LWV-Wake Update 4/13/2026 | 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. | Call to Action.
If you’ve never made a call to your US senator or congressperson, this is a good time to start. If you already call regularly, please call again now. We need to keep the pressure on elected officials to preserve our voting rights.
- DHS Funding: The House must pass and agree to the previous Senate passed bill to fund DHS. The League continues to support funding for DHS without funding for ICE or CBP.
- The SAVE Act is still alive. Because the Senate has not voted to end debate on this bill, this legislation can come up at any time on the floor for debate, amendment, or a cloture vote. Ways you can take action:
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Register now for the 2026 LWV-Wake Annual Membership Meeting!
All members are encouraged to attend. Join other members and guests for our annual membership meeting. Thanks to generous donors, we've been able to reduce the cost for this year's event to only $30. We hope you'll join us to socialize with fellow League members, give input to the Board on priorities for the coming year, and hear from our special guest speaker, Hilary Harris Klein, Senior Counsel, Voting Rights Southern Coalition for Social Justice. Click here to register or find the calendar event on June 16, 2026! Registration deadline is at noon on June 11, 2026.
| Meet and Chat: Wednesday, April 22nd, 6-8pm. Join other League members and friends for cocktails at Hearsay (inside Matthews House) in Cary. Cash Bar 6-8pm. Charcuterie and dessert options are available for purchase. Register here.
|  | | We welcomed more than 50 attendees to our March Timely Topics session on voter suppression, including several guests and members of the public. These sessions are free and open to all, and we encourage members to invite friends, family, and colleagues to join you for our April program—our final session before a summer break.
WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE: How Sustainable is Wake County's Water Supply?
Join us, bring a friend, for a Timely Topics panel discussion about Wake County’s water resources and the challenges we face in ensuring the abundance and quality of our water supply.
This month, our speakers are water-quality experts:
Lauren Daniel: DEQ, Division of Water Resources Water Education Programs
Kelsey Sosa: NCSU, Team Lead, Agriculture & Natural Resources, Water Quality
Mitch Woodward: NCSU, Area Specialized Agent, Watersheds and Water Quality
There will be time to meet and mingle before and after the presentations. Attendees are encouraged to bring a bag lunch, and a variety of home-made treats provided by members of the Environment Committee will be available.
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Potluck Brunch: Join Us for a potluck brunch! The Membership Committee is hosting a potluck brunch in Wake Forest on Saturday, May 30th, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Take advantage of this chance to get acquainted in a member's home, with stimulating conversation and good food. Any member may attend. It's a great way to connect and learn what has drawn others to join, especially if you're new. We keep these events small - just the number that fit around the host's table. If you are interested please register today! Here's how it works: The host provides an entree; those attending bring an item to share. After you sign up, host Celeste Stanley, will send you an email with the address, parking info, the entree they're providing, and suggestions for what you might bring.
REGISTER
There is still time to join us for a pot luck gathering this week.
| More upcoming events:
Affordable Housing - April 24: Julie Paul of the Lotus Campaign will speak to the Affordable Housing Committee about the organization's work in Raleigh.
Timely Topics Planning Meeting - June 3 League office. Have ideas for the future Timely Topics sessions? We start planning soon for next year’s series that begins in September. Join us for this planning session to generate ideas for next year!
Women's Equality Day Event - August 26th
Visit our Online Calendar to see more information on upcoming events and register to attend. | LWV-WAKE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES | Voter Outreach at local high school performance of SUFFS - April 23-25
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LWV Wake member Terry Dunn engages with citizens at the No KINGS rally on March 28, 2026 in Raleigh. LWV Wake partnered with NO KINGS in Cary and tabled at both Raleigh and Cary to answer voter questions and to help individuals register to vote.
This past weekend, the League, together with an estimated 8 million people across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, participated in the nationwide No Kings protest to push back against the Administration’s authoritarian actions.
| | LWVNC’s 2026 Advocacy Day
We invite you to join fellow League members at the General Assembly for a morning of civic engagement and legislative meetings.
LWVNC Advocacy Day
Theme: Democracy in Action – Your Voice, Your Power
Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Location: Raleigh, NC
All members are encouraged to participate as we advocate for free and fair elections and voting rights during the General Assembly’s short session.
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LWVNC Statewide Council Meeting - May 1-2 in Durham.
League members from across North Carolina will gather in Durham. Attending this meeting is an opportunity to connect, reconnect, learn from one another, and renew our energy for the important work ahead.
LWV-WAKE has seven seats available for our League.
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To assure that every vote for president counts in every election, we urge the North Carolina Legislature to pass the National Popular Vote Bill, moving our state and the nation closer to making every vote count in the United States.
There are more than 500,000 elected offices in the United States. For all but one of them, the candidate with the most votes wins. The one exception is our one national office – the presidency. To sustain a healthy democracy, every vote for president should count equally. Count all the votes, every vote equal, whoever receives the most votes wins – this is simple and fair.
Join us! Sign the LWVNC petition to make your voice heard.
This is open to non-Leaguers, so please share this link with your networks.
Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of North Carolina.
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Come with us to Columbus or join remotely online for the LWV 57th Biennial National Convention!
Representatives from LWV-Wake will attend the Convention and, as a member, you are welcome and encouraged to attend. This event brings together members to set the organization's agenda, elect leaders, and focus on defending democracy. Registration is open now!
The Convention will take place from June 25–28, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio, at the Hilton Columbus Downtown. If a trip to Columbus doesn't work for you, you can attend all of the plenary sessions virtually for a much reduced rate ($150). We have budgeted funds to help offset the cost for a limited number of members to attend either in person or virtually. Contact Sandra Birckhead, treasurer and Gaye Williams, president if you plan to attend.
|  | Voting Rights Groups Challenge Executive Order on Mail-In Ballots as Illegal Interference in Elections League of Women Voters Responds to Executive Order on Mail-In Voting. More at: LWV Press Room
The League of Women Voters issued the following statement in response to President Trump's executive order, "Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections "More at: LWV Press Room |  | Action Alert: Tell Congress Federal Immigration Enforcement Has Gone Too Far
We join LWVUS and LWVNC in this ACTION ALERT regarding escalating federal immigration enforcement actions that violate constitutional rights and undermine democratic accountability. At its core, this issue is not about immigration policy—it is about the protection of constitutional rights, the rule of law, and the principle that no government agency is above accountability. The use of intimidation, surveillance, and lethal force against people exercising their First Amendment rights threatens the foundations of our democracy and demands congressional oversight. The League has a long history of defending civil liberties and civic participation. When constitutional rights are eroded anywhere, they are weakened everywhere. Add your voice by using the LWVUS action tool to contact Congress and demand transparency, investigation, and accountability.
| Provide Your Input on the City of Raleigh's Affordable Housing and Community Development Needs for 2026-2027 by April 15th
The League of Women Voters supports equal access to housing for all citizens; supports adoption of statewide housing policies and minimum housing codes; and supports a state initiative to increase the supply of housing for low-income persons. We encourage our members who are residents of the City of Raleigh to provide input into the City's Affordable Housing and Community Development Needs.
Each year, the City of Raleigh receives funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). These funds are used for affordable housing initiatives. Initiatives include creating affordable rental and homeownership housing, helping those experiencing or at-risk of homelessness, providing public services to persons with low- and moderate-incomes, and supporting community development needs.
The City of Raleigh is projected to get $4.5 million in federal funding next year. We need your input on how to use it!
The FY2026-2027 Action Plan Draft is ready to review and available for public comment through April 15.
Ways to provide comments:
- Email written comments to housing@raleighnc.gov
- Mail written comments to "Housing and Community Development Department, P.O. Box 590, Raleigh, NC 27602”
- Call 919-996-4330
|  | | Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs), which are unlicensed, non-medical Pregnancy Centers, are receiving $19 MILLION in NC state funding with little oversight or accountability. This is taxpayer money meant for legitimate reproductive healthcare.
They are NOT healthcare clinics.
They are NOT regulated or under HIPPA.
They DON’T provide prenatal care.
They MISLEAD people about birth control.
Yet They are NOT audited!
Oversight and regulation are necessary to ensure that taxpayer money is being spent on legitimate licensed and regulated healthcare clinics.
By signing this petition, you request the State Auditor to immediately initiate an audit of all NC’s unlicensed, non-medical pregnancy centers.
| 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. | |