How we Act as One: LWVO Presentation

1. Meeting Overview

Organization: League of Women Voters Metropolitan Columbus

Date: Oct 5, 2026.

Purpose:

• Introduce newer members to the League of Women Voters of Ohio’s advocacy, voter-service, and election-protection work.
• Discuss opportunities for local League advocacy and participation.
• Develop plans for restarting an advocacy book club.
• Coordinate upcoming meeting dates and discuss election-related priorities.

Key participants identifiable in this transcript:

• Cheryl Roller – LWVMC meeting facilitator/chair,
• Elizabeth Warner – League of Women Voters of Ohio representative, discussed communications, advocacy, coalitions, and election protection
• Sandy Eberts – proposed and will coordinate the advocacy book club
• Karen Leith – referenced as chair of the LWVO Advocacy Committee and leader of Lobby Corps calls
• Jen Miller – referenced as League director and involved in advocacy strategy.

2. Main Topics Discussed

A. League Communications and Voter Engagement

Elizabeth Warner emphasized the League’s role as a calm, trustworthy, and nonpartisan source of election information during a period of intense political anxiety and misinformation.

Key themes included:

• Voters are receiving information from many sources, including unreliable social media and individual online commentators.
• League members should provide information that is:
  • Clear
  • Accurate
  • Meaningful
  • Actionable
• The goal is to leave voters feeling more informed and empowered than before they spoke with a League representative.
• League communication should connect factual information with voters’ concerns, such as:
  • Voter-registration purges
  • Mail-in voting
  • Election security
  • Polling-place problems
  • Voting requirements

Elizabeth described the League’s regular communications:

• LWVO Weekly: Sent Fridays and includes updates, toolkits, voter-service materials, social-media content, action alerts, and important legal or election developments.
• The League Voter: Sent at the end of each month and contains more extensive information.
• Members who are not receiving these communications should contact Elizabeth so she can provide the appropriate subscription link. The League cannot automatically ‘subscribe’ because some email systems block unsolicited communications.

B. Voter Service and Advocacy

Elizabeth described two major areas of League work:

1. Voter service: Direct contact with voters, voter education, and assistance.
2. Advocacy: Work conducted on behalf of voters, including action alerts, legislative engagement, public testimony, and coalition work.

She explained that advocacy also includes educating partner organizations and the public about issues affecting democracy and elections.

C. Statewide Coalition Partners

Elizabeth reviewed the League’s major statewide coalition relationships.

Ohio Voter Rights Coalition

The Ohio Voter Rights Coalition includes organizations such as:

• League of Women Voters of Ohio
• Common Cause Ohio
• ACLU of Ohio
• All Voting Is Local – Ohio
• Ohio Voice
• Ohio AFL-CIO
• Ohio Unity

The coalition conducts year-round voter education and advocacy. Its current major focus is election protection, including:

• Recruiting poll monitors for early voting and Election Day
• Promoting the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline
• Helping voters address problems in real time
• Monitoring issues involving identification, intimidation, polling-place safety, and other barriers
• Communicating with election officials and the Secretary of State’s office when problems arise

Elizabeth noted that this election is receiving unusually high attention and funding, including significant spending in Ohio’s gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races. This creates increased potential for confusion, outside interference, and problems at polling locations.

Honesty for Ohio Education

This coalition focuses on strengthening Ohio’s public education system. Elizabeth identified major areas of concern as:

• School funding
• The Ohio Fair School Funding Plan
• Voucher programs
• The impact of legislation on local voters and public education

She noted that the upcoming state budget cycle will be particularly important. The governor introduces the budget in February, the legislature revises it over several months, and the final budget must be completed by the end of June.

Fair Districts / Fair Democracy

The Fair Districts coalition historically focused on redistricting and gerrymandering. Its work has expanded to broader democracy issues because redistricting affects representation and accountability.

The coalition now refers to its public meetings as the Fair Districts/Fair Democracy Huddle. Upcoming discussions will address:

• The impact of money flowing into Ohio politics
• Election spending
• Redistricting and representation
• Broader democratic institutions

D. Legislative Advocacy and Lobby Corps

Elizabeth explained that the Ohio legislature was largely out of session because it is an election year, though it recently returned briefly to address the gas tax.

The League monitors:

• Election-related bills
• Provisions added to broader legislation
• State budget language
• Secretary of State directives
• Changes affecting voter registration and absentee ballots

She noted several recent developments:

• The legislature eliminated Ohio’s former four-day period for accepting certain absentee ballots received after Election Day.
• Legislation concerning proof of citizenship has created concerns and is the subject of active litigation.
• Members should notify Elizabeth or Jen if they know voters who have faced problems proving citizenship under the new requirements.

Lobby Corps

The Lobby Corps is a twice-monthly League call led by Karen Leith:

• Second Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m.
• Fourth Tuesday of the month at noon

The calls provide:

• Updates on state legislation
• Explanations of how bills affect voters
• Information about League advocacy strategy
• Details about potential action alerts
• Guidance for local Leagues and members

Local Leagues are encouraged to have at least one person participate in an advocacy role and share relevant information with their local membership and communities.

Access to Lobby Corps calls requires members to request permission for security reasons. Elizabeth provided the relevant sign-up link in the chat.

E. National Census Advocacy Alert

Elizabeth described a current League of Women Voters of the United States action alert concerning a proposed Census Bureau rule change.

The proposal could:

• Count only U.S. citizens and green-card holders for certain census purposes
• Exclude undocumented immigrants and other visa holders
• Stop collecting race and ethnicity data
• Limit collection of gender-identity and sexual-orientation information

Elizabeth emphasized that census data determines:

• Distribution of federal resources
• Community funding
• Congressional apportionment
• Representation

A public-comment period is open through early November. Members were encouraged to submit comments individually and support League advocacy on the issue.

F. Text Banking and Election Protection

Elizabeth discussed national text-banking opportunities through the League’s organizing platform, League in Action. She reported that members can reach thousands of voters quickly and that additional texting opportunities were planned for October.

She is also exploring a possible Ohio-specific texting campaign to promote the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline in vulnerable areas, though that effort was still in the early planning stage.

G. Advocacy Book Club

Sandy Eberts presented a framework for restarting the League’s advocacy book club.

Proposed purpose

The book club would:

• Deepen members’ understanding of democracy
• Encourage thoughtful, nonpartisan discussion
• Connect books and ideas to League positions and advocacy
• Build relationships among League members

Proposed structure

• Meetings would initially be held online through Zoom.
• The group would meet every other month.
• Members could suggest books, with the group selecting future titles.
• Discussion leadership could rotate among members.
• The group would consider books about democracy, civic life, public policy, education, redistricting, and other League-related issues.
• Discussions could connect reading to current advocacy opportunities when appropriate.
• Additional materials, such as newspaper articles, policy reports, analytical essays, and government documents, could supplement books.

The first book selected was Giving Up Is Unforgivable by Joyce Vance, published in 2025. The first meeting will be scheduled for a Monday in January, avoiding conflicts with other League meetings.

Sandy will coordinate the book club and draft an announcement for the League’s newsletter. Members will also be invited to suggest future books.

H. Upcoming Election and Election Protection

Cheryl reminded members that the election may not follow a typical pattern and encouraged preparation for both the voting period and the post-election period.

Members were encouraged to:

• Promote voter participation
• Talk with neighbors about making a voting plan
• Display election-protection signs
• Volunteer for election-protection efforts
• Promote the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline
• Remain patient while results are counted
• Pay attention to possible problems involving ballots, voting machines, and chain of custody

A member who works as a poll worker noted that Ohio’s election procedures are strong and that poll workers are carefully trained. The discussion distinguished between confidence in Ohio’s established election administration and concern about unexpected interference or disruptions by outside actors.

The group agreed that members should provide reassurance while remaining attentive, informed, and prepared to report problems through appropriate channels.

3. Key Points and Decisions

• The League’s role is to provide voters with reliable, understandable, and actionable information.
• Election protection is a major priority, particularly because of the high level of activity and spending surrounding the upcoming election.
• Members should promote the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline and consider volunteering as poll monitors or election-protection observers.
• Members were encouraged to participate in Lobby Corps calls to better understand state legislative developments and advocacy opportunities.
• The group supports League action opposing the proposed Census Bureau rule changes.
• The advocacy book club will be restarted.
• The book club will initially meet online every other month.
• The first book will be Giving Up Is Unforgivable by Joyce Vance.
• The first book-club meeting will take place on a Monday in January, with the exact date to be determined.
• The next committee meeting was scheduled for November 10 at 6:00 p.m.
• The group may consider organizing a tour of the Ohio Statehouse or Supreme Court as a future educational or membership event.
• The next meeting will include discussion of the committee’s own advocacy priorities in addition to statewide League priorities.

4. Action Items and Next Steps

Elizabeth Warner / League of Women Voters of Ohio

• Continue distributing the LWVO Weekly and League Voter communications.
• Assist members who need to subscribe to League communications.
• Provide access to Lobby Corps calls for members who request it.
• Continue promoting election-protection volunteers and the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline.
• Share resources related to the Census Bureau public-comment period.
• Continue developing the possible Ohio election-protection text-banking campaign.

Cheryl

• Send a meeting summary with action items.
• Collect member feedback on Elizabeth’s presentation, including whether it was useful and whether similar presentations should occur annually or semiannually.
• Confirm whether a Zoom transcript or recording of Elizabeth’s presentation is available.
• Explore making the presentation or a summary available in the members-only section.
• Coordinate with others regarding a possible Statehouse or Supreme Court tour.
• Include election-protection and advocacy opportunities in follow-up communications.

Sandy Eberts

• Coordinate the advocacy book club.
• Consult with Sophia regarding the January meeting date.
• Draft a newsletter announcement describing:
  • The book club’s purpose
  • The first book
  • The initial meeting date
  • How members can participate
  • Requests for future book suggestions
• Facilitate the first discussion and recruit future discussion leaders.

All members

• Send Cheryl feedback about Elizabeth’s presentation.
• Consider joining a Lobby Corps call.
• Submit comments on the proposed Census Bureau rule change.
• Share election-protection information and the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline.
• Consider volunteering as a poll monitor or election-protection volunteer.
• Suggest books or other materials for the advocacy book club.
• Remain attentive to election-related developments and report concerns through appropriate League and election-protection channels.

5. Important Announcements

• Next committee meeting: November 10 at 6:00 p.m.
• Lobby Corps: Second Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. and fourth Tuesday at noon.
• Advocacy book club: Relaunching in January; first book is Joyce Vance’s Giving Up Is Unforgivable.
• Census Bureau public comment: Members were urged to participate before the early-November deadline.
• Election protection: The 866-OUR-VOTE hotline and volunteer opportunities should be widely promoted.
• The League may organize a future Statehouse or Supreme Court tour as an educational and membership-building event.