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. | Registration deadline for the meeting is noon on June 11, 2026. |
Register for the June 16, 2026 LWV-Wake Annual Membership Meeting!
Join other members and guests for our annual membership meeting. Thanks to generous donors, we've been able to reduce the cost for this year's event to only $30. We hope you'll join us to socialize with fellow League members, give input to the Board on priorities for the coming year, and hear from our special guest speaker, Hilary Harris Klein, Senior Counsel, Voting Rights Southern Coalition for Social Justice. Click here to register or find the calendar event on June 16, 2026!
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Whether or not you can attend the Annual Meeting, be sure to cast your ballot no later than June 16 at 10 am for the Board of Directors and 2026-27 budget. Find the information in an email from May 8, 2026, or on the Annual Meeting calendar event. All ballots must be submitted electronically.
Note that a login is required to vote and the online system will allow each member to complete only one ballot.
The League wants to hear from you! Share your ideas with LWV-Wake leadership through the 2026 Membership Survey. You'll find it on the Annual Meeting event page or simply click on this link: May 2026 Member Survey. |  |
Women’s Suffrage Book Discussion: A Woman’s Crusade
Wednesday June 17th, 4:00 pm, RBF Champagne Bar in Downtown Cary
This event is inspired by the March LWV SUFFS musical event in Charlotte. We were all inspired by the story of Alice Paul, the young passionate suffrage crusader who revived the fight for women’s votes and was instrumental in the passage of the 19th Amendment. We will read and discuss A Woman’s Crusade: Alice Paul and the Battle for the Ballot written by Mary Walton.
While this book is not currently available in Wake County Public Library, it may be purchased in paperback and e-books through the usual sources, and discounted books can be obtained from Abebooks.com and other used booksellers.
Alice Paul began her life as a studious girl from a strict Quaker family in New Jersey. In 1907, a scholarship took her to England, where she developed a passionate devotion to the suffrage movement. Upon her return to the United States, Alice became the leader of the militant wing of the American suffrage movement. Calling themselves "Silent Sentinels," she and her followers were the first protestors to picket the White House and were imprisoned for their activism. Once the 19th Amendment was ratified, Alice Paul wrote the Equal Rights Amendment which, though finally ratified, we are still trying to get recognized.
This event is sponsored by the Women’s Rights Committee, this event is open to all LWV-Wake members. There is no event fee for registration. Snacks will be provided by the organizers. Attendees will be responsible for their own drink orders.
Due to venue size, we are limiting the group to 10, with a waiting list. Please sign up on the LWV-Wake website under Events.
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The League of Women Voter's Nationwide Day of Action has a renewed energy given the recent Louisiana v. Callais Supreme Court decision's impact on the Voting Rights Act. On August 8, 2026, Leagues across the country will execute a local Day of Action in honor of the anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Nationwide, local Leagues will make our contribution to the Unite and Rise 8.5 campaign goal of activating 8.5 million voters before November.
LWV-Wake will conduct a Voter Registration drive in low turn-out neighborhoods. Sign-up now if you're interested, no commitment required right now. Help our League make this happen!
|  | Women's Equality Day Event - August 26th
Join us for this special annual event as we celebrate and recognize the leadership, service, and impact of all women elected officials serving Wake County. This year’s theme, “Women Lead the Way,” highlights the vital role women play in guiding our communities forward and shaping a stronger future for all.
Women’s Equality Day also commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment, which secured women’s right to vote—a milestone that continues to inspire civic engagement and leadership today.
More details will be shared soon. Registration is open—we hope you’ll join us for this inspiring celebration!
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Membership Renewal
In February, 2025, the League of Women Voters made changes in our registration and payment process. While most of the kinks have been worked out over the past year, there is one recurring issue that we want to ask for your help to address.
Have you changed your email address since you joined/last renewed? If you are using a different email for League communications than the one you used to join or last renew, our systems may not recognize you and might create a duplicate record. This will create confusion for you and your two records will not be linked. This may cause you to miss emails and encounter issues when registering for events.
If you're comfortable with technology, Click here to see how you can update your records and avoid this issue. Want some help? We're here! The Membership Committee is available to help you as you re-register or if the system inadvertently creates a duplicate account for you, we can get it resolved. Contact Dale Cousins if you want any assistance.
|  | LWV-Wake Walnut Creek Tour. Starting with Bobbi (front, left) and moving clockwise, the people in the photo are Bobbi M., Nelda H., Jackie G., Rosemarie W., Elizabeth F., Eve V., Holly K., Carol A., and Gayle S.
| On May 29, members of the Environment Committee joined LWV-Wake President Gaye Williams and Treasurer Sandra Birckhead for a guided tour of Walnut Creek Wetland Park—and the takeaway was simple: don't just read about it, go visit.
Just minutes from downtown Raleigh, the park offers walking trails, wetlands, public art, an edible food garden, and a welcoming nature center with a shaded porch, rocking chairs, and exhibits highlighting sustainable design and stormwater management. Visitors can even borrow waders, nets, and field guides to explore the wetlands.
Our guide, Celia, also shared the fascinating history behind the park, which was created through a partnership between the City of Raleigh and Partners for Environmental Justice. The park stands as a powerful example of how environmental stewardship, community access, and social justice can come together to create a valuable public resource.
We learned so much that the conversation continued long after the tour ended!
|  | | In this pic are Robin H. and Liz S., co-chairs of the LWV-Wake Affordable Housing Committee. They served as docents for one of the homes on the WakeUp Wake County ADU tour on June 6, 2026.
| Calling all ideas for voter outreach!
The Voter Services team is making plans for the rest of the year. Please share your ideas for places where we might conduct Voter Outreach/Registration.
These will be shared with our Voter Services Chair and Voter Outreach leads as they plan our next events.
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Action Alert: Contact your Legislator re: Early Voting Access
Nearly 74% of voters cast their ballots early in the 2024 general election. Proposed legislation SB 1084 would shorten our state’s early voting period from 17 days to 10 days, making voting less flexible and accessible for many voters. LWVNC sent an Action Alert on Friday. Click here to learn more and to contact your legislators.
Action Alert: Public Comment Period Open on Proposed NC Photo ID Rule Changes
The League of Women Voters of North Carolina is encouraging North Carolinians to submit public comments regarding proposed rule changes from the North Carolina State Board of Elections that could make it easier to reject an absentee voter's ballot. Please take five minutes to submit a public comment.
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Speak Up for Campus Voting Access
The Wake County Board of Elections will decide early voting locations for the upcoming election at its June 12 meeting. Wake County residents have an opportunity to make their voices heard by submitting public comments regarding early voting site selection now through 4 pm on June 11th.
The League of Women Voters of Wake County believes NC State’s campus is a critical early voting location. An on-campus voting site makes participation more accessible for the more than 50,000 students, faculty, and staff who learn and work there, many of whom may face transportation or scheduling barriers to off-campus voting. Campus voting also helps foster lifelong civic engagement by making participation visible, convenient, and accessible for young voters. We invite League members and the broader community to speak up in support of keeping NC State as an early voting location.
Public comments may be submitted through the Board’s online comment portal now through June 11 at 4:00 pm
SUBMIT COMMENTS HERE
Alternatively, individuals may provide comments in person during the June 12th 4 pm meeting held at the Wake County Board of Elections Operations Center, 1200 North New Hope Road, Raleigh. The meeting agenda can be found here.
| | Design for Democracy:
The 2026 midterms are on the horizon, and design has a role to play. AIGA (a professional
Association for design) is inviting members to create original, nonpartisan
posters for Design for Democracy, their initiative to encourage civic
participation through design. In partnership with the League of Women Voters,
this campaign helps inspire communities to engage in local, state, and national
elections. Learn more here. | 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. | |