Welcome back to your exclusive, bi-weekly newsletter of the League of Women Voters of Wake County. If someone forwarded this to you and you'd like to become a member, or are interested in learning more, just click here.
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Dear ~~first_name~~,
We have a busy season ahead following the July 4th celebrations. Summer is here, and so is the opportunity to make an impact. The League is hitting the ground running—out in the community, educating, registering voters, and making sure every voter can make their voice heard.
Here’s how you can jump in and make a difference:
- Participate in a committee — even one hour invested in a meeting can help drive change.
- Volunteer at an upcoming event — your time matters.
- Invite a friend to get involved — the more voices, the stronger we are.
- Donate to LWV-Wake — your support keeps this work going.
We want to hear from you!
Tell us what you’d like to see in this newsletter and share your ideas for new ways to get involved.
Together, we’ll make sure our programs and outreach make the biggest impact possible across the region.
The time to act is now. Let’s get to work.
| Important update from your Membership Committee
Thanks to so many of you who are renewing your membership in this period! The membership roster is maintained through our website (Club Express) and now by LWV-US as well. Your Membership Committee ensures those 2 systems are reconciled on a regular basis so that they stay in sync. In reconciling the LWV-US roster with the LWV-Wake Club Express roster, we are finding errors in both and are working through that reconciliation.
In our local Club Express roster, we sometimes find members who have multiple entries--one as an active members and one as a non-member.
We are working on dropping the non member entries for those who are truly active.. As we work through this, you might receive an automatic email, noting that you have been dropped from the roster. FEAR NOT! You remain a member in good standing. I am only dropping the duplicate non-member listing.
We realize this may be confusing and apologize for that, in advance If you have any questions, Dale Cousins wants you to know she is always available and eager to straighten out any problems or concerns You can find Dale’s contact info on the Membership Committee page (login required).
We will work it out together.
Dale Cousins
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The LWV-Wake Civics Education Committee has just released the first two web pages of Civics Education resources. The first page focuses on the three levels of government. The second page addresses the 14 principles of Democracy.
You can access both pages by clicking the blue “Civics Resources” box at the top of the LWV-Wake website homepage or use this link.
The Committee plans to add additional pages and resources as we continue our effort to educate and motivate citizens to support democratic principles. We will also be working on ways to promote this resource in our community through social media, presentations, tabling events, etc. Volunteers for helping are welcome. If you are interested in getting involved please Contact the Committee.
And, check out this new resource when you get a chance!
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We are very proud that LWV-Wake joined 320 other Leagues across 45 states and the District of Columbia to take part in the study and consensus process for the LWVUS Federal Judiciary Study. Eleven of our members invested considerable time in studying the subject to gain a credible understanding of relevant information.
We took a deep dive into some familiar terms such as Shadow Docket, Judge Shopping, Recusal and Judicial Ethics. Our input was added to those of other Leagues to enable the LWVUS to achieve the position.
This position is now part of the League's official public policy platform and is available as a supplemental PDF document on the Impact on Issues page on the LWVUS website. In the next Impact on Issues publication, it will be added to the "Congress and the Presidency" subsection of the "Representative Government" section. Until that time, Leagues may refer to the pdf.
Our LWV Wake president, Gaye Williams, wants to thank everyone who invested your time, energy, and effort into this work. Special thanks to Helen Zimmerman, who was our president at the time of the Study, for raising her hand, gathering the team, and leading the effort to ensure LWV-Wake’s voice was heard in this process!
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Committee Meeting Update
As an all-volunteer organization, our work is largely achieved through Committees. Investing your time here is a great way to learn about the work of our League and meet other active League members.
Not ready to commit? That’s okay, try out as many as you would like to hone-in on the areas where you would like to invest your time and energy.
When you decide to join a group, you will receive emails from the chair about meetings and activities. You decide the extent to which you are able or willing to volunteer.
Six Committees and adhoc groups have meetings scheduled in July: Women’s Equality Day Planning (adhoc), Women’s Rights, Timely Topics (adhoc), Voter Services, Healthcare, and Environment. You can review our online calendar anytime for upcoming meetings and other events happening every month.
To learn more about LWV-Wake’s current committees or to email a chair/co-chair, go to our Our Work page.
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Timely Topics 2025-2026 Planning Meeting
All Committee Chairs/Co-Chairs, League Leaders, and interested League members are invited to register for and attend the first planning meeting for the new year’s monthly Timely Topics (TT) sessions. The meeting is in the League office, 3509 Haworth, Suite 306 Tuesday, July 15 10:00 a.m. - noon.
Annette Green will lead the charge for the 2025-26 year as TT Chair and asks that everyone register for the session. Bring your laptop and ideas to the session for topics and speakers that would be of interest to League members and their guests.
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Voter Services will be tabling at GalaxyCon to register voters and promote Vote 411.
Details on tabling dates and times will be shared when finalized.
LWV-Wake's Voter Services committee works in our community to reach out to voters and provide them with the information they need to make their voting plan and vote through a variety of events, community presentations, candidate forums and our flagship voter information website, vote411.org. |  | We're Moving! The lease at our current location ends on August 31st.
Our new office space is in the historic Occidental Insurance building on Wade Avenue near the Village District. This space is not only more affordable than our current one, but also offers additional amenities, including a shared training room and kitchenette, an attractive lobby, outdoor patio, and a larger parking area. We are seeking volunteers to assist us with our move.
If you are interested in helping with move preparations, please contact Annette Green who will manage the move for us. Thank you Annette!
Stay tuned for more details about an Open House for members in September!
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Women's Equality Day 2025
Please join us in celebrating Women's Equality Day! This year's theme, 'Stronger Than The Storm' was chosen in recognition of the challenges we face in our continuing fight for equality.
We are excited to announce this year's keynote speaker is Leoneda Inge, co-host of WUNC program 'Due South'. Ms. Inge is an award-winning journalist and we are delighted she has agreed to share her stories of resilience with us.
Sponsors wanted
This event raises much needed support for our educational programs, voter outreach, and operating expenses. We invite you to become a sponsor at $150, $300, $500 or $1000 levels. To learn more about Leoneda Inge and to register, click on the link below.
During the event, we will recognize and honor all women who serve as elected officials in Wake County.
This event is our major fundraising event of the year, and we hope all members will support us by attending and purchasing a sponsorship.
Tell your friends and colleagues too! Members and non-members are welcome to attend and become sponsors.
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In these days of continual tests of our democracy, it can be difficult to know how each of us can make an impact. One way you can make a difference is through your investment of time, energy, effort, and money in the work of LWV-Wake. We need you and hope you'll choose to join or renew your membership.
Remember, if you want to support our Wake County work beyond the membership, donate to LWV-Wake separately from your membership dues. Visit lwv-wake.org/donate.
Keep things simple by auto-renewing! It’s a great option so your League membership is never interrupted. Just select auto-renewal in the LWVUS Member Portal. You can choose to auto-renew your annual membership or donation to LWV-Wake — or both.
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Women's Rights and Healthcare Committees Publish New Webpage
Most of you are aware of the threats to abortion, but are you also aware of how contraception is also becoming inaccessible?
Explore and share the latest fact sheets on our newly designed Reproductive Rights Issue webpage here:
|  | Media placements help us get our voice heard. And being heard helps us make an impact. You can keep up with LWVUS press coverage at the League of Women's Voters Newsroom.
Recently, LWV-NC was in the news fighting for voters rights. You can read the release online.
"Over the past few years, anti-voter forces sought to silence hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians, but the League of Women Voters of North Carolina fought back — and voters and democracy prevailed,” said Jennifer McMillan Rubin, president of the League of Women Voters of North Carolina. “Now, the Department of Justice is seeking to unlawfully put hundreds of thousands of North Carolina voters at risk of disenfranchisement. Once again, the League won't back down. We will always fight to protect voters who deserve to have a say in North Carolina elections.” (excerpted from the release)
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In July we have many celebrations. Do you know these three moments in US History?
Ratifying the 26th Amendment to the United States Constitution establishes a nationally standardized minimum age of 18 for participation in state and federal elections. It was proposed by Congress on March 23, 1971, and three-fourths of the states ratified it by July 1, 1971.
Anniversary of the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 - July 19-20 1848. The Seneca Falls Convention was the first women's rights convention. Its organizers advertised it as "a convention to discuss the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of woman". Held in the Wesleyan Chapel of the town of Seneca Falls, New York.
Disability Pride Month. On July 26, 1990 the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush. The ADA prohibits discrimination based on disability and ensures equal access to various aspects of life for people with disabilities. Disability Pride month was established in 2015, corresponding with the 25th anniversary of the ADA signing.
| | Gaye Williams, President
League of Women Voters
Wake County | | | | 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. | |