We are certainly in uncharted territory these days with the sweeping changes taking placein our national government thatwill most certainlyhave local effects on our county and cities. In the coming months we will have speakers to address the impacts these changes will have on budgets, services and political fallout. First up is a topic on immigrants.

May 19^that 5PM – Immigration and Secure Families Collaboration.Our immigrantpopulation, even those who have lived and worked here for decades, have never been more under threat than they are now. The Secure Families Coalition and the organizations they work with are providing vital services to this community. Learn about the Rapid Response Network and other support services.Join us by zoom:Immigration and Secure Families Collaboration

June 23^rd4:30 PM to 6:00 PM- The Annual Membership Meeting.This is an in-person event at the Bennett Valley Golf Club, Iron & Vine restaurant. We will have a guest speaker, yet to be determined,who will talk about the uncertainties facing our local governments & agencies. In addition, the meeting will allow our members to meet and vote on our new board members.Appetizers will be provided and there will be time to mingle and socialize.It’s free, but you must register.Annual Meeting

Mark your calendars and please join us. Lots going on!

Renewing Your Membership

In the New Portal

For many members, it’s time to renew your membership.You should be receiving, or may have already received, a renewal reminder.If you are uncertain about your renewal date, you can see it in your profile on our website,lwvsonoma.org, or contact me atcommunications@lwvsonoma.org.

Getting to the Portal

If you receive a reminder, the easiest way to get to the portal is to click on the link provided.You can also click on the “LWV Membership Portal” tab on our website and then click on the renew button.

Logging into the Portal

You do not need a password to log in to the Portal.Instead, you will be asked for your email address. That should be the same as the one where you received this newsletter. A verification code will be sent to that email. If for some reason that does not work, please contact me and I will investigate the issue.

Verifying Your Information and Making a Payment

Once you have reviewed your information and made any updates, you can continue to the payments section.We urge you to pay online if possible. You can payeither by credit card or directly from your bank.

Some Important Things to Know About Your Payment

A major change is that your dues will be split automatically between the three levels of the League, whatever dues amount you choose.This is shown online as well as on your statements.The recommended amount is $75, but depending upon your budget, you can choose to pay less or more.Whatever you pay in dues will be split according to the same formula.

You can also choose to pay the recommended dues amount and then make a donation to your local League.Donations are not split whether made through the membership portal or on our local website.

Taxes

Our local League is a 501C3 organization, so the portion of your dues that come to us, plus any donations, are generally deductible.Payments to the state and national League may not be.

Household Memberships

The new system does not have different member types.Everyone is either a Primary or Life Member.But you may renew for another member when you renew your own membership.You can adjust the payment amount to what you want to pay as a household.

Since emails are the identifying factor in the portal, you will need to enter a separate address for each member.

Still have questions.I’m here to help.Your membership is important to us.

Juanita Rolandcommunications@lwvsonoma.org

LWV Sonoma Website

STAND UP FOR DEMOCRACY

You may have seen mention of this concept in the Voter in the past few months.I am pleased to announce that theSTAND UP FOR DEMOCRACYcampaign has launched.

This campaign, wholly conceived and designed by the Stand Up for Democracy committee, has gone through many iterations.We decided early on to focus on civics education, but what would that look like?How could that be executed?How can our League bring this to life?

Born from our membership’s need to DO SOMETHING about the chaos that is our Executive Branch, we decided to focus on engaging locally.We thought that Sonoma County residents might like a refresher course on the Constitution and the basics of civics..It was also clear that starting locally is the only way to inspire change.Thus, STAND UP FOR DEMOCRACY was born.

The campaign launched on May 1 consisting of bus back ads on eight (8) Sonoma County Transit buses.These buses travel throughout Sonoma County on a new route daily.The bus back ads were designed by the committee, but the camera-ready art was the work of new member Theresa Paris.Theresa created these ads under a very tight deadline.Thank you, Theresa!!

These bus back ads are actually “teaser ads”.They tease the concept while including a QR Code that, when scanned, will connect to a landing page.The landing page gives the viewer accurate information about the topic of the ad.Plus, the landing page includes a “Why Does This Matter” section that connects the topic to current events.See all the landing pages here:Stand Up Link Menu

Thanks to our steering committee of writers and editors including Robyn Bramhall, Deborah Doyle, Leona Judson, Debbie McKay, Rebecca Stanwyck, Shirley Sullivan, Jeannie Tofanelli, and Karen Weeks. Thanks to Juanita Roland for finding a way to connect our landing pages to the ads.And special thanks to Nancy Richardsfor her generous financial contribution to the bus back ads in memory of her late husband, Will Richards, who lives in our memory as well for his energetic work with our League in years past.

The STAND UP FOR DEMOCRACY campaign will also include digital ads on the Press Democrat’s free digital News channel.Launching soon, these digital ads will run for four weeks and include links to the landing pages.

We’ll be able to deliver progress reports in the next Voter.Stay tuned for more ways for this campaign to grow. If you’d like to get involved in this amazing work, email Lynn Dooley at standup@lwvsonoma.org.

Ins and Outs of Running Elected Office

Our April Monthly League Meeting was a great success.League Member and moderator Karen Weeks helped the panelists deliver the meeting goal of providing a realistic and informed look at what running for local office is all about.

Kicking off the event was Ernesto Olivares, former Santa Rosa Police Lieutenant, Violence Prevention Manager, Santa Rosa Council Member and Mayor.Ernesto shared insights into his distinguished career including its challenges and many rewards.

Following Ernesto was a panel of elected officials who ran for office and won.Our panel included Gina Cuclis,Sonoma County Board of Education Trustee & Chair; Joanna Paun, Petaluma School Board member; Mark Stapp, Santa Rosa City Council member and current Mayor, District 2 and Rebecca Hermosillo, Sonoma County Supervisor, District 1 & Vice Chair.

Our esteemed panel answered a series of questions that covered what motivated them to seek public office, what have been their greatest challenges to getting elected and what success looks like to them so far.It was an informative, interesting look at what being an elected official looks like.

There’s talk about a follow up event to delve deeper into the process, the team support needed for a campaign and financial impact.

If you have ever considered running for local office and missed the event, check out the recordings on the League’s YouTube channel.It could change your life!

English:Youtube in English

Spanish:Youtube en Español

Special thanks to our interpreter Ricardo Ibarra,Watzalaband our co-sponsorLos Cien.

Remaining nonpartisan does not mean staying silent. When democracy itself is under threat, voter access is restricted, or misinformation spreads, the League has a responsibility to speak out clearly and forcefully. Our nonpartisan commitment means the League acts based on our policies and principles, not because of political parties.

We advocate for fundamental rights and freedoms regardless of which political party is in power or which officials are responsible. Focusing on our issues, not affiliations, strengthens our voice and credibility. We hold true to our mission without being beholden to any political agenda.

Here are a few things you can do to defend democracy:

1. Spread the Word

Stay engaged every day, and leverage your social media followers to get involved too! Watch for League Action Alerts.

2. Attend a Community Meeting

Learn about local issues and hear from elected officials. You can connect and organize with people already active in our community.

3.Register to Vote, Help Others Register

Make sure your family and neighbors are up to date on their registration. The League works year-round at schools and community events to prepare eligible voters. We have tabling opportunities around the county.

4.Contact Your Representatives

Elected officials work for the people and need to hear from concerned citizens like you. Even though many of our officials may be like-minded to our causes, they still need to know you support them and are watching their actions.

5.Run for Office

You can directly contribute to the direction of local politics in our own back yard. From school board to the state house, there are many opportunities to run for office and make a difference. Check out our recent forum- Ins and Outs of Running for Office - on our web page.

6.Write a Letter to the Editor

We need to continue to hear from diverse voices in our local paper (which will change hands soon so stay tuned!)

May Board Briefs

New National Dues Structure:The board discussed changes to the dues structure and its impact on the budget. The new dues system will significantly alter how dues are received, with the local league getting only 20% of the dues paid. The remaining 80% will be retained by the National and State Leagues.

Treasurer’s Report:Sara Ingles is working with Linda Rosento learn the treasurer duties.Ourleague currently has $90,000 in reserves.We received a $5,000 restricted donation from Nancy and Will Richardsto help fund the civics education portion of the Stand Up for Democracy Program.Thank you Nancy and Will for your generous donation.

2025-26 Budget:The board approved the budget for the upcoming year with some modifications. They agree to increase event income to $1,500 and decrease event costs to $2,000. The board also considers fundraising options, including selling signs at marches and reaching out to organizations for donations.

Nominating Committee:Susan Novak has agreed to head the nominating committee again.Several Board positions are open: Secretary, Voter Service, Membership, Outreach/Tabling,Asst to the President.Please contact Susan Novak if you want to serve on the Board.

State Convention:The California League of Women Voters Convention is coming up in June, and five delegates from the local chapter will attend via Zoom:Donna Roper, Robyn Bramhall, Leona Judson,Chris Riezenman, and Sara Ingles. Lynn Dooley will participate as a member.

Administration:The League office is being reorganized to create more space.

Board Member Activities:There will be a new members’ orientation on May 14^that the League office.Robyn Bramhall represented the League at the April19^thrally, where she highlighted the National League's declaration of a constitutional crisis and call for action to protect democracy.

Stand Up for Democracy Project:Sonoma County Bus advertisements are now running with 8 different civic education messages. The League is also arranging for digital ads in the Press Democrat. The campaign includes QR codes linking to pages on Civics education at our website.

The Board thanked the Committee for an excellent job on the How to Run for Office presentation which is now on our YouTube channel in both English & Spanish as well as on the Los Cien webpage.

Tabling Events and League Activities:There will bea board retreat at Spring Lake Village on August 2nd from 10 AM to 2:30 PM. Donna Roper and Robyn Bramhall will be speaking at the Sonoma County Forum, a women's leadership group, about the League and voting rights.