Office Opens in September. Volunteers are needed Wednesday (July 23) to help pack-up the office.
Sign-up here!
Our move is underway to our new space in the historic Occidental Insurance building at 1001 Wade Ave, Suite 25 Wade Avenue near the Village District. see map.
Stay tuned for more details about an Open House for members in September! | | |  | |
In these days of continual tests of our democracy, it can be difficult to know how each of us can make an impact. One way you can make a difference is through your investment of time, energy, effort, and money in the work of LWV-Wake. We need you and hope you'll choose to join or renew your membership.
Remember, if you want to support our Wake County work beyond the membership, donate to LWV-Wake separately from your membership dues. Visit lwv-wake.org/donate.
Keep things simple by auto-renewing! It’s a great option so your League membership is never interrupted. Just select auto-renewal in the LWVUS Member Portal. You can choose to auto-renew your annual membership or donation to LWV-Wake — or both.
|  | Media placements help us get our voice heard. And being heard helps us make an impact. You can keep up with LWVUS press coverage at the League of Women's Voters Newsroom.
This week the Wyoming League of Women Voters made news after filing an amicus brief.
“Wyoming residents already have to demonstrate that they are citizens when they register, and HB 156 will only create more bureaucracy that prevents Wyoming citizens from exercising their fundamental right to vote," said Linda Barton, president of the League of Women Voters of Wyoming. "For decades, Wyoming’s elections have been secure and without fraud without this law. The League is proud to speak out against this unnecessary and discriminatory law that will harm Wyoming residents and voters.” |  | | Do you know these three moments in US History?
July 20, 1969 - A global audience watched on television as Apollo 11 Astronaut Neil Armstrong took his first step onto the moon. As he stepped onto the moon's surface he proclaimed, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" - inadvertently omitting an "a" before "man" and slightly changing the meaning.
July 24, 1897 - American pilot Amelia Earhart (1898-1937) was born in Atchison, Kansas. She became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic and to fly solo from Hawaii to California. She perished during a flight from New Guinea to Howland Island over the Pacific Ocean on July 3, 1937.
July 26, 1944 - The U.S. Army began desegregating its training camp facilities. Black platoons were then assigned to white companies in a first step toward battlefield integration. However, the official order integrating the armed forces didn't come until July 26, 1948, signed by President Harry Truman.
| | Gaye Williams, President
League of Women Voters
Wake County
| | | | The League of Women Voters of Wake County is a designated 501(c)3 nonprofit charitable organization by the IRS. Donations and membership dues are fully tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. | |