November 2024
Editor Jennifer Bales
jbales@me.com
| Co-Presidents Susan Saunders and Peggy Leech | | By Peggy Leech and Susan Saunders | As we approach the election on November 5, LWVBC can be proud of its efforts to Empower Voters and Defend Democracy. We provided voter registration opportunities. We informed voters with our Voter Service efforts from candidate forums, ballot issue information, and VOTE411. And we engaged and inspired many people with our “Why I Vote” campaign.
The 2 graphics below (organization chart, and celebration of volunteers) offer a visual appreciation of what LWVBC does and how we do it. We have truly been “all-hands-on-deck” preparing for this election.
In the next few months, we will be offering several events—none finalized yet, so keep your eye on our event calendar and anticipate some email announcements. Stay tuned. We are just about to enter the “non-election” phase of LWVBC’s activities.
Happy Election Day!
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By Susan Curtis
Membership count: 204 | | | Welcome to these new members who joined in September: Betsy Crosby and Rocio Villalobos Quintero, student
Update on Software Conversion to ChapterSpot
The League of Women Voters, US, is continuing to make progress on the conversion of ChapterSpot software for membership management. Training has been scheduled throughout November and December for the following leadership positions in local Leagues: Presidents, Treasurers, Membership Chairs, Webmasters and Roster Managers. LWVBC leaders in those positions will be completing the training. Please click for information about the training on ChapterSpot.
Know Where Your Money Goes
Donations are the lifeline for LWVBC and all local, state and national League of Women Voters. Thank you for your generosity! Donations come to LWVBC in several forms—as an addition to membership dues and renewals, as separate annual or monthly contributions to LWVBC, or in support of specific programs such as election sponsorship.
Today, you have a choice of where your donations go—directly to LWVBC or directly to the state or national LWV through the website donation links. Currently, donations made to LWVBC stay with the local league entirely and donations made to the state or national organizations stay with the state or national league. All are tax deductible donations through 501(c)(3) entities.
With the change in software to ChapterSpot, where your donations go that are made with dues payments will change. The portions of your dues and donations made with dues payments will be apportioned according to the following formula: National—33%; State—47%; and Local—20%. 67% of dues and donations made with dues will be tax deductible as LWVCO and LWVBC are 501(c)(3) entities. Donations made directly to LWVBC, LWVCO, or LWVUS through the donation port will be tax deductible.
This is an example of how a $100 donation would work with ChapterSpot. |
Separate donation of $100 to LWVBC
$100 goes to LWVBC and is tax deductible
Separate donation of $100 to LWVUS
$100 goes to LWVUS and is tax deductible
Donation of $100 made with dues payment
$33 goes to LWVUS and is not tax deductible; $47 goes to LWVCO and is tax deductible; $20 goes to LWVBC and is tax deductible
| Using the new ChapterSpot software, the LWVUS entity will receive all payment through ChapterSpot depositing those monies in the LWVUS entity that is a 501(c)(4) and then will proportionally provide the proceeds to the State and local leagues, which in the case of LWVCO and LWVBC are tax exempt, 501(c)(3) entities.
Because this change is coming in February 2025, you need do nothing different now. You have time to consider where you wish your donation to be used—at the local level through LWVBC, at the State level LWVCO, or National level LWVUS. For donations made in 2024, there are no changes.There is more information about the software changes on our website under News and Upcoming Changes.
| League of Women Voters of Boulder County Leaders
Latest organization chart for LWVBC. Where could YOU fit in? |
Our Nominating Committee will start its work in January.
We can always use help within our 3 major pillars: Voter Service, Advocacy, and Operations.
And on our Board of Directors!
| Celebrating Our 2024 Voter Service Volunteers |  | VOTE411.org for Boulder County is LIVE for the 2024 General Election. Please encourage your family, friends, colleagues, etc. to use this great resource for candidate and ballot measure information. It’s a LONG ballot and VOTE411 is a very valuable resource.
A very special thank you to Diane Dvorin who edited all the Spanish translations of race descriptions and questions to make VOTE411 accessible to Spanish speaking voters!!
We had great success this election cycle. 92% of candidates filled out their VOTE411 page and answered questions about their positions on important issues.
VOTE411 is easy to use...just type in your address and your ballot appears with links to all candidates and ballot issues.
In the 2020 election, almost a million voters in Colorado used VOTE411 for voting information along with information on registering to vote, updating an existing registration and location of polling places.
The League of Women Voters is a trusted source for election information. VOTE411 is part of that reputation. Spread the word!
VOTE411 is committed to ensuring voters have the information they need to successfully participate in every election. Whether it's local, state or federal, every election is important to ensuring our laws and policies reflect the values and beliefs of our communities.
| | VOTE411 is committed to ensuring voters have the information they need to successfully participate in every election. Whether it's local, state or federal, every election is important to ensuring our laws and policies reflect the values and beliefs of our communities. | | | Fund Development Team Update
| With the election only days away, we are bringing our 2024 campaign to secure Election Season Sponsors to a close. Whether due to the intensity of this election season or the creativity and efforts of our Fund Development Team we raised more than $7500 this year, compared to $4300 in 2023!
Huge gratitude to the following corporate sponsors: Premier Members Credit Union, Wanabrand, JVA consulting engineers, High Plains Bank, Cooper Construction, Wallaroo Hat Company, Barbara and Company, Christina’s Luxuries, and Gigi’s Pet Products.
We also greatly appreciate the generosity of the following friends and families: the Simmons Family Fund at Longmont Community Foundation, Tom O’banion, Jim Lovett, Shirly Lee White and four anonymous donors. The Big Red F restaurant group and the Walnut Cafe gave generous in-kind gifts.
Claudia Imhoff, Pat Long and Marilyn Moses gave generously of their time and talents to our productive team.
As we reach November and you begin planning your donations to your favorite non-profits, please include LWVBC in your gift list. For those of you who are 70 1/2 or older with IRAs, we hope you will direct all or part of your required distributions to LWVBC. Visit Our Donation Page.
| LWVBC's Peggy Leech on KGNU | This month on KGNU’s A Public Affair, host Jim Williams was joined in the studio by Boulder County Clerk and Recorder, Molly Fitzpatrick, and Co-President of the League of Women Voters Boulder County, Peggy Leech, to talk about local elections, how they work, and what kinds of resources are available to community members ahead of the upcoming 2024 election.
| Vote Yes on Prop 131 (Final-4 Voting):
A Rebuttal to Senator Bennet | | By Celeste Landry and Neal McBurnett | US Senator Michael Bennet has widely disseminated a letter opposing Proposition 131, arguing that he doesn’t see “any persuasive reason to believe the new [system] will actually be better.” On behalf of the League of Women Voters of Colorado (LWVCO), we’re happy to present some of the reasons we support Prop 131.
LWVCO agrees with Senator Bennet that Colorado has a “best-in-the-nation system of elections” when it comes to election integrity and high voter turnout in the even-year November elections. But our low-turnout partisan primaries exclude voters, despite primaries being the decisive election for many seats, particularly so-called “safe” seats. Prop 131 makes the higher-turnout general election the decisive election.
| What's Happening With the Climate Action Team | The Climate Action Team or CAT has been meeting throughout the year and is continuing with usual activities and investigating some new areas. CAT continues to follow the siting of a county compost facility, which has no activity at the moment as the county is in the midst of another study. Although there are smaller farm compost activities going on there is still a need for a large county wide facility so waste isn’t transported to Keenesburg for dumping. We also continue to gather information on plastics , both reuse and recyclability – plastics seem to be forever.
CAT would like to know if there is interest in a tour of the Eco-cycle facility as there has been some updates on activities and markets for recyclable materials. It always gives a good perspective on where and how our recyclables are being handled and distributed. Please email Debby Vink at debvink@gmail.com or Jeannette Hillery at jmhillery915@comcast.net.
As you are all aware in order to meet reducing carbon emissions goals to reduce the effects of climate change, all manner of transportation needs to be examined, including airline travel. We are starting to gather information on the amount of airline fuel that is involved and alternatives to airline travel, which seem to continue to gather popularity. Anyone have information on this subject who would like to attend a CAT meeting?
Another area of discussion is the Boulder Airport. Although the Boulder County League does not have any positions directly related to the airport there are environmental and health issues that are of concern. We have a new team member who has information on lead emissions from fuels and air quality particles, including nanoparticles and dust emissions.
Anyone interested please join the CAT at their regular meeting on Saturday, November 23rd at 10 am on zoom. Register here
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