Ventura County
Ventura County
Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy.
Important Information about the Upcoming Special Election
The California State League’s Easy Voter Guide is now available online. This guide provides useful information to help inform your vote in the upcoming special election.
The Ventura County League will soon have printed copies of this Easy Voter Guide for distribution at events and venues around the county.
We will publish a discussion of Prop 50 Pros-and-Cons on our website by October 8th. Let your friends and family know about this helpful resource.
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LWV California DOES NOT SUPPORT OR OPPOSE Governor Newsom's mid-cycle redistricting initiative. A core value of the League is to oppose gerrymandering, but it is also a core value to defend democracy and fight authoritarianism. Their full statement can be found on LWVC's website.
See also the League's statement about a campaign mailer that falsely implies their position.
Scam Alert!
There has been a recent rise in scam attempts targeting members of the League of Women Voters. Please read our message on how to protect yourself, and what you can do if you've been a victim.
Upcoming Events
Saturday, October 4th, 10:30am-1:30pm - Don't miss our Grassroots Activism Program with Robert Hubbell! - at the Camarillo Senior Center - Learn more and buy tickets HERE
Wednesday, October 8, 4-5 pm - Behind-the-Scenes of Elections: Short Film Screening and Panel with the League of Women Voters - on Zoom Register Here
Saturday, October 18, 10am -1pm - No Kings Day II at Ventura County Government Center. LWVUS has decided to become an official partner for this day of mobilization, to stand in solidarity with partners, and stand up against hate and authoritarianism. We will have a table at the event. Come by and say "Hi"!
Saturday, November 1-4, 9am-5pm - Food to the Polls for the November 4 Election - Contact lwvvc.info [at] gmail.com (subject: LWVVC%20Food%20to%20the%20Polls) (Matty Park)
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!
Unite and Rise 8.5 consists of six phases, each with its own playbook.
Playbook 1(May–July): “Shifting the Power Narrative” highlighted voices and stories from those most affected.
Playbook 2 (August - October): Holding Power Accountable
As part of our effort to hold power accountable and to ensure free and fair elections for all citizens, we plan to have a strong league presence at voting centers during the coming election. We will wear our League shirts and Observer buttons. More information will be forthcoming. If you are interested in helping, please contact lwvvc.info [at] gmail.com (subject: LWVVC%20Election%20Observers) (Pat Butler or Betti Mentzer).
Daily Democracy Practice - 31 Activities - Look for Playbook 3 coming soon….
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.”
Listen to Dora's powerful speech
Listen to Professor Justin Levitt on the work required to keep our democracy
Listen to Dianna Wynn, LWVUS President, on declaring a Constitutional Crisis, and what the League is doing about it
LWV California 2025 State Convention documentation can be found HERE
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 
- info [at] lwvventuracounty.org (subject: LWVVC%20High%20School%20Voter%20Registration%20Volunteer) (Volunteer) for voter registration of high school students
- See our Voter Newsletter for volunteer opportunities
- info [at] lwvventuracounty.org (subject: LWVVC%20Volunteer%20Question) (Contact us) with any questions
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 lwvvc.info [at] gmail.com (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:
- 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
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
Ranked Choice Voting - Learn about it!!
Ranked Choice Voting was explained and demonstrated by our guest speaker, Paul Copley of the CA Coalition for RCV. Learn more about Ranked Choice Voting in California (calrcv.org)
Protecting Reproductive Rights
See what is happening with Planned Parenthood California Central Coast HERE.
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
Chris Carson, former LWV US President, explains how and why new districts are drawn after each census.
