Manhattan/Riley County
Manhattan/Riley County
Advocate. Educate. Inform. Empower.
In these trying times, it will take us all to have a future based on justice, our Constitution, and the power of an informed electorate. After 100 years of pushing forward, the League is not willing to stop now.
Please Vote! Exercise your most fundamental right as a United States Citizen because:
"Democracy is NOT a spectator sport."
Don't Miss This: LWVMRC Candidate Forums
Manhattan City Commission Forum 10:00am-12:00 pm
USD 383 School Board Forum, 12:30 to 2:30 pm
Manhattan Public Library
629 Poyntz Avenue
Saturday, October 4, 2025
All League Events are free and open to the public.
Who will lead our city government and local school district? What paths should our community follow? Much depends on our decisions at the ballot box! Get informed by hearing from the candidates directly. This is a forum, not a debate. As this is a non-partisan event, please refrain from partisan acknowledgements and apparel. Thank you!
Sponsored by:
League of Women Voters of Manhattan-Riley County, NAACP, AAUW of Manhattan, KS, Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce, KMAN Radio
Light refreshments provided. Your questions for candidates may be submitted at the forum or at our Dinners with the League.
Get Ready to Vote!
Helpful Links from your local League here. More advice at Vote411.org (The LWVUS sponsored voting info site), Riley County Elections website, and your local county clerk! Check here.
Upcoming Event: Please note change in place and progam. Impacts of Federal Budget Cuts: Program at Discovery Center, (No Dinner)
Member:
A special opportunity to hear from Kansas organizations monitoring Federal and State policy and budget changes is coming next week.
Kansas Appleseed, Kansas Action for Children and the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas will make their final stop at our own Flint Hills Discovery Center in downtown Manhattan on a state wide tour called :
"BIG BILL, BIG PROBLEMS"....How Working Kansas Pay the Price.
The Leadership Team at the local League would like to invite you to attend this important informational meeting on Thursday, October 2nd from 6:30-7:30 pm at the Flint Hills Discovery Center in downtown Manhattan. THIS MEETING WILL TAKE THE PLACE of our usual gathering at Meadowlark's Prairie Star Restaurant on the first Thursday of the month.
Please Click the link below to register for the free event. If you need transportation, please respond to this email. You may want to come early to get a good seat.
 Big Bill, Big Problems: How Working Kansans Pay the Price
This fall, the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas, Kansas Action for Children, and Kansas Appleseed are hitting the road for a series of community events focused on the urgent challenges facing Kansans, including ways we can prepare for the future together. Deep federal funding cuts will put pressure on the Kansas Legislature to make tough decisions for years to come, especially regarding Kansans' access to food and health care. Kansas communities are already feeling the financial strain of rising costs, so the stakes are higher than ever for working families. We're coming to Garden City, Hutchinson, Iola, and Manhattan to gather with Kansans to share more about how the “Big, Beautiful Bill” will affect:
These events are more than just a conversation – they are a launching point for coordinated advocacy. We hope to see you there! Join us for the "Big Bill, Big Problems" tour: Save your seat! (Please register if you can, but by being a League Member you are already invited!) Click HERE to register. WHAT: "Big Bill, Big Problems" statewide tour With deep federal funding cuts looming, Kansas lawmakers will soon face tough decisions that could put access to food and health care at risk for thousands of Kansans. Rising costs are already squeezing working Kansans, which makes these conversations even more important. At this event, we'll explore how the "Big, Beautiful Bill" will impact Kansans by looking at:
Join us in Manhattan on Thursday, October 2nd, 6:30-7:30 pm, The Flint Hills Discovery Center, 315 S. 3rd Street, Manhattan (Blue Earth Plaza downtown). We hope to see you there!
Your League of Women Voters of Manhattan-Riley County Leadership Team, and these Sponsoring Organizations:
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The Flint Hills Discovery Center, . |
tober 2 at 6:30..(No dinner with this event)
You and your guests are welcome to join our League of omen Voters of Manhattan-Riley County for good food, an engaging conversation and connection with each other on Thursday, October 2.
We invite you to attend a LWVMRC Dinner with the League on October 2. Local Impacts of Federal Budget Cuts
Please feel free to bring a friend!
WHAT: Local Impacts of Federal Budget Cuts
SPEAKERS: To be announced
WHEN: Thursday, October 2nd; 6pm Dinner (optional), 6:30 pm Conversation
WHERE: Prairie Star Restaurant, Meadowlark Hills, 2121 Meadowlark Road, Manhattan, KS 66502
MENU: To be announced.
COST: Price: $15 by check to LWVMRC or cash at the door. Meadowlark residents may sign up at the front desk. Dinner is OPTIONAL. Let us know if you choose the vegetarian option.
Please RSVP by emailing lwv.manhattanks [at] gmail.com by Tuesday, September 30th. (Tuesday prior to the meeting.)No Charge if attending Presentation Only.
We Hope you can Join us, and bring a friend! We welcome your suggestions for future programs anytime.
Thank You!
Your LWV MRC Leadership Team: Sara Fisher, Barbara Anderson, Tim May, Elke Lorenz, Linda Uthoff; advisors: Cathy Hedge, Karen Hummel
Learn about the LWVUS new initiative, Unite and Rise, A campaign to defend Democracy
We encourage you to sign up with the League of Women Voters for current news releases and blog postings. (Newsroom Link) (Please note: The following statements are non-partisan as candidates are now elected officials. Our resistance is based on our national positions, not political parties.)
- LWV Declares United States in a Constitutional Crisis
- League of Women Voters, Lawyers Committee, NAACP, and Equal Justice Society File Brief Opposing Executive Order Attacking Birthright Citizenship
- How to Support the Immigrant Community
- Reflection on the Election: We Will Speak Up and Speak Out
Next Dinner with the League: Thursday, Oct. 2nd. Topic: Local Impacts of Federal Budget Cuts Location: Meadowlark Hills
City Commission & USD 383 Candidate Forums: Saturday, October 4th
Location: Manhattan Public Library Auditorium:
- 10:00am - 12:00 pm: City Commission Candidates
- 12:30-2:30 pm: USD 383 Candidates
Sponsored by: The League of Women Voters of Manhattan-Riley County, NAACP, AAUW of Manhattan, KS, Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce, KMAN Radio
Light refreshments provided. Your questions for candidates may be submitted at the forum or at our Dinners with the League.
Remember a very easy App to use to help communicate with your legislators via Voice messages: 5 Calls
For those of you who could not join us for the June DINNER WITH THE LEAGUE featuring Indivisible MHK! Find out more at their Website: Indivisible MHK
Don't forget to visit the Kansas Statehouse to see the new Suffragist memorial, "Rebel Women." This is first work by a woman artist in the Kansas Statehouse. The artist, Phyllis Garibay-Coon is a Manhattan resident. Congratulations, Ms. Garibay-Coon. More here.
League News
In the Spotlight: League of Women Voters Encourages Student Participation Ahead of Voter Registration Deadline
From KKSU Website:
[October 15, 2024]
MANHATTAN, Kan. As the voter registration deadline looms, Donna Shenk Hamlin from the League of Women Voters joined Delaney and Cadence on Wildcat 91.9™s Evening Drive Show to discuss the importance of civic engagement among students. With voter registration closing at noon on Tuesday, Hamlin emphasized the ease of checking registration status and making voting plans through the website ksvotes.org.
Hamlin, a long-standing member of the League of Women Voters of Riley County and a participant in Kansas State University's Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy (ICDD), highlighted the collaborative efforts to promote voter participation....(article continues.)
For a recording, visit here or: https://www.wildcat919.com/post/league-of-women-voters-encourages-studen....
Thank you, Donna, for your excellent advice, to Andrew Smith Multi-Media News Director KKSU-TV for the invitation, and to Delany and Cadence for your support!
In Memory of Bob and Jan Kruh
We are forever grateful to the legacies of Bob and Jan Kruh. Their leadership and generosity for the League of Women Voters of Manhattan-Riley County was unbounded. Our thanks to the Kruh family for designating our organization for memorial contributions.
(Donation information: Click Red Donate button or here. Thank you.)
Please Remember to Pay your Annual Dues online or by mail. Thank you for making all our programs possible, and reaching out to new members. (Use the Join/Renew button above.)
LWVK information is available on our website.
Other Online Links to stay informed:
The Kansas Reflector - you can subscribe to have an email update sent to your inbox daily
Legiscan - a national tracking site for legislative actions both at the national and state levels
The link to the new 2025 Kansas Legislature site will allow you to access and watch in real time or you can also watch later as all committee meetings are recorded.
All League Events are free and open to the public
More Information About Our Area?
Be sure to check out our blog for current observer reports on the USD 383 Board of Education meetings and the Riley County Law Board meetings.
Who we are:
The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
The League of Women Voters Manhattan/Riley County believes in: respect for individuals, the value of diversity, the empowerment of the grassroots*, and the power of collective decision making for the common good.
What are current League Priorities?
The League of Women Voters of Manhattan-Riley County Supports Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (LWVUS Policy Statement) (Definitions)
LWVKansas Legislative Priorities
LWVUS Positions and Priorities: At the National Level The LWVMRC is part of the League of Women Voters of the United States. Our positions and policies are informed by careful study and are agreed upon by the League members at local, state, and national levels. A complete description of our national positions, Imact on Issues, is available Here.
