Shaker Voter June 2023

 

June 2023

Read to the Bottom!  Included in this Issue: • Comments from our Chair about August 8 election • Important Ohio Election Dates • June 22 - Public Officials Reception • June 24 - Chapter Meeting • June 17 - Help Register Voters at Community Event • July 27 - All League Get Together • Advocacy Report - Issue 1 and Reproductive Rights Ballot Amendment • 118 New Voters registered at SHHS • GOTV Task Force • Recap of Shaker Chapter Annual Meeting • Shaker Chapter Year in Review • Legacy Award Winner Caroline Connell • Recap of Memorial Day Parade • Observer Reports • LWV Webinars to Watch Online • Suffrage Exhibit at Shaker Historical Society . . . and more!

August 8 Outreach: Tell Everyone! Hi, do you realize there’s a special election August 8? It’s more than a primary. There is one issue on the ballot. State Issue 1 poses a critical issue for Ohio citizens regarding our right to amend our state constitution. The ballot language describes “elevating standards” for amendments. That language is misleading. Please vote August 8, and vote NO. Our state constitution is already difficult and costly for a citizen initiative to amend. Citizens need thousands of signatures just to present proposed language to the Secretary of State, who then approves or rejects the proposed language. Then a separate petition drive requires voter signatures in 44 of 88 counties: total number of signatures being 10% of votes (including at least 5% in each county) cast in the prior gubernatorial election. Organizers typically gather twice as many to ensure they have enough valid signatures. Since the process was created in 1912, 71 proposed amendments have made it to an Ohio ballot. Since 1912, only 19 amendments have been approved by a majority of 50% or more Ohioans. State Issue 1 proposes to change the process for amending the constitution with requirements that are costly and virtually impossible. Signatures would be required from all 88 counties. Voter approval of a ballot issue would be raised to 60% plus one vote. Experts say this would mean only well-funded organizations could mount such a campaign. (For example, hiring someone to circulate petitions currently costs $20 per hour, per my conversation with a paid petitioner in Cleveland in May.) It is rare for an election to be decided by more than 60% of votes cast. Note however two issues that won overwhelming support from Ohio voters: drawing state and federal representatives’ districts along impartial, bipartisan lines (71% in 2015, 75% in 2018). Ohio voters have thus spoken against gerrymandering because it dilutes citizen voices. August elections were scrutinized and banned by the Ohio legislature in 2022. At that time, lawmakers described August elections as “sneaky” and “undemocratic.” They estimated only 8% of voters participate in August elections. However, when some of those same state legislators realized the likely success of a reproductive rights ballot initiative for November, they reversed course. Late in May the legislature created an August 8 election for the sole purpose of restricting citizen efforts to amend our constitution. This special election will cost Ohio taxpayers an estimated $20 million. Even if you oppose the reproductive rights amendment—or other initiatives on their way regarding legislative redistricting, minimum wage, and marijuana laws—State Issue 1 would be bad law. Pass the word: Vote in August, and vote NO.   - Annette Tucker Sutherland, Chapter Chair

It's Not Too Early to Request A Vote-By-Mail Ballot Print your Vote-by-Mail application here.  Return your application in person to the Board of Elections at 2925 Euclid Avenue, or mail to: Board of Elections PO Box 89448 Cleveland, OH  44101-6448

You Are Invited to the Annual Public Officials Reception Thursday, June 22 As a Shaker Heights LWV member, you are invited to the Annual Public Officials Reception. This is your chance to connect with the Mayor, Shaker City Council, City administrative members, Board of Education members, and school and library administrators. About 30 public officials are planning to attend! It’s an unparalleled opportunity to chat one-on-one with our community leaders.     This event is for members only. If you haven’t renewed your membership recently now is the time! Join or renew your membership here. Thursday, June 22, 7-9 pm Home of Annette Tucker Sutherland 16817 Aldersyde Rd. Shaker Heights   We're printing name tags, so it is important that you RSVP so we know you're planning to attend. RSVP to Meryl Simon by email here. Sign up to help with refreshments here.  Thank you!

Photos from last year's Public Officials Reception.  We hope you'll join us this year!

Old Board/ New Board Chapter Meeting Saturday, June 24 Our June 24 Chapter meeting will be in person at 9:30 am at the home of Linda Lalley, 2929 Morley Road. ALL new and old board members are encouraged to attend, to strategize for the coming year.

Help Register Voters at Community Event June 17 • 11:30 am to 4 pm Our Chapter will be registering voters at the Family Fun and Fitness Skate Jam Health and Wellness Fair on Saturday June 17 at Zelma George Recreation Center (3155 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive). Organized by the National Council of Negro Women, the community event will be filled with free resources, free food, free raffle giveaways, and much more. Doors will open at 11:30 am, allowing guests to visit over fifty resource tables!  There will be free hotdogs, hamburgers, vegan burgers, grilled corn, ice cream, and water throughout the day while supplies last. Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb will be attending. About 300 people are expected and we need help registering voters. Interested in helping?  Please contact Monica Gurbach.

Join Us on Thursday, July 27 Mark your calendars for the July 27 "All League Get Together” in Lakewood Park Women’s Pavilion (14532 Lake Avenue in Lakewood). It will be chance for LWV members to visit with the Chapter leaders, leaders from the Greater Cleveland League and leaders from the “Vote No on August 8” campaign. The event will run from 5 to 8 pm and we will top it off with a talk from Jen Miller, Executive Director of the LWV Ohio!  You will not want to miss this event! As a bonus, we will be able to enjoy gorgeous views of Lake Erie, and light snacks will be served. Questions?  Please contact Mike Baron.

Issue 1: One Person, One Vote has filed two lawsuits against the Ohio Ballot Board: One challenging the usage of an August Special Election for Issue 1 and an additional lawsuit challenging the misleading language of the proposed amendment. The ACLU filed two amicus briefs on behalf of the League of Women Voters of Ohio. (Here and here.) Vote No in August: Visit the One Person, One Vote campaign website. Sign up to get involved and stay in-the-know about the latest news. If you have not already, check out this zinger of an editorial from The Columbus Dispatch.  Reproductive Rights: The Ohio Supreme Court struck down one of the lawsuits filed against the reproductive rights ballot amendment language. The court unanimously ruled that the Ohio Ballot Board did not abuse its direction when it decided that the proposed language only consisted of ONE subject.

118 New Voters! Shaker Heights High School held Passport to Commencement on June 2 and June 5. It was an opportunity for seniors to get their caps and gowns, yearbooks, commencement tickets, and register to vote!  In addition to registering 118 new voters, Shaker Chapter members were able to speak with every graduating senior, remind them of the August 8 and November 7 elections, and give them Vote-by-Mail applications. Many thanks to volunteers Anne Batzell, Amelia Proweller, Lynn Roth, and Susan Vodrey. Below is pictured the front and back of the voter information cards distributed to graduating seniors at Passport to Commencement.  Thanks to Lynn Lilly for the graphic design work!

Help Get Out the Vote for August 8 The League's mission is "Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy." This is more important than ever. Issue 1 is the only item on the August 8 ballot, and it is a critical threat to the future of Ohio. The League believes in democracy – the idea that a government’s power comes from the people. It is important for voters not to give up their ability to amend the state constitution, their check on leaders elected in gerrymandered districts. August elections have low voter turnout. It is important to raise awareness of the August 8 election, and to encourage people to Vote No. Monica Gurbach, our Voter Services Chair, is organizing a Get Out the Vote (GOTV) Task Force.  Interested in helping? Please complete this form by June 30 if you would like to work with the GOTV Task Force for the August 8th Special Election.

Recap of Shaker Chapter Annual Meeting Our Chapter held its Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 17 at Shaker Heights Main Library. Our special speaker was Cuyahoga County Council Representative from the 9th District, Meredith M. Turner. At the meeting the following people were elected to lead our Chapter: Chair: Annette Tucker Sutherland Vice Chair, Communications: Lisa Salamon-Handel Vice Chair, Communications: Susan Vodrey Voter Services Chair: Monica Gurbach Secretary: Meryl Simon Treasurer: Annette Himes Continuing Elected Board Members, 2023/2024 term: Erin Connell Jackie Duhamel Tracey Gonzalez Vanetta Jamison Lynn Roth Elected Board Members, 2023/2025 term: Anne Batzell Diana Ramirez Bergeron Linda Lalley Sheila Smith Nominating Committee, 2023/2024 term: Chair: Linda Lalley Non-Board member: Audrey Morris Non-Board member: Lynn Lilly

Celebrating Our Chapter's Recent Year Each year our Chapter Chair files a report with LWV-Greater Cleveland reflecting on the past several months. Read an abridged version of what Shaker Heights submitted for 2022-2023 here.

Legacy Fellow Caroline Connell with Legacy Fellowship Chair Anne Batzell at the Shaker Chapter Annual Meeting

Congratulations to Caroline Connell! Caroline Connell, a rising senior at Shaker Heights High School, was presented the Legacy Award for the 2022-2023 academic year. Caroline is the seventh Fellow to receive this competitive award given to a Shaker resident attending a school within the Shaker Heights school district. The goal of the Fellowship is to provide an opportunity for learning—for enhanced civic engagement through a hands-on introduction to the work of the LWV, as well as to our Chapter’s impact within the city of Shaker Heights.   Caroline served on the Board of the Shaker Chapter and was an excellent ambassador for the League at Shaker Heights High. Last fall, she jumped right in helping out with distributing information at the Little Free Libraries. She diligently assisted in organizing our fall voter registration event at her school and helped to register newly eligible voters in the IB classes this spring. Caroline has engaged her peers to help us in these endeavors. She has volunteered at our forums and our State of the City event. The Board has appreciated Caroline’s poise and authenticity in handling on-the-spot questions directed to her, which has served to enlighten us about the thoughts and values of her generation. Caroline has proved to be a stellar communicator. Her written statement when applying for the fellowship was particularly thoughtful and articulate. Her cheerful demeanor demonstrates her openness and readiness to do her best.   We commend Caroline’s effort and commitment to the work of the Shaker Chapter and to the Legacy Fellowship. We wish her all good things as she forges ahead into a future of her own making.

Memorial Day Parade May 29 was a beautiful day in Shaker Heights for a parade!  The Shaker Chapter received lots of positive response from parade watchers. Our enthusiastic group of marchers distributed candy and reminded people to Vote No in the upcoming Special Election on August 8.

Shaker Chapter Members in LWVGC Leadership Roles On Saturday, May 20, the League of Women Voters Greater Cleveland (LWVGC) held its Annual Meeting via Zoom.  There was a presentation “Strengthening Our Democracy: One Act + One Person At A Time” by Erika Anthony, Executive Director of Cleveland Votes. The Co-Presidents of LWVGC for 2023-2024 are Lynne Nowel and Nadia Zaiem. Incoming and ongoing LWVGC leaders from the Shaker Chapter: • Michael Baron: Chapter Liaison • Amy Cain: Advocacy Director • Laura Creed: Secretary • Sarah Divakarla: Roster Manager • Kathy Hexter: Program Director • Joan Savitt: Social Media • Susan Vodrey: Funding and Development Director Find contact information, photos, and complete list of the LWVGC Board of Directors here.

Observer Reports Our members attend most City, School, and Library meetings and write nonpartisan reports that summarize the meetings. The Observer Corps keeps residents informed about the work of Shaker's official meetings as a way to promote civic engagement.  Did you know that on May 22 the Shaker Heights Board of Education approved a resolution ratifying a Facilities Master Plan? Read more about it in the Observer Report.  The board plans to vote on the specifics of a ballot initiative at the June 13 regular meeting, to put the issue on the ballot for the November 7, 2023 General Election. Please consider volunteering to help observe once a month, or once every other month!  Most meetings are available via livestream so you can watch from home. Contact Marcia Goldberg if you're interested in helping or to find out more. Read all Observer Reports here.

Miss the LWV Webinars? Watch Them Online "Protecting Ohio Citizens' Voices: One Person. One Vote" On April 18, our Chapter co-sponsored an important webinar discussing the rights of citizens to amend the state constitution, the process and history of this issue, and the proposed legislative changes that would be make it virtually impossible to gain approval. Panelists were Jen Miller, Executive Director of League of Women Voters of Ohio, and Mike Curtin, Ohio Constitution expert, former state legislator and former editor and associate publisher of the Columbus Dispatch. Watch "Protecting Ohio Citizens' Voices: One Person. One Vote" here. "Just the Facts On Ohio's Proposed Reproductive Rights Amendment" On April 26, our Chapter co-sponsored an educational webinar about Ohio’s proposed Reproductive Rights Amendment with Dr. Lauren Beene, Executive Director, Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights. The in-depth discussion focused on what is and is not in the proposed amendment, the changing landscape for reproductive health care providers and the next steps in the process for getting the amendment to Ohio’s constitution on the ballot in November. The webinar was moderated by Annette Sutherland Tucker, Shaker Heights Chapter Chair. Watch "Just the Facts On Ohio's Proposed Reproductive Rights Amendment" here.

Join League of Women Voters! If you're not a member, please consider joining LWV Shaker Chapter and support our mission of "Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy." Help us defend every Ohio voter's right to fair representation and elections! To check your LWV membership or to join, click here. Select "New Member Signup" or "Member Login" and be sure to specify the Shaker Heights Chapter when you join or renew.

Suffrage Exhibit at Shaker Historical Society For centuries, our fashion has been a representation of who we are. Through our clothes, we can tell stories about our lives, our values and the way the world affects us. The suffragists of the Edwardian Era (1890-1920) are now known as well-dressed, upstanding members of society, and that was in no way unintentional. By taking feminine ideals of the time, such as the Gibson Girl, and associating them with a new kind of woman, the suffragists brought their ideas to life. Through fabric and thread, an entirely new pathway was paved for the modern woman. "The Rise of Women's Power at the Turn of the Century" is curated by Shaker Heights High School Senior Project student Elliot Rendall and is on view through August 27 at the Shaker Historical Society (16740 South Park Boulevard).

UPCOMING SHAKER CHAPTER MEETINGS (All meetings begin at 9:30 am) • June 24, in-person at 2929 Morley Road • July 22, via Zoom SHAKER HEIGHTS CHAPTER LEADERSHIP Chapter Chair: Annette Tucker Sutherland Vice Chair (Communications): Lisa Salamon-Handel Vice Chair (Communications): Susan Vodrey Voter Services Chair: Monica Gurbach Secretary: Meryl Simon Treasurer: Annette Himes Newsletter: Susan Vodrey Nominating: Linda Lalley Observers: Marcia Goldberg VISIT OUR WEBSITE The LWVGC Shaker Chapter website has a plethora of information.  Click here to find out more! CHECK OUT OUR SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook Instagram Twitter WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING AT LWVGC? Click here to read the minutes of the March 18, 2023 LWV Greater Cleveland Board meeting. LWVGC OPPORTUNITIES Interested in working with the League on Greater Cleveland projects? Information here.