Articles posted in this year on the LWVAL website are archived here. The fiscal year is June 1 - May 31 of the following year.
- For an overview of LWVAL projects, goals and accomplishments, also see past issues of The Voter, LWVGB's newsletter.
- See the LWVAL home page for the most recent news.
*** ANNOUNCEMENT ***
LWVAL Collaborates with the
Girl Scouts of North Central Alabama
Two Events!
- Sunday, January 28, 2024 at 6:00 PM CST
- Sunday, February 4, 2024 at 6:00 PM CST
The LWV appreciates the ongoing mission of the Girl Scouts to develop girl’s and women's skills, confidence, and knowledge to become wise leaders in their communities.
On January 28, 2024 and again on February 4, 2024, the Girl Scouts are hosting a virtual event entitled "Take the Civic Challenge with the League of Women Voters and GSNCA - Meet Local, State and National Elected Officials", where Girl Scouts can earn the newest Council patch!
These zoom sessions are open to the public so encourage all girls and members of your family to 'take the Bingo challenge!'
Register for Civic Conversations:
- Link to register for January 28 session: https://bit.ly/3Od4S3Q
- Link to register for February 4 session: https://bit.ly/4b7XGQb
Civic engagement is the way individuals connect with and make a positive difference in their communities. Positive change is made by learning about our community and its needs, volunteerism, and participating in government through advocacy or elections.
Girl Scouts of all ages are being invited to take this opportunity to fill in one of their Civic Challenge Bingo squares by meeting some of their elected officials! They will have the opportunity to ask questions and get to know more about what it takes to make an impact in their government.
If you have questions regarding this project, please contact LWVAL Director Jenella Lymon at JLymon@lwval.org
The League of Women Voters of
Alabama Education Fund and
Alabama State University launch an Alabama Channel Internship program to enhance legislative meeting coverage
Press Release / 1/18/24
Montgomery, Alabama – The League of Women Voters of Alabama Education Fund and the Alabama State University are collaborating to substantially expand public access to Alabama House and Senate meetings during the 2024 legislative session, through an innovative Alabama Channel internship program.
The Alabama Channel project has been recording, archiving, and making Alabama’s legislative meeting recordings searchable by transcript since 2022. Through this exciting League partnership with the Alabama State University Political Science and Communication Departments, student interns will work to further expand coverage of the legislature by in-person recording of public meetings, that are not live-streamed.
"We are thrilled to partner with Alabama State University to bring a new level of depth to our legislative meeting coverage.” said Tara Bailey, director of the Alabama Channel. “This partnership aligns perfectly with our mission to enhance access to vital governmental information with the goal of increasing civic engagement throughout the state."
"We are honored, through this internship, to support Alabama State University’s development of America’s future leaders.” said Kathy Jones, President of the League of Women Voters of Alabama Education Fund.
“This particular internship represents a multidisciplinary field for ASU students. It crosses with communication and the political process in real time. We are truly excited for this opportunity.” said Dr. William Robinson, Associate Professor, Department of Communications College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at Alabama State University.
Alabama State University Communications and Political Science students are currently applying through their departments to be selected as Alabama Channel interns in preparation for the beginning of the Alabama 2024 Legislative session.
About League of Women Voters of Alabama Education Fund and The Alabama Channel:
The League of Women Voters of Alabama Education Fund is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501C3 organization that was formed to promote political responsibility through informed and active participation of citizens in government. It shall never support or oppose any political party or candidate.
The Alabama Channel, a project of the League of Women Voters of Alabama Education Fund, is committed to providing comprehensive coverage of legislative proceedings, ensuring citizens have access to critical information for an informed democracy. The Alabama Channel re-livestreams, records, archives, and makes Alabama's legislative meetings searchable. Searchable content includes Alabama's House and Senate floor sessions, House and Senate committee meetings, and joint committee meetings. Search them all at once with a single keyword search!
About Alabama State University:
Alabama State University is a public, historically black college and university, based in Montgomery, Alabama. Founded in 1867, Alabama State University has a history of legacy of perseverance, progress and promise, and a keen focus on developing history makers through its sixty-three (63) degree programs.
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For more information about the Alabama Channel, contact Tara Bailey, the LWVAL Education Fund's Director of The Alabama Channel at thealabamachannel@lwval.org
Website: www.thealabamachannel.org
Linktree: linktr.ee/thealachannel
[NOTE: Click here to download/print this press release.]
Making Montgomery Work:
January Virtual AL Legislative Preview
Hosted by
'H.I.V.E. Alabama' and
'MAD? Make A Difference'
Date: Tuesday January 16, 2023
Time: 12 pm/Noon to 1 pm
Registration Link: https://bit.ly/4aSTSlQ
LWVAL President Kathy Jones, will be joining other non profit leaders to give the public a preview of what to expect during the upcoming legislative session, along with each organization's legislative priorities.
Participating Policy Advocates:
- Kathy Jones of the League of Women Voters of Alabama
- Akiesha Anderson of Alabama Arise
- Elliot Spillers and Elaine Burdeshaw of Alabama Appleseed
- Cindy Lowry of Alabama Rivers Alliance
- Paula Wilson of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense
League of Women Voters of Alabama
*** CALL TO ACTION ***
Tell Your Legislators:
“Vote NO On SB1!”
Issued January 8, 2024
The 2024 Alabama Legislature goes into session on February 6, 2024 with an extremely harmful elections law bill (SB1) that is expected to be fast-tracked into law by the by the bill’s sponsors. Senate Bill SB1 would CRIMINALIZE voters who ask friends for help in getting an absentee ballot application. Any friend who responds would also be guilty of a crime.
The League of Women Voters of Alabama is issuing an URGENT CALL TO ACTION for our members and supporters to call and write your legislators immediately with a clear demand to vote NO on Senate Bill #1.
To locate the email and phone number for your State Senator and for the Senate Leadership, go to this website: https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/senate-leaders-members
If you need to confirm your Senator, go to the Alabama Secretary of State’s website: https://myinfo.alabamavotes.gov/voterview
Please keep your communications on this CALL TO ACTION professional and nonpartisan as you clearly state your concerns and demand that your elected leader VOTE NO ON SB1.
Click here for additional background information on this bill.
Again, if passed into law, this bill will suppress voters of all parties and persuasions. In addition to calling and writing your State Senators immediately, it is important for all of us to stay aware of the status of SB1 since we unfortunately expect it to pass very quickly (possibly by the end of February) if voters cannot get it stopped. If SB1 passes, we expect the State to aggressively look for opportunities to enforce this new voter suppression law in 2024. There is language in SB1 that the bill sponsors see as a money maker for Alabama, due to associated court costs and fines/fees.
Thank you for taking immediate action to STOP SB1!
UPDATE: Thank you for your support for the LWVAL Education Fund on Giving Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023. We can no longer receive double the dollars for your generous gift, but it's not too late to give! We appreciate your support at any time.
*********
GIVING TUESDAY IS ALMOST HERE.
Please give generously to the
LWVAL Education Fund!
Please support the LWVAL Education Fund on Giving Tuesday, Nov. 28, or anytime. Until Nov. 28, every dollar donated to the LWVAL Education Fund is DOUBLED through a matching gift for 2x the POW!
All donations to the LWVAL Education Fund are tax deductible. Donate to support our efforts to promote voting, civic engagement, and government transparency through The Alabama Channel. The LWVAL Education Fund educates the citizens of Alabama about our government and public policies and encourages active participation in democracy. We cannot do it without your support.
Donate now at https://bit.ly/lwvalef or scan the QR code. Thank you in advance!
#LWVALEF #AlabamaChannel #GovtTransparency #VRR #Vote411 #LWVAL
UPDATE: The video of this panel presentation is now available on the LWVAL YouTube channel.
LWVAL Voter Education Series
Alabama's Maternal Mortality Crisis
Thursday, November 16, 2023 at 6:30 PM via Zoom
Register for the Zoom at: https://bit.ly/48PE5TU
The public is welcomed to attend.
Maternal mortality is a national crisis with sobering statistics. The U.S. Maternal Mortality Rate has increased from 17.4 per 100,000 births in 2018 to 20.1 per 100,000 births in 2019. In 2020, Alabama had the third-highest Maternal Mortality Rate in the nation, at 36.4 per 100,000 live births. * |
UPDATE: The video of this panel presentation is now available on the LWVAL YouTube channel.
LWVAL Voter Education Series
Inaccessible Transportation - Solutions To Transportation Barrier's for Alabama's Disabled
Monday, November 6, 2023 at 6:30 PM via Zoom
Register for the Zoom at: https://bit.ly/48nTWsJ
The public is welcome to attend.
Register to receive a zoom link to this virtual meeting at https://bit.ly/48nTWsJ
UPDATE: The video of this panel presentation is now available on the LWVAL YouTube channel.
LWVAL Voter Education Series
Election Integrity, Voter Rolls, &
the National Voter Registration Act
Saturday, October 14, 2023, 10:00 AM CT via Zoom
Register for the Zoom at: https://bit.ly/3Y6wZ8u
The public is welcome to attend.
On Saturday October 14, 2023 at 10am, join the League of Women Voters of Alabama for the next in our Voter Education series, entitled "Election Integrity, Voter Rolls, & the National Voter Registration Act"
We knew dropping Alabama out of ERIC was going to be problematic since that was a major way that Alabama was able to meet the federal law requiring accurate voter rolls, to have secure and fair elections. Now we have a new, home-grown system that is taking ERIC’s place. What are the risks? What are your protected rights under the National Voter Registration Act?
Register to receive a zoom link to this virtual meeting at bit.ly/3Y6wZ8u
We have assembled an expert panel who will discuss the role of the NVRA in protecting Voters and ensuring election integrity. They will also be able to shed light on why the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) was so needed and what the recently announced Alabama developed Alabama Voter Integrity Database (AVID) is doing to replace ERIC’s functionality.
Panelist include: Sylvia Albert, of Common Cause; Mitchell Brown, Professor of Political Science at Auburn University; and Adam Ambrogi, chief of external affairs at the LWV United States. The moderator for this forum is Stephanie Butler who is an officer in the League of Women Voters of Alabama.
I hope you’ll join us for this important conversation.
Kathy
Kathy Jones
President, League of Women Voters of Alabama
The League believes our democracy is
strongest when every voice is heard.
UPDATE: The video of this panel presentation is now available on the LWVAL YouTube channel.
LWVAL Voter Services Education Series
Breaking Barriers in Alabama - A World of Marginalization
Thursday, September 28, 2023, 6:30 PM CT via Zoom
Register for the Zoom at: https://bit.ly/3O2oeb7
The public is welcome to attend.
On Thursday, September 28, 2023, at 6:30 pm, join the League of Women Voters of Alabama as we partner with the Human Rights Campaign Alabama for the next program in our Breaking Barriers in Alabama Voter Education series, entitled “A World of Marginalization.”
We will hear about voting barriers that LGBTQ+ communities are experiencing in Alabama and the horrific policies that the state legislature has enacted, which are harming trans children and effectively silencing the marginalized voices of friends, family members, and others in our communities. Through this discussion, we will understand the threats and barriers that many LGBTQ+ Alabamians face so that we can stand together as allies to hold elected leaders accountable for harmful policies and laws that violate civil and voting rights.
Stephanie Butler from the League of Women Voters of Alabama will moderate the forum. Panelists include Carmarion D. Anderson-Harvey (she/her), Alabama State Director of the Human Rights Campaign; Daye Pope (she/her), Director of Civic Engagement at T.A.K.E Resource Center; and Victoria Kirby York, MPA (she/they), Director of Public Policy and Programs at the National Black Justice Coalition.
Register at the link below to receive a Zoom link for the webinar.
This program is free and open to the public.
Register to attend at https://bit.ly/3O2oeb7
#LGBTQ #alpolitics #LWVAL #LWV
UPDATE: The video of this panel presentation is now available on the LWVAL YouTube channel.
LWVAL Environmental Education Series
Alabama Waste Sludge Awareness
Tuesday, September 19, 2023, 6:30 to 8:00 PM CT
Register for the Zoom at: https://bit.ly/46X3KZO
The public is welcome to attend.
Julie Lay will discuss the practice and hazards of the land application of biosloids in this next program in the League of Women Voters of Alabama's Environmental Education Series. Often referred to as waste sludge, the nutrient value is often promoted while the dangerous toxicity of waste sludge--which poses a serious threat to human health and the environment-- is downplayed or ignored. Julie will discuss actions citizens may take to increase public awareness of this practice and what must be done to stop it.
Julie Lay holds a B.S. Degree from Auburn University in Animal Science and completed an internship with USDA Forest Service Center for Aquatic Technology Transfer, whose main focus was aquatic management issues. She spent the majority of 16 years working in industrial agriculture food safety, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance. Julie resigned from her position in industrial agriculture in November of 2019 and has turned her attention towards supporting and bringing awareness to sustainable agriculture methods. Julie and her husband reside in the Tennessee River watershed, in Guntersville, Alabama, where she is a stay-home mom and homeschools her two sons. Julie is a member of the Board of Directors of the Alabama Rivers Alliance and is a cofounder of Alabama Waste Sludge Awareness. Julie tells her story of researching biosolids in the 2020 Southern Exposure film, Soiled.
This program is free and open to the public.
Register to attend at https://bit.ly/46X3KZO
#climatecrisis #climatechange #environment #alpolitics #LWVAL #LWV
This August, women are standing together demanding that our rights be restored, our voices be heard, and that we ourselves be seen and treated as equals in our democracy. Together, we have the power to create a more perfect and inclusive nation that celebrates our diversity and welcomes everyone to participate. We can create the change we need and want with the power of our votes. |
UPDATE 6/1/23 URGENT CALL-TO-ACTION: There are only a few days left in the Alabama legislative session. HB209 may come to the Senate floor anytime for a vote. Please urge your state senator NOW to VOTE NO on HB209. This bad bill suppresses the vote and actually criminalizes education about absentee voting! Read below to learn how to find your senator and get contact information.
UPDATE 5/23/23: There are only a few days left in the Alabama Legislature's 2023 Regular Session. Find your Alabama State Senator. Find contact information for your Alabama State Senator. Call and urge him/her to vote NO ON HB209. Thank you!
UPDATE 5/4/23: HB209 passed the Alabama House on Thursday, May 4, 2023 by a vote of 76 to 28 with one abstention. Watch the House action on The Alabama Channel. (Click "Watch Meetings" and search for HB209.) HB209 is enrolled and now goes to the Senate for consideration.
URGENT! Please take immediate action! HB209 comes to the Alabama House floor for a vote on Thursday, May 4, 2023. The House convenes at 8:30 AM. Please call your state representative NOW to urge him/her to VOTE NO on HB209. This legislation would criminalize providing assistance to absentee voters. After hours? Just leave a message. Be sure to tell him/her that you are a constituent. THANK YOU for taking action!
The League of Women Voters in Alabama is issuing an urgent call to action for our members, friends, and colleagues to contact your legislator immediately to urge him/her to oppose House Bill HB209.
Summary of Actions and Opportunities:
By Thursday, May 4, 2023, 8:30 AM, PLEASE call your State House Representative to express opposition to HB209 which would criminalize providing absentee voting assistance. Use this email and the HB209 Talking Points as input for your own powerful message.
State Representative Contact Information:
• Find your state Senator or House Representative
• Contact information for your State Representatives: https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/house-leaders-members
A public hearing was held on April 19th on HB209 before the Alabama House Constitution Campaign and Elections Committee (CCE) . The LWVAL and many other concerned citizens and nonprofits testified against the bill. See the hearing on The Alabama Channel at https://www.thealabamachannel.org/.
LWVAL and other members of the Alabama Voting Rights Coalition voiced their opposition to this bill in a press conference following the April 19th public hearing. In that press conference, the AVRC informed the press that HB209 imposes voter suppression on Alabama's most vulnerable citizens. See the press conference on the LWVAL YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/lwvalabama
MORE ABOUT HB209
Forty-Two Alabama House Representatives have come together to co-sponsor anti-democratic HB209 legislation, which "would prohibit any person from distributing, ordering, requesting, collecting, completing, obtaining, or delivering an absentee ballot application or absentee ballot of another person in certain circumstances and would provide for exceptions. This bill would prohibit any person from receiving a payment or providing a payment to another person for distributing, ordering, requesting, collecting, completing, obtaining, or delivering an absentee ballot application or absentee ballot of another person in certain circumstances. This bill would also establish criminal penalties for violations."
If HB209 passes, individuals who help a voter participate in the absentee voting process would be prosecuted and convicted of a Class D felony.
HB209 will incite fear and confusion for vulnerable and underserved voters who have in the past obtained information and assistance from trusted, non-profit, non-partisan organizations such as the League. The Absentee voting process is already complex and prone to mistakes. Allowing volunteer groups to assist in obtaining and filling out the forms eliminates errors and allows more people to have their vote counted. Older adults, the physically challenged or disabled use the absentee ballot when it is difficult or impossible for them to access the polls. Restricting assistance with absentee voting greatly enhances the chance of errors and disenfranchising these particularly vulnerable groups of voters.
The bill defines the list of who a voter is restricted to ask for absentee ballot help that is frankly out of touch with the reality of many in Alabama. This bill would restrict voters to only receiving absentee voting assistance from a) family members of a second-degree kinship - which is legally defined as someone who shares 25% of a person's genes, b) from someone who has lived in your house for six months before making an absentee ballot request, c) and of course, election officials are always acceptable.
Not every person has circumstances that align with the familial relationships, or personal situation, assumed by the bill's author. Not everyone has the ability to drive down to visit an Elections official during weekday office hours. A nurse or caregiver assisting their patient to vote could become a convicted felon and potentially lose their license and job. Teachers, college officials, or coaches who assist students who want to request an absentee ballot application could also become a convicted felon and lose their jobs. The language of the bill raises a question about whether the voter could also be charged with a crime if they knowingly get help from someone that isn’t on the HB209 approved list.
If HB209 passes, voting rights groups, churches, and other nonprofit, volunteer organizations would be prohibited from providing nonpartisan, free assistance to voters with the absentee ballot request process. It would also criminalize individuals who are working to increase voter participation. There has in fact been no voter fraud in the current Alabama absentee ballots process. At its core, HB209 is a tool for voter intimidation and voter suppression, meant to make absentee voting inaccessible for a large number of people who are legally entitled to vote absentee.
The League of Women Voters of Alabama strongly opposes this bill and asks your assistance in defeating HB209. This bill is now before the Alabama Senate. Please call your state Senator NOW and urge him/her to vote NO ON HB209. Thank you!
LWVAL Discussion Series
Examining Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
"The Impact Bias Has on DEI Efforts"
Saturday, June 10, 2023
9:30 to 10:30 AM CT
via Zoom
Register to attend at https://bit.ly/3BYYUgj
The truth is, all human beings have biases that affect our perceptions and influence our behaviors and relationships. Better understand how unconscious biases can be a barrier and learn ways we can address our individual biases to impact efforts in moving the needle toward inclusion.
Our presenter is U'Meeka Smith, Assistant Director, Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion for Huntsville City.
This program is being offered in coordination with the Smithsonian exhibit "The Bias Inside Us". For more information about this initiative or for more resources, please visit: https://biasinsideus.si.edu/homepage
Register now for "The Impact Bias Has on DEI Efforts" at https://bit.ly/3BYYUgj. This program is free and open to the public.
#alpolitics #DEI #diversity #equity #inclusion #bias #LWVAL #LWV