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Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy.
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Fall Member Meeting
Our Fall meeting was held October 24 via Zoom. This was not a business meeting, so our only agenda item was to hear from guest speaker Carye Blaney, Monongalia County Clerk. Carye spoke about how she felt Mon County would be affected by the voting rights bills that are being considered in Congress. Carye stated that she is very confident in the accuracy and security of elections in this County. Our voting machines are the most up-to-date available and nowhere do they connect to the internet. She feels we could easily meet all the criteria recommended in the voting rights bills but stated that some West Virginia counties would have difficulty. The smaller, less economically secure counties have outdated equipment and very small County Clerk staff so they would need funds and assistance in order to meet the requirements.
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LWV-MM Report on Voters Service
We are watching the two bills currently blocked in the United States Senate: The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom To Vote Act. The latter is sponsored by Senator Manchin.
John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 removed barriers to Black enfranchisement, banning poll taxes, literacy tests, and other measures preventing African Americans from voting. A major portion of the VRA was effectively gutted by the Supreme Court in 2013 and numerous states, most in the South, responded almost immediately with new voter suppression laws. The John R. Lewis Voting Right Advancement Act seeks to reinstate much of those protections. This bill was passed by the House on August 24, 2021 along partisan lines with no Republican votes in favor. It was introduced in the Senate in October 2021, but cloture on the motion to proceed was rejected on November 3.
Freedom to Vote Act
The Freedom To Vote Act is a modified version of the For The People Act. Senator Manchin and others wrote the FTV Act in hopes of gathering Republican support but so far that has not happened. Cloture on the motion to proceed was rejected on October 20. Proponents of the bill point to ever-intensifying actions in states to pass laws aimed at reducing voters' access to elections and giving state legislatures the ability to overturn the outcomes of elections.
What Happens Now?
Since mid-December, President Biden has recognized voting rights legislation as the most critical action that needs to be taken up by Congress now.
This means the priority is to focus on filibuster reform, especially for voting rights. The new LWV-US slogan on filibuster reform is Fix It or Nix It because, without reform or repeal, a minority of the Senate will continue to hold voting rights bills hostage.
A vote on filibuster repeal or reform is expected by January 17.
2022 Mid-Term Elections
The Voters Service committee will be actively planning for candidate forums during the 2022 election season.
- Vicki Conner
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LWV-MM Report on Redistricting
What District Am I In?
Redistricting and the move to single-member Delegate districts have significantly changed boundaries for Mon County. Mon is now in Congressional District 2, is split between new state Senate Districts 2 and 13, and has 6 new Delegate districts that will elect one Delegate each.
Carye Blaney, Monongalia County Clerk, has made a new interactive map available for Monongalia County. Use it to find your new districts at the link below.
Just type in your address and tell the map to search for it.
Thank you, Carye!
https://www.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=b03055801196406fa273bdabc025c678
- Judy Ball
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Communications
Judy Ball, Marly Ynigues, and Vicki Conner are working with a WVU student intern, Abagail Carte, to build a new website for LWV-MM.
The goal is to have a site that provides easily accessible information for our members and the public, which will attract more interest in the activities of the League. We expect the site to go live in the Spring and will send updated information to League members as appropriate.
- Vicki Conner
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LWV-MM Report on Social Justice Priorities
Warming Shelters
LWV-MM presented a statement to Morgantown City Council on Nov. 30 to advocate for the City to open a winter warming shelter Downtown in addition to the one operating at Hazel's House of Hope. We also asked that all warming shelters be seasonal, not temperature-dependent (and open on other cold days beyond the scheduled timeframe) to provide stability of access to emergency resources.
The Board has created a committee to address warming shelter concerns. Please contact Marly Ynigues at marlydubvee@gmail.com if you'd like to get involved.
Read the full statement by LWVWV-MM.
See coverage in the Dominion Post.
Police Review Board
LWV-MM supported the Civilian Police Review and Advisory Board. A December judicial ruling has prevented the City of Morgantown from implementing the Board or appointing members. LWV-MM urges the City to appeal the decision by advocating for stated uses of the Board (e.g., providing feedback on public safety policy) other than the use that was ruled against (disciplinary advising).
- Marly Ynigues, Social Justice Chair
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LWV-MM Report on Broadband Access
According to FCC data, at least 30% of our state's rural homes and businesses currently lack adequate broadband access, leaving West Virginia with one of the nation's lowest broadband connectivity rates. Broadband expansion in West Virginia has been hindered by the cost of extending networks into mountainous rural areas.
The state Broadband Office estimates that a combination of federal, state, local government, and private resources will expand broadband availability to at least 200,000 new locations in West Virginia. Governor Justice announced the plan in October and expects that roughly $718 million will be allocated for the project by Fall 2022. The funds will be allocated through competitive programs that draw matching funds from private-sector and local government partners, generating more than $1 billion in total broadband investment. Details of a news release from October 2021 can be seen here:
https://governor.wv.gov/News/press-releases/2021/Pages/Gov.-Justice-announces-Billion-Dollar-Broadband-Strategy.aspx
- Vicki Conner
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JOIN US
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization. Providing nonpartisan information and promoting democracy count among our major priorities. Join or renew your membership in the League today to help us carry on this mission.
Also, feel free to forward this email to your friends who may be interested in the League's activities. We are eager to add to our ranks.
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MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
When you become a member of the Morgantown-Monongalia County League of Women Voters, you are also a member of the LWV-US and the LWV-WV.
Membership in the League is open to all persons (not just women) over the age of 16. Annual dues are $48 for an individual, $72 for a household (two at the same address), and $5 for a student.
Checks should be made to LWV Morgantown-Mon County and mailed to: Lyndell Millecchia, 476 Lawnview Drive, Morgantown, WV 26505. You can also pay with credit card or PayPal at http://tinyurl.com/paylwvmm.
Dues must be received by December 31 to meet the LWV-US membership deadline. If you are unsure about whether your dues are paid, email Lyndell at millecchia@comcast.net.
The League also welcomes and encourages contributions to support our work.
Membership dues and contributions to the League of Women Voters are not deductible as personal or business expenses for tax purposes.
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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!
We apologize to new member Kenneth Martis whose name we misspelled in the October Newsletter.
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