August 15, 2024

Dear Members,

This election season continues to defy all norms. Do you agree? Imagining a gurgling stream may give us a model to live by. The clear water flows. Over rocks, around curves, through debris and sometimes rests in a quiet pool before being nudged out to continue flowing. Along the way it nourishes flora and fauna. It never stops flowing toward the great expanse of the sea, where life forms live in multitudes. And then, the water evaporates, becomes clouds that rain on the streams and the process begins again. If we can live like water, flowing and nourishing life around us despite obstacles, sometimes pausing to rest, but then flowing again, we can continue to contribute goodness to our community and world.

From August through the November 5 election, our League needs your help. Yes, you. We need to reach the public and energize them to register to vote, become informed through the League VOTE411.org site, and make a specific plan on how they will vote. We have several ongoing events.

• Lori Erickson is heading up League at the Library. This is our best outreach for the public outside of Gainesville. Contact info [at] lwv-alachua.org (subject: League%20at%20the%20Library) (Lori) to help.
• We’ll have many opportunities for tabling at the Matheson Museum Voices and Vote exhibits. Contact info [at] lwv-alachua.org (subject: Matheson%20Museum%20Inquiry) (me) to help.
• The Voter Services committee is fielding many tabling requests. Contact info [at] lwv-alachua.org (subject: Voter%20Services%20Inquiry) (Dillon Boatner or me) to help. If you have not taken the Voter Registration training yet, you can find it here. This will prepare you for tabling.
• Also, the Speakers Bureau has numerous pertinent topics to offer groups. If you belong to a group that would like to have a League speaker, contact info [at] lwv-alachua.org (subject: Speakers%20Bureau%20Request) (Candy Birch). Please consider volunteering to be a part of the speaker team.

Our League has taken a position on three important ballot items that will be on the NOVEMBER ballot (not the August primary election). But they are hot topics that will receive much attention, so it is good to know the League positions. They are:

1. Vote YES on the “City of Gainesville Ballot Measure” that would return governance of our public utility to local officials.
2. Vote YES on “Amending the County Charter to Provide for County Commissioner Elections on an At-Large Basis."
3. Vote YES on state constitutional Amendment 4, the “Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion”.

To my knowledge, the League has not taken a position on other amendments.

Please remember to check the Action Alert page of our website each Tuesday. We continue to post quick actions you can take to contribute to getting voters informed and to their ballots. Also, be sure to follow us on Facebook for the latest updates.

Thank you for being a League member. You can be proud to be in exceptional company. Together we flow.

info [at] lwv-alachua.org