If you are interested in helping with Voter Service activities, please contact Martha Goralka at voter.services [at] lwvdv.org.
Democracy doesn’t just happen. It needs many people to make it work: candidates to share, voters to attend and listen, and facilitators to participate. Members of Diablo Valley’s League of Women Voters represent all three categories. Today, we are thanking the facilitators.
The March 31 Contra Costa Supervisor District 4 Candidates forum was ably moderated by Stephanie Williams-Rogers. Kathleen Ottaviano and Annika Claassen served as timers and Janet Hoy sorted questions. Michelle Simone, Vicki Gordon and Tamara Steiner passed out question cards while Cathleen Kirk held down the LWVDV membership table. Our co-sponsors -- the Industrial Association of Contra Costa County, East Bay Leadership Council, Concord Chamber of Commerce, Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce and Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce -- were delighted with the well-attended forum of 150 community members and voters.
On Tuesday, April 5, Shawn Gilbert and Martha Goralka delivered East County ballots to Martinez for the Assembly District 11 special election.
On April 6, our Voter Service team gathered in Rossmoor for three back-to-back forums. First, the Contra Costa District Attorney forum, moderated by Rebecca Haskell of LWV Oakland, with Annika Claassen and Kathleen Ottaviano timing, Anne Granlund sorting questions, and Karen Dolder and Martha Goralka handing our question cards. Next came the Contra Costa County Sheriff/Coroner forum with Sherry Smith of LWV Berkeley/Albany/Emeryville moderating. Anne Granlund sorted questions, Ashley Coates and Janet Hoy timed and Ken Coates and Kathleen Ottaviano handed out question cards. The final forum was for Contra Costa Clerk/Recorder, moderated by our own Kathleen Ottaviano. Anne Granlund sorted questions while Ken Coates and Janet Hoy timed. Karen Dolder and Ashley Coates handed out question cards. Once again, Cathleen Kirk held down the League of Women Voters membership table. This comprehensive set of forums was co-sponsored by the Rossmoor Republican Club.
The LWV Diablo Valley had hoped for a Braver Angels forum co-sponsored by both the Republican and Democratic Clubs of Rossmoor. However, the Executive Committee of the Democratic Club decided to do a forum on its own. LWVDV continued with the Republican co-sponsorship forum which had more than 100 attendees from both parties or no party preference.
The March 22 Roundtables became in-studio CCTV taped Zoom webinars due to parking issues at CCTV offices.
On April 27 and 28, the Voter Services team of Martha Goralka, Marielle Boortz and Trina Lovercheck counted board election ballots for the Cooperative Center Federal Credit Union in Martinez. This was a new fundraising opportunity for LWVDV.
Still to Come:
LWVDV and West Contra Costa LWV are co-sponsoring an innovative Zoom forum for County District Attorney and Sheriff/Coroner. Audrey Momoh of Alameda County will moderate on May 2 at 5:00 pm. A Congressional District 8 forum will follow. Both forums will be coordinated by CCTV and be rebroadcasted. Links will be available before Monday’s forum, with CCTV rebroadcast dates and Voter’s Edge links. A special thank you to Linda Whitmore of LWV West County whose planning leadership made this forum happen.
A final forum for Contra Costa District Attorney is scheduled for May 18 at 7:00 pm in Antioch. Stephanie Williams-Rogers will moderate. Karen Dolder will serve as question sorter, Shawn Gilbert and Valencia Cleveland will be timers. Martha Goralka will distribute question cards. Co-sponsor for this forum is Delta Association of Realtors.
From Martha: I SO appreciate ALL of the League members who stepped out of their comfort zones to help with these forums and roll with the many changes. If you are a League member participating in Voter Service, flexibility is now part of our name. Your participation in these voter education forums make you a large part of making democracy work!
