Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy.

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This Independence Day, Democracy Needs Defenders, Not Cheerleaders

From League of Women Voters CEO, Celina Stewart

How do you observe Independence Day when democracy is under attack?

From attacks on migrant and trans Americans to sweeping attempts at voter suppression, it feels like our independence is threatened on all sides.

When this happens, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and give up. On a day honoring the American Revolution, we need to revolutionize how we think about civic engagement.

We need to take action. Read my thoughts on what it means to defend democracy in 2025. 

This Independence Day, we’re going to keep up the fight. In particular, we’re casting our eyes towards the upcoming July 17 Good Trouble Lives On actions nationwide, which will honor the late voting rights icon John Lewis and promote unity in the face of rollbacks on our rights.

We can fight for the free, representative nation we deserve in countless other ways. From supporting our local libraries to volunteering for environmental cleanup efforts, from registering voters with local Leagues to checking in on our neighbors, the power is in our hands.

So [on July 4th] and beyond, we’re going to keep defending democracy.

Let’s keep America independent, by and for the people.

In League,
Celina Stewart, Esq.
CEO
League of Women Voters

The League of Women Voters Speaks Out!

LWV US press releases about the current state of our democracy:

• LWV Responds to Signing of Budget Reconciliation Package - July 3, 2025
• LWV Declares United States in a "Constitutional Crisis" - April 17, 2025
• A Dangerous Attempt to Silence American Voters - March 26, 2025
• An Unprecedented, Breathtaking Assault on American Democracy - March 20, 2025
• The League of Women Voters of the US Urges Congress to Act  - February 14, 2024
• LWV Condemns Trump Administration’s Weaponization of Government - February 6, 2025

To see ALL recent LWV US press releases, click here

Call to Action at LWV California State Convention

On June 17-22, 2025,  the League of Women Voters of California gathered for our first all virtual State Convention. It was an energizing, empowering, and urgent time. We had three very impressive speakers who laid out the moment we're in, and what we need to do.  A single moment brought the (virtual) room to a standstill and sparked what may have been the first-ever Zoom standing ovation.

Dora Rose, LWVC Deputy Director and Chief Lobbyist, delivered one of the most powerful speeches we have ever heard from the League. She laid out what we are up against:

“The foundations of American democracy are under attack. Not in the abstract. Not someday. But now. Today. With military force deployed against civilians in our own backyard. We are witnessing a full-scale effort to erode the very principles that have guided this country for over two centuries. One person, one vote. Equal justice under law. Government by and for the people.”

Get involved and make a difference in our community!

Your voice matters, and we offer numerous ways to participate in local democracy. Whether you're passionate about voter education, interested in candidate forums, or want to help with voter registration, we have opportunities for every skill set and schedule. By volunteering, you'll help ensure fair elections, promote civic engagement, and strengthen our democratic process. Join us to learn more about current initiatives and how you can contribute to positive change right here in our County.

Volunteer Opportunities 

Join the LWV Observer Corps

Let our city council members and County Board of Supervisors know the League is paying attention. Observers are asked to wear their blue League T-shirts and LWVVC "Observer" buttons so they'll know we're there.  Then report your observations using this easy two-page observer form.  We publish observer reports with our monthly newsletter. 

Join the observer team at info [at] lwvventuracounty.org (subject: LWVVC%20Observer%20Corps)

Ever wonder what your public officials do?  How your govenrment works?  Get to know your Ventura County community leaders and elected officials, and their jobs.

Our most recent event was on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, at noon, with Ventura County Public Defender, Claudia Bautista.  WATCH as she discusses the responsibilities of the Public Defender, and the effects that the passage of Proposition 36, which passed in November of 2024, has had on the Public Defender's Office and Ventura County in general. 

• WATCH events from 2024, including: Voter's Choice Act; Grand Jury; City Manager; Electoral College (Learn about our "One Person, One Vote" project)
  
• WATCH events from 2023, including: Water and Sanitation; Superior Court; Ventura County Education; Ventura County Community Foundation, ADL on Reporting Hate Crimes
• WATCH events from 2022, including: Assessor; Sheriff; District Attorney; Clerk-Recorder/Registrar; Treasurer-Tax Collector; Auditor-Controller; County Supervisor

Helpful Hints for Difficult Conversations: 

• LWV Orange Coast and Big Tent have prepared talking points to encourge meaningful public discourse in difficult conversations on the economy, the climate, reproductive freedom and more. Check it out at: Issues-based Talking Points Tool

• From the ADL: Guidelines for Having Difficult Conversations
• From Right To Be: Tips for How To Intervene in a Hate Incident

How is your Civics Knowledge?

Find out with a fun game about civics and news literacy, courtesy of LWV of Alameda, CA VERIFY IT!

The 19th Amendment Explained 

It took more than a century of fighting by generations of activists to achieve suffrage for all American women.  The Brennan Center for Justice explains how it all happened.

Have you thought about running for office?

On July 18th our local league collaborated with Buen Vecino and Future Leaders of America to present an educational zoom meeting to inform prospective candidates of the nuts and bolts of running for public office. This informative event is now available for viewing at   Grassroots Guide to Running for Office.

Watch VC County Election Education Series

In anticipation of the March 5, 2024 Presidential Primary Election, Michelle Ascencion, County Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters, presented a four-part Election Education Series at the Ventura County Board of Supervisors Meetings. Ascencion covered election topics that are of interest to the Ventura County voting and candidate community.  People were invited to attend in person or online.  Now that the series is finished you can WATCH them all on video.  This series was about the primary, but the general information applies to all our elections.

Topics include: Candidates and Campaigns - Voter Registration and Primary Election Voting - Vote Centers and Vote By Mail - Election Technology, Security, and Observation - Canvass/Certification, Recounts, and Fraud Prevention 

Annual Meeting 2024

The annual meeting for our general membership was held on June 1st, at the Poinsettia Pavilion in Ventura.  We discussed this year's accomplishments, elected officers and board members, and approved the budget and bylaws.

We also had an eye-opening, inspiring conversation with our keynote speaker, Professor Kathleen Bruhn, PhD, who spoke on "Democratic Backsliding and How to Fight It."  Professor Bruhn has taught at UCSB for 31 years and is Chair of the Department of Political Science. She graduated from Stanford University (PhD 1993) and her areas of specialization are Comparative Politics, Identity, and Latin American Studies.  In her speech she described how democracies everywhere are experiencing slow erosion and many are sliding toward authoritarianism.  She gave many examples of this in Latin America, explaining how Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) of Mexico used their populist platforms to acquire power over the courts, military, regulatory agencies, media, and oil and gas industries.  To combat this erosion, she suggested that citizens should engage in elections (vote, observe and work in; never boycott), engage in litigation which slows autocrats down (unless the courts have been taken over by the autocrat), and lobby (peaceful protests slow autocrats and buy time), support government institutions, and educate voters.  The slides from her presentation can be seen HERE.

Ranked Choice Voting  - Learn about it!!

Protecting Reproductive Rights

Curious about the real history of abortion in religion and the law? Read this excellent New Yorker article.

Defending Democracy!

See our January 6 Resolution here

BOOKS WE LIKE - From our Climate Change and other committees

• FEATURED - On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century - by Timothy Snyder
• No Miracles Needed: How Today's Technology Can Save Our Climate and Clean Our Air - by Mark Z. Jacobson
• Video: Drawdown Roadmap: Accelerating Climate Solutions (17 minutes)
• Video: Just Have a Think: Have we got enough minerals? (15 minutes)
• Upheaval: How Nations Cope with Crisis and Change - by Jared Diamond
• Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption - by Bryan Stevenson
• See More books - and how to access them online
  

2021 Redistricting Explained