League of Woman Voters of Northampton Area

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CONGRATULATIONS!  Jesaila Ortiz, winner of the Northampton LWV Civic Engagement Scholarship.

Jesaila is a member of the National Honor Society and also a Skills USA District Gold Medalist in Criminal Justice.  In the fall, she will be attending Holyoke Community College studying Liberal Arts.

Help pass For the People Act (S.1) SIGN THE PETITION

We’re close to passing once-in-a-generation legislation to protect the freedom to vote. The For the People Act (S.1) would: modernize our voter registration system; restore voting rights to formerly-incarcerated individuals; curb partisan gerrymandering; make campaign contributions more transparent.
President Biden was elected to office to improve our democracy — and that’s why LWVUS is calling on him to continue speaking out in favor of S.1 and to urge the Senate to pass it by any means necessary!
Sign the petition today to let him know you feel the same way! Together, we can strengthen our democracy.

Complexities of the Filibuster: The Accidental Rule That Is Interrupting the Democracy We All Deserve

CEO Virginia Kase comments on the filibuster. Our country cannot move forward on the issues that matter most until we’re freed from partisan gridlock.
That’s why we support filibuster reform that will enable us to strengthen our democracy. Read here.

Sizzle Real: LWVMA Celebrating 100 Years of Accomplishments

Click on image to watch the video. LWVMA Sizzle Reel-100 Year Timeline. It sizzles!

Click to read the 100 Years special section in the Hampshire Gazette, 9/24/2020

Rest in Power, Justice Ginsburg

100th Anniversary Ad in Hampshire Gazette, May 23, 2020

100th Anniversary Ad in Hampshire Gazette, May 23, 2020

Hearings on Redistricting in MA. YOU CAN TESTIFY!

The Special Joint Committee on Redistricting has started holding hearings to collect public input for drawing maps for Congressional, state legislator, and Governor Council districts. The hearings are being organized by Congressional districts. The upcoming virtual hearings:
  • Congressional District 8: Tuesday, June 8, 12-5 p.m.
  • Congressional District 1: Monday, June 21, 6 p.m.
  • Congressional District 3: Thursday, July 8, 6 p.m.
The livestream of these hearings can be accessed under the Hearings & Events section of the legislative website. While the hearings are being held by Congressional District, the Committee wants to hear from the public regarding redistricting for the state level districts in addition to the Congressional districts. In particular, the Committee wants to hear about specific insights about your community such as racial, ethnic, or language groups, school districts, transportation hubs, commercial districts, watersheds, and other communities of interest that should be considered in redistricting.
Oral testimony is limited to 3 minutes. We encourage you to publicize hearings in your community, listen to the hearings, or provide either written or oral testimony. Hearings will be posted here.
  • To provide live testimony during the hearing please complete the sign up form on the hearing page.
  • To submit written testimony, please use the Contact the Committee form on the Special Joint Committee on Redistricting website.
  • LWVMA will send emails to local Leagues as their district hearings are scheduled. Please email Judy Zaunbrecher if you plan to testify.

Medicare For All: Contact the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing

We need equitable health care coverage for all persons in the Commonwealth. H.1267/S.766 An Act Establishing Medicare for All in Massachusetts, is now before the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing.
  • If your state representative and/or state senator is on this committee, contact her/him with a personal note of your support for the bill.
  • All LWVMA members please contact all the members of the Health Care Financing Committee here via email or a phone call (617-722-1432 and 617-722-2430). Ask that this bill be voted favorably out of committee in a timely manner so we can have an equitable health care bill discussed and passed in the 192nd session.
  • Senate committee chair: Email Sen Cindy F. Friedman here
  • House committee chair: Email Rep. John J. Lawn, Jr. here

Pass the VOTES ACT. Contact your Senator and Representative

If you have not yet done so, please email your state Senator and Representative and ask them to contact the Joint Committee on Election Laws and leadership to report the VOTES Act out of committee in its entirety and soon. The bill will make permanent the election reforms, including expanded voting by mail and expanded in-person early voting, that were enacted on a temporary basis for last fall’s elections. Please emphasize that you want same day voter registration included in the legislation the committee reports out. Click here for more details on the bill.

LWVMA CONVENTION June 26

League of Women Voters of Massachusetts Convention on June 26.  This year’s theme is “Expanding the Table: Making Democracy Work for Everyone.” We’re looking forward to hearing from informative speakers, networking with members across the state, and approving the League’s program for the next biennium. LWVMA welcomes Representative Liz Miranda (D-5th Suffolk) as our keynote speaker for the 2021 Convention. Rep. Miranda is a member of the Massachusetts Legislature’s Black and Latino Caucus and was a key ally in the omnibus police reform bill that was passed into law on December 31, 2020.

 

Contact Senators Warren & Markey: Pass S.1/HR1, For the People Act

S.1/HR1, ForThePeopleAct is critical to America’s future. Demand that Congress make elections fairer and puts power back in the hands of the American people. Ask your representative to support automatic voter registration, restore the Voting Rights Act, and reduce the influence of big money in politics.

Click to watch Northampton LWV member, Chris Flory, discuss Medicare for All in MA.