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Date: 3/25/2022
Subject: Board Briefings: Notes From the March 2022 LWVCO Board Meeting
From: Karen Sheek, President, LWVCO


Board Briefings
March 2022

President's Letter

From Karen Sheek, LWVCO Board President...


Greetings League Members,

 
We will soon be moving into a new election cycle and though these may be “off-year” elections, many communities are facing important local elections as well as the November mid-terms. A number of League members have reached out with concerns regarding reluctant candidate participants, as well as potential disruptions at candidate forums. I have followed up with national and the following is what I have learned along with recommendations. First and foremost, keep in mind that Leagues are able to set ground rules for their events and ensure that they are followed.
 
If you are planning in-person forums, consider budgeting for off-duty police officers to be present during the forum. My local League recently held a City Council Meet-the Candidates night. The city graciously allowed us to hold the event in Council Chambers and provided an officer in the role of providing security for the facility. The presence of the officer headed off potential unruly behavior and the event went off smoothly, with the participants expressing appreciation for the League’s willingness to host the forum.
 
Read the rest of Karen's letter in our Document Library!
LWVUS CONVENTION 2022
 
Are you getting ready for the LWV National Convention? This exciting event will take place from June 23-26 in Denver as well as online. Visit the LWVUS website to learn more about the convention!
LWVCO AND PARTNERS FILE FEDERAL LAWSUIT AGAINST VOTER INTIMIDATION

The League of Women Voters of Colorado (LWVCO) has partnered with legal advocacy nonprofit Free Speech For People (FSFP) for a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Election Integrity Plan (USEIP), an organization touting false claims of election fraud. The suit names USEIP and three of its members – Ashley Epp, Holly Kasun and Shawn Smith – as defendants. As filed by law firm Lathrop GPM, the suit seeks an injunction under Section 11(b) of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) to prevent USEIP from engaging in voter intimidation activities. The Colorado-Montana-Wyoming State Area Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has taken a lead plaintiff role, with Mi Familia Vota joining LWVCO as co-plaintiffs.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION COMMITTEE
 
Colorado House and Senate TESTIMONY by LAC Members:
 
 HB22-1013: Microgrids For Community Resilience Grant Program - Support
HB22-1045: Statutory Initiative Petition Signature Requirements - Oppose
HB22-1051: Modify Affordable Housing Tax Credit - Support
HB22-1056: Emergency Temporary Care For Children - Support
HB22-1060: Contribution Limits, School District Director Candidate - Support
HB22-1082: Establish Fair Housing Unit Department Of Law - Support
HB22-1083: Colorado Homeless Contribution Income Tax Credit - Support
HB22-1086: The Vote Without Fear Act - Support
HB22-1105: Deadly Force Against Intruder At A Business - Oppose
HB22-1106: Concealed Handguns On School Grounds - Oppose
HB22-1125: Income Tax Rate Reduction - Oppose
HB22-1223: Exempt Low-Value Mobile Homes from Property Tax - Support
HB22-1244: Public Protections From Toxic Air Contaminants -Support
HB22-1249: Electric Grid Resilience and Reliability Roadmap - Support
SB22-019: Access To Suppressed Court Eviction Records - Support
SB22-051: Policies To Reduce Emissions From Built Environment - Support
Observer Corps Toolkit
 

Protecting our right to know is integral to the health of our democracy. Decisions that determine how our schools will be run, at what level community safety programs will be funded, and how land in our towns will be used impact our lives and are vital to our well-being. These kinds of decisions need to be made with public input and oversight. One important way to ensure that is to observe government meetings. The act of observation promotes government transparency and accountability.

 
Here are some tools to help Colorado Leagues create an Observer Corps. These documents are also available in LWVCO's Document Library; to access, please log in and go to the Members tab - Documents - Advocacy Resources - Toolkits.
 
 
 
 
National History Day in Colorado is in need of judges for the State and Regional contests across the state. This year's theme is "Debate & Diplomacy In History: Successes, Failures, Consequences."
 
State Level
Saturday, April 30
CU Denver on the Auraria Campus

It takes more than 200 judges and volunteers to keep the day running smoothly and make the event a positive experience for these students. You do not have to be a historian or even a history expert to judge! Training and food will be provided. While this event is planned to be hosted safely in-person, judges will still have the option to judge from home. Professional development hours are available for educators.

Time Commitment
7:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. for Preliminary Round judges
7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. for those who want to judge Preliminary and Final Rounds
12:00-4:00 p.m. for those who want to judge Final Rounds only
5:00 p.m. for Awards Ceremony (Judges are encouraged to attend)

Regional Level

Central Plains: April 1
Greater Denver Metro (including Aurora): April 2
Greeley/Northeast: April 9
Mountain: April 9
Did You Know...?
 

You can now set up a recurring monthly donation to LWVCO! Your support makes it possible for the League to empower voters and defend democracy. As always, your gift will be used for our nonpartisan voter education programs and advocacy efforts.


A monthly sustaining donation continues without having to renew and may be stopped or changed at any time. This option spreads your gift over the whole year, making it easier on your budget while offering LWVCO a dependable source of revenue. Just $20 a month can have a real impact.

 

Thank you! Your generosity is deeply appreciated.

Do you have something in mind for your local League that will also help serve our overall program, education and outreach goals? Apply for a Project Grant!

 

These grants are awarded on a rolling basis with no deadline, but the review and approval process takes up to 45 days. Your application must be approved by your local League's Board before you submit it for state League consideration. Each local League is eligible for a maximum of $500 per fiscal year. Recipients are also required to provide an Outcomes Report within one year of being awarded any grant funds.

 

Learn more and apply today!
NVRD podcast ad 3.22.22
PODCAST WITH KENTUCKY SOS MICHAEL ADAMS
 
CLICK HERE to listen to National Voter Registration Day's podcast with Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams, who shepherded a new bipartisan voting expansion law through the Kentucky State House.
Secretary Adams is also now serving in the Republican Secretary of State slot on National Voter Registration Day's Steering Committee.
Get to know him a bit better and delve into the details of the only voting expansion bill to be passed by a Republican state following the 2020 election!

Upcoming Events
March 27 
4:00 p.m. - Women's History Month EqualiTea [LWV of the Gunnison Valley]
 
March 28
11:30 a.m. -  Tackling the Affordable Housing Crisis with Adams County Housing Authority guest speaker [LWV Adams County] *This event is not on Club Express
March 30
5:00 p.m. - Defending Democracy Series: International Perspective [LWV of Boulder County]

5:30 p.m. - Induction Gala for the class of 2020 [Colorado Women's Hall of Fame]

 
April 5
 
April 7
 
April 11
 
April 13
5:00 p.m. - LWV Chaffee County Annual Meeting [LWV Chaffee County]
 
April 16
 
April 20
 
April 23
1:00 p.m. - LWVPPR Annual Meeting [LWV Pikes Peak Region]

April 24
 
 

NOTE: All times are Mountain. Are any events missing from this list? Please notify communications@lwvcolorado.org to be included in our next email. Thank you!
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