It’s September. The kids are back at school, the vacation is over, and the race for the Presidency is on.

For the League, September closes our state advocacy cycle and launches a new year of voter engagement. I’m very excited about the work our Voter Services Committee is doing to increase our presence in the community. Engaging residents where they work or play and communicating one on one to offer information about the League and the many resources available to voters before an election is our aim. Getting low-propensity voters to the polls is made easier when voters understand the importance of their individual vote and feel confident that their vote will impact their community.

When the call for volunteers comes, please answer it! In fact, don’t wait for the call. Email voterservices [at] lwv-pa.org and tell us how you can help. We need all members to do their part to advance the cause of democracy in our corner of the country. Working together, we can make a difference!

Voter Services is not the only committee engaging our communities. There are other ways you can participate. Our Housing, Policing Practices, and Natural Resources Committees are also focused on increasing awareness of community issues that affect the quality of life in our neighborhoods and informing us about issues that impact the elections. Look in the Grapevine section to get more information.

If you unable to help in person or unavailable for direct action, then please consider not eating out once a month and instead donating to our cause. Go to www.lwv-pa.org and click on the purple Donate button (top right)—any amount, small or large, will help us get out the vote. I know that all members have a real desire to witness an uplifting of the institutions that support our great democracy. We rely on each of you to find a way to participate. You are needed.

Enjoy the rest of your summer, and I hope to see you at the events we sponsor to keep you engaged and motivated!

Yours in solidarity,

—Martha Y. Zavala