LWV-Wake Update 3/31/2025 | Welcome back to your exclusive, bi-monthly newsletter of the League of Women Voters of Wake County. If someone forwarded this to you and you'd like to become a member, just click here.
|  | Back Row – L-R – Bonnie Medinger, Karen Furguson, Commissioner Safayah Jackson, Commissioner Cheryl Stallings, Commissioner Shinca Thomas, Eve Vitaglione, Cheryl Tung.
Front Row – L-R – MaryJane Slipsky, Ricki Grantmyre, Helen Zimmerman, Commissioner Don Mial, Commissioner Chair Susan Evans, Commissioner Vicki Adamson, Dianna Wynn, Marilyn Miller, Vicki Gerig.
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LWV-Wake President Helen Zimmerman holding Women's History Month proclamation presented to the League by Wake County Board of Commissioners during their March 17th meeting. | | |
Dear ~~first_name~~,
On Monday March 17, 2025, The Wake County Board of Commissioners issued a 2025 Wake County Proclamation that March 2025 is Women’s History Month, and presented it to the League of Women Voters of Wake County. Helen Zimmerman, LWV-Wake President received the Proclamation with 9 past presidents of LWV-Wake taking part. Many of the recipients wore white in recognition of suffragists who, in 1920, founded the League of Women Voters of the US, the League of Women Voters of North Carolina, and the League of Women Voters of Wake County. LWV-Wake continues its 105-year non-partisan mission of Empowering Voters and Defending Democracy.
Advocacy Day Highlights
Tuesday, March 18, 2025, Cheryl Tung led a very fortunate group on Advocacy Day at the NC General Assembly. They visited the General Assembly and the Legislative Office Building, and met with Wake County Representatives Julie Von Haefen, Phil Rubin, Tim Longest and State Senator Terrence Everitt.
There were good discussions about ways League members could be effective advocates for League positions on various legislation. An amusing moment when one of the elected officials asked “How long has the League been doing this, and received 12 voices in unison saying “105 years”…. It was a very proud moment.
LWVNC Convention
Attending the LWVNC Convention is absolutely the best way to find out about the League and where you may fit. The upcoming 2025 Convention will be held May 2-4, 2025 at the Durham Marriott City Center. Early Bird Rate: $50 (through March 28); Regular Rate: $75; Hotel Rate: $209/night (group rate).
While delegates may choose to stay overnight in Durham for the Convention, it is not necessary due to its proximity to Raleigh. LWV-Wake has a few spots remaining for voting Delegates, and we'd like to fill all of our voting delegate seats. Be sure to let Helen know when you register. Scroll down to see additional details and registration/hotel links.
LWV-Wake Judiciary Study
The LWV-Wake Federal Judiciary Study Group met on Thursday 3/27/2025 to discuss the 12 Consensus Statements for the LWVUS Study. A consensus arriving meeting will be held on Thursday April 3, and results will be turned into LWVUS by April 14, 2025. Results from individual County and State Leagues will be combined into the LWVUS Policy Statement on the Federal Judiciary, including the United States Supreme Court.
Please see below for many important announcements for events and meetings: Timely Topics, Citizens Initiative meetings, Legislative Update and personal and/or group Advocacy items.
There is a lot going on !!! Keep up the Great Work !!!
In Service
Helen Zimmerman
| | Member Social Wednesday, April 2
Join members of the LWV-Wake Membership Committee and meet new members during our April Member Social this Wednesday, April 2. Feel free to drop in anytime between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. The Garden Bar serves a selection of beer, wine and mimosas.
Registration is not required, however if you register, you will receive reminder emails.
| April Timely Topics: The Effects of Plastics on Human Health
Join us as our Environment Committee host's Timely Topics on Tuesday, April 22 from Noon -1:30 p.m. at Highland United Methodist Church.
Guest speakers will present, "Plasticized! The Plastics in Our Bodies and Their Effect on Our Health." This event is open to the public.
Mindful Merchant will also be there and have plastic alternative wares available for purchase.
Bring your own lunch. Light refreshments will be served.
|  | Timely Topics 2025-2026 Planning Meeting
All Committee Co-Chairs, League Leaders, and interested League members are invited to register for the first planning meeting for the new year’s monthly Timely Topics sessions. The meeting will be in the League office Tuesday, July 15 10:00 a.m. - noon.
Annette Green will be leading the charge for the year as TT Chair and asks that everyone register for the session. Bring ideas to the session for topics and speakers that would be of interest to League members and their guests.
Next year is just around the calendar’s corner so let’s begin planning!
|  | Annual Meeting June 17th 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm at NCSU University Club
All LWV-Wake members are encouraged to attend the annual meeting to learn election results for our LWV-Wake Board of Directors and 2025-2026 LWV-Wake Annual Budget, as well as recognize outgoing board members. This is also a time to socialize with other League members and discuss League priorities for the coming year. As a reminder, our organization's fiscal year runs from July 1st to June 30th.
PLEASE NOTE: Election materials, including the nominating committee report, 2025-2026 LWV-Wake Proposed Budget, and electronic ballot link will be sent via email to EVERY member on May 17th. We encourage members to read the materials and vote electronically prior to the annual meeting.
There will be a cash bar, dinner and program. This year's cost is $45 per person and spouses/guests are invited! To view the menu and to register, please click on the link below:
|  | Advocate for Affordable Housing with Wake County Habit for Humanity April 9th
Here are two things you can do to advocate for affordable housing in Wake County:
1. Call your senators and members of Congress and tell them that the cuts to HUD of people and funds, particularly from the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity and the Office of Community Planning and Development, will negatively impact your constituents. Because of these cuts, North Carolina citizens are going to lose their homes. The problem is not fraud, waste and abuse; the problem is that there are not now, and never have been, enough resources to provide housing assistance for the homeless and marginalized communities in our area.
2. Support housing initiatives by attending the 2025 Housing Day at the NC General Assembly Wednesday, April 9. Click below for more information.
Additional Affordable Housing Advocacy Information
- To learn more about affordable housing bills recently introduced in the NCGA, click here.
- To learn about The Housing Need for Wake County for 2025, please see this infographic from North Carolina Housing Coalition.
|  | | VOTE411 Signs - Help Needed
For the upcoming election cycle, we would like to expand our reach with VOTE411 signage during Early Voting. Eleven municipalities will have elections this year. We want to identify 3 highly visible and legal locations for VOTE411 signs in each of these Wake County towns - Apex, Cary, Fuquay Varina, Garner, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Morrisville, Rolesville, Wake Forest, Wendell, and Zebulon. Our committee members have familiarity with Apex, Cary, and Morrisville, so the other municipalities are of higher importance. Please review political sign regulations for Wake County here.
If you, or someone you know, has familiarity with one of these towns, and would be willing to assist in how to get the powerful tools within VOTE411.org to the voting public before they actually go to vote - please contact Sandy Hutchinson, LWV.shutchinson@gmail.com as soon as possible. If we do this now, we will have a much more meaningful reach into smaller Wake County towns in the 2026 midterms! |  | Empowering NC Voters: Citizen Initiative on the Agenda for LWVNC Convention
Exciting news! The LWVNC Citizen Initiative (CI) Study Team has recommended that we concur with LWV-Alabama’s position on Citizen Initiative (CI). The LWVNC Program Committee and Board have approved adding it to the agenda for the LWVNC Convention, May 2-4 in Durham.
What’s CI? It’s a powerful tool that allows citizens to collect voter signatures to place a law or amendment directly on the ballot—bypassing legislative gridlock. Nearly half the states already have CI, but North Carolina doesn’t… yet.
Why does this matter? When legislatures fail to act, voters step up. No state has ever repealed CI, and it's been used to:
✔️ Reform redistricting
✔️ Introduce ranked-choice voting
✔️ Protect abortion rights
✔️ Raise the minimum wage
The proposed CI position includes strong safeguards to ensure fairness and transparency, such as:
🔹One subject per proposal
🔹Limits on how many Initiatives can appear on a ballot
🔹A clear, public process for proposal submission
🔹Statewide petition collection—by voters, for voters
Our statewide study in 2024 showed overwhelming LWVNC member support for CI. Want to learn more before the convention? Join our virtual briefing:
Thursday, April 17, 7:00 p.m. -8:00 p.m. – Register
Can't make a briefing? Review study resources here and visit the Citizen Initiative webpage here.
Let’s bring the power of direct democracy to North Carolina!
– Submitted by Jennifer Bremer, Ellen Reckhow, and Gaye Williams, Citizen Initiative study team leaders
|  | | LWVNC Convention – May 2-4, 2025
Registration is now open for the LWVNC 39th Biennial Convention at the Durham Marriott City Center! Since the convention is in Durham, it may not be necessary for you to stay overnight in the hotel. LWV-Wake may have up to 10 registrants who may be voting delegates. Please contact Helen if you wish to attend as a delegate. Secure your spot using this form to register.
Early Bird Rate: $50 (through March 28)
Regular Rate: $75
Hotel Rate: $209/night (group rate)
Reserve a hotel room using this link.
Convention delegates are invited attend a Convention Reception at Durham's Velvet Hippo on Friday, May 2nd at 5:30pm. To register, click here.
|  | Legislative Update
There continued to be a flurry of bills filed at NCGA this past week as bill filing deadlines approached. Senate bill filing deadline was March 25, 2025, and the House bill filing deadline is April 3, 2025. The crossover deadline is May 8th. Crossover deadline is the date by which any policy bill that does not require state appropriations needs to be approved by at least one chamber in order to move forward. If a bill does not 'make crossover', it dies until the beginning of the next biennium.
While many bills have been filed this session that improve voting access, we recognize the hurdles in getting these bills out of the Rules committee for a fair hearing. Nonetheless, we appreciate the efforts of these ‘messaging’ bill sponsors. Some of the messaging bills described by the Voting Rights Bill Tracker NC include:
SB 386 : Whiz Kids/Slow Pokes Voter Registration.
Primary Sponsor: Meyer (D)
Current Location: Senate Rules and Operations of the Senate Committee
Introduced: 3/25/2025
Summary
This bill, as introduced on March 24, 2025, would expand access to same-day voter registration in the state, among other changes. Specifically, the bill would:
• Permit same-day voter registration on Election Day. Under existing law, same-day voter registration is only permitted during the early voting period. The bill would also permit a person to register at an early voting location and then decline to immediately vote.
• Clarify that same-day registration is available for a person who will be 18 years of age by the date of a general election to register and vote in the associated primary, even if the person is not yet 18 years of age.
• Codify the existing practice under which persons at least 16 years of age but not yet 18 may pre-register to vote. This practice is already permitted in the state without being in statute, but the bill would put it into law.
SB 457: Automatic Voter Registration.
Primary Sponsor: Meyer (D)
Current Location: Senate Rules and Operations of the Senate Committee
Introduced: 3/25/2025
Summary
This bill, as introduced on March 24, 2025, would
• Modify voter registration procedures at DMVs (starting January 1, 2026) and all other voter registration agencies (starting January 1, 2027) in a process it calls "automatic voter registration." Voters who do not opt out of registration would be asked to provide the information requested on the voter registration application and a signature and would be informed that willfully, knowingly, and with fraudulent intent, giving false information during the registration process is a Class I felony. Under existing law, there is an optional voter registration section on driver's license applications and other agencies’ forms.
• Designate the State Board of Community Colleges as a voter registration agency
• Require that disenfranchised individuals whose rights were restored must be informed of "automatic voter registration" in addition to standard registration procedures.
SB 392: Safeguard Fair Elections.
Primary Sponsor: Chaudhuri (D)
Current Location: Senate Rules and Operations of the Senate Committee
Introduced: 3/25/2025
BILL SUMMARY
Bills that have bi-partisan support and would also greatly benefit from our advocacy efforts are:
HB 31 Make Election Day a State Holiday - This bill amends the State Human Resources Act to add statewide general election day as a paid holiday for state employees.
HB 322 Make General Assembly Records Public - would repeal an exemption from the state’s public records law that legislators gave themselves in the 2023 budget bill.
Contact Your Wake County Representatives
NCGA Wake County Representative contact info can be found here.
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Thank you for continuing to support the League of Women Voters of Wake County.
Sincerely,
Helen Zimmerman
President | | The League of Women Voters of Wake County is a designated 501(c)3 nonprofit charitable organization by the IRS. Donations and membership dues are fully tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. | |