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1212 Guadalupe St. #107
Austin, TX 78701

Phone:
(512) 472-1100
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Date: 9/5/2022
Subject: LWVTX Action News! September 2022
From: Joyce LeBombard




September 2022 Action News!
Happy Labor Day, ~~first_name~~!

Labor Day pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers, and we pay tribute to all laborers on this day. I would like to recognize the hard work of League members, who are some of the most dedicated, passionate, innovative, and collaborative people that I have ever worked with in my entire life! As Margaret Mead said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Thank you to every League member and supporter for Empowering Voters and Defending Democracy.

We have NEW Vote by Mail resources available! LWVTX worked with the Center for Civic Design to develop easier-to-use Vote by Mail resources after the problem during the primary elections. These resources are available as LWVTX branded or can be customized - whether you are an election administrator office, political party or candidate, or other voting rights organizations! The new vote by mail resources are at LWVTexas.org/votebymail.

September 12-16 is National Disability Voting Right Week. We have several resources in the newsletter to help you learn more and advocate for Disability Voting Rights. They include a great new flash mob video "Don't Dis The Vote" from RevUp Texas, a webinar we hosted with Disability Rights Texas for election workers about accommodating people with disabilities, and information about the Texas Disability Issues Forum.

Don't forget to check out all the fantastic events and work in the Local Leagues in Action section.

Thank you again for all that you do. I am proud and honored to stand with y'all as we Empower Voters and Defend Democracy.

Respectively,

Your Texas League in Action



Order Your Voters Guides!


In keeping with the tradition started decades ago, LWVTX will be printing and publishing our Voters Guide for the 2022 General Election that takes place November 8th. The League will provide printed Voters Guides in both English and Spanish. If you would like to distribute this resource in your community, please fill out the Order Form and submit it no later than September 9th. Our target is to ship the Voters Guides around October 9th. 

We encourage you to further educate voters by posting on your website a link to the pdf version of the Guide, which will be found at LWVTexas.org, or a link to VOTE411.org, our online interactive version of the Guide.

To order printed Voters Guides, click here.



New Vote by Mail Resources 


After the vote by mail problems during the 2022 Texas Primary elections, LWVTX worked with the Center for Civic Design to develop resources to help remedy some the issues we saw. We're happy to present our new vote by mail resources for you to print and share. Feel free to use the customizable ones to add your local/county information and even your own organization's logo.  LWV Texas branded: Customizable:


For the upcoming election on Nov. 8th, your Vote by Mail application must be delivered in person or postmarked on or before Oct. 28th, 2022. For more information and resources about how to vote by mail in Texas, click
here.


Take Action!

Election Workers Needed!

Our democracy depends on ordinary people who make sure every election runs smoothly and everyone's vote is counted. You can make sure we have safe, fair, and efficient elections for all. Here are three ways to get involved:

1. Be a Poll Worker!

LWV Texas has partnered with Power the Polls to address the need for more poll workers. There are many kinds of jobs for poll workers to do, including helping voters check in, managing voter lines, troubleshooting equipment, and providing directions and assistance. Step up and become a poll worker in your community this year! 
Click here to learn more and sign up.

2. Student Election Clerks

Did you know that students can get paid to be election clerks? Student election clerks are high school students who are 16 years of age or older who participate in the electoral process by serving as election clerks at the polling place during Early Voting and/or on Election Day. Click here to learn more.

3. 
Election Protection

Election Protection uses a wide range of tools and activities to protect, advance, and defend the right to vote and helps voters make sure their vote is counted. Throughout the election cycle, Election Protection volunteers provide voter information, document problems they encounter when voting, and work with partners and volunteers on the ground to identify and remove barriers to voting.

Upcoming Election Protection Training:
Click here 
to learn more.



Stay Up-to-Date with Action Alerts!


LWV Texas makes taking action easy! Find your elected officials, write letters to the editor, and keep up with voting rights and election law bills on our Take Action page.

LWVUS also offers many ways to have your voice heard by elected officials and policy makers. Take action on League priorities today by clicking here.


Local Leagues in Action

LWV Comal Area

Photo credit: League of Women Voters of the Comal Area Facebook page. LWV Comal Area hosted a Women's (In)Equality Day Rally in downtown New Braunfels on Friday, Aug. 26th. The festivities included a speech by Jose Munoz with LULAC. Read more here and here.
 
LWV El Paso

Photo credit: League of Women Voters of El Paso Facebook page. LWV El Paso had a great turnout at their Women's Equality Day Celebration Brunch, which included four distinguished female speakers. Pictured are Board Member, Alyssa Cervantes Benavides and President, Carol Wallace. Read more here and here.
 
LWV Tyler/Smith County

Photo credit: Tour Tyler Texas. LWV Tyler/Smith County celebrated Women's Equality Day with a special event at the Tyler Public Library on August 27th. Pictured are Rubye Kendrick, President of LWV Tyler/Smith County and Queen Davon Ferguson of the Texas African American Museum. Read more here.

LWV Richardson

Photo credit: League of Women Voters of Richardson Facebook page. Ellen and Juanita, members of LWV Richardson, registered voters at the Back-to-School Backpack Bash on July 30th hosted by Richardson ISD. Read more here and here.

Your Texas League in the News

A Texas county’s election administrators all resigned, leaving the state to step in

JOEY PALACIOS, TPR / DAN KATZ, TEXAS PUBLIC RADIO / DAVID MARTIN DAVIES, TEXAS PUBLIC RADIO | Published on 8/23/2022

In Texas, a county elections administrator and her two deputies have resigned, with at least one citing threats fueled by misinformation... Now, two months before early voting begins for the November general election, the county, which is west of Austin, has no elections department.
 
Read the full article here.


Ensuring voting access for people with disabilities

Benjamin Barber, The Institute for Southern Studies | Published on 8/5/2022

In the 2020 elections, turnout among voters with disabilities reached unprecedented numbers. But in many places, voters with disabilities still face major obstacles to casting a ballot. According to a 2021 report from the Center for American Progress titled "Enhancing Accessibility in U.S. Elections," 1 in every 9 disabled voters faced some sort of barrier to accessing the ballot box in the 2020 elections. 
 
Read the full article here.


Announcements


Disability Voting Rights Week

Disability Voting Rights Week is coming up on Sept. 12th-16th. Every year, the REV UP Campaign coordinates Disability Voting Rights Week to increase the political power of people with disabilities by getting disabled people registered and ready to vote and engaging candidates and the community on issues impacting people with disabilities.

Here are three resources for you and your organization to use to advocate for voting rights for people with disabilities:

1. Texas Issues Disability Forum


The Texas Disability Issues Forum (TDIF) is a nonpartisan, one-day event, where candidates for elected statewide office address concerns of Texans with disabilities. They invite both Democrat and Republican candidates for the offices of Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, and Agriculture Commissioner to participate in a series of one-on-one candidate interviews, conducted by an impartial moderator.

TDIF will be held on Monday, September 19th in Austin to find out what major party candidates have to say on your most pressing issues, from healthcare to elections to education, and more. LWV Texas will be making a presentation about vote by mail at the forum. For more information, click here.

2. Don't Dis the Vote Video

The new flash mob video from Rev Up Texas is an anthem, a dance, a call to action. The purpose of this nonpartisan, community empowerment exercise is galvanize people with disabilities and our allies to increase political participation and voter turnout through Registration, Education, and Voting. This is an excellent resource, so feel free to share this video throughout the election season as part of your Get Out the Vote campaign. Click here to view and download the video.

3. Accommodating Voters with Disabilities Video

LWV Texas and Disability Rights Texas co-hosted a webinar titled "Election Worker and Advocate Training: Accommodating Voters with Disabilities" on Wednesday, August 17th, 2022. The webinar focused on giving election workers a deep dive into the needs of voters with disabilities and the legally required accommodations. To view the video recording of the webinar, click here.



League of Women Voters of Texas

1212 Guadalupe St. #107
Austin Texas, 78701
(512) 472-1100
lwvtexas@lwvtexas.org
lwvtexas.org