| Finally, the countdown is in days, not weeks for the NOV 5 election! You can still:
- Promote VOTE411.org on your social media
- Read the Amendments Voter Guide and share it
- Vote EARLY, 7A-7P through NOV 3
- Sign the back of your VBM ballot and DROP OFF at early voting sites. The SOE office has determined that unless it was mailed 7 days before Nov. 5, then it is best to deliver to a secure ballot box monitored at early voting sites.
- Track your VBM ballot at BallotTrax to see when your ballot has been accepted.
| Well, it’s fall, and we’re falling into the final days of this election season. Don’t forget to “Fall Back” on Saturday night / Sunday morning as the Daylight-Saving Time ends. Don’t want to miss any important events!
As I chat with people in the League and in the community, I sense a fair bit of excitement, or is it anxiety, or well, something, in the air. And it’s not pumpkin spice!
Now is a good time for all of us who are committed to Empowering Voters and Defending Democracy to take a deep breath. Or several. Do whatever it is that grounds you and calls you to your best self.
We need to be ready. Because things won’t be over on Tuesday. There will be counting, and recounting, and these things take time if we want to ensure that everyone’s ballot matters.
And once we have results, well, some people will be happy… about some things…. and frustrated about others. And vice versa. And each of us will have work to do. To support our election workers. To counter misinformation – wherever it might come from. To look for ways to heal our country’s wounds. To work together toward the unity that our nation needs.
There is much we don’t know about the days and weeks ahead. But what we do know is this, that we will be here, all of us together and each of us individually, doing the Next Right Thing. Just like our foremothers before us. Just like all the people on whose shoulders we stand, so that a more perfect union yet may be.
Yours in Service,
Kathy
P.S. It is such a fabulous thing that the arts in Central Florida are doing so much to invite us to reflect on our democracy – where it has been and where it is going. It is also a wonderful thing that these presenting arts organizations wish to partner with League. Yet another opportunity has arisen. Friday evening, NOV 1, 7:30 pm you might consider availing yourself of a special LWVOC rate to see The Helena Collective – What Happens When a Woman: A Get Out the Vote Show. This powerhouse female vocal ensemble will present a dynamic program celebrating the voices of women leaders who have paved the way.
Apply the discount code at the bottom of the page. The code is LWVOC.
After you hit "Apply Code," your $20 option will appear (it was not there before)
| JOIN US next month for this very important program as grassroots leaders (panel bios here) share their experiences and ideas on how to prevent gun violence in our community. They will explore the many ways that their groups are using to make a positive impact even without the power of a legislative fix. Come to learn, be inspired and invigorated to make a difference!
Special HT Overtime 1:15 in the WP Library following program:
Our presenters will be Raysean Brown, the CVI Strategy Director for Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (Program name, Peace Orlando), one of our program participants, and Abe Morris. Bobby Belton will also be joining to moderate the discussion. We’ll be sure to save some time at the end for questions from the audience.
| | NOV 1, 7:30pm, The Helena Collective – What Happens When a Woman:
A Get Out the Vote Show at Timucua Arts, 2000 S. Summerlin Ave.
Powerhouse female vocal ensemble; apply the code LWVOC at the bottom of page, hit "Apply Code" and a $20 option will appear.
| | NOV 13, 11am, Hot Topics
How Florida Can Reduce Gun Violence
Winter Park Events Center
LAST Hot Topics of 2024!
Special HT Overtime begins at 1:15 afterwards
| | | | DEC 6, 12-5pm, Sip & Shop
Save the date! Shop for a Cause on East Park Ave. in Winter Park returns. Select shops will donate 15% of the afternoon's proceeds to LWVOC. | | DEC 11, 6-9pm, LWVOC Holiday Party
Save the date for an evening of jazz, wine, buffet and celebration
The Woman's Club of Winter Park
| | | | As part of a GOTV night, the Orlando Magic invited the LWVOC along with our ally organization, Equal Ground to attend the Magic game and be recognized as they promoted voting including the League's Vote411 resource. Leaguers and guests shown above include: Diana Smith, Barbara Lanning, Saudi Ellis, Virginia Meany, Lee Rambeau-Kemp. The Magic are shown warming up in their VOTE t-shirts. | PARTY to the POLLS a resounding success! Twelve League volunteers partnered with the LWVOC-UCF student chapter to help generate excitement and support for early voting. Other groups added to the energy of the mission to direct students to vote. The canvassers as well as tabling folks interacted with students and generated position connections.
| | LWVOC Voter Services attended the Boys and Girls Club College/Career Fair on Thursday, October 24. Shown are Marianne Capote, Gina Hall and Michele Stone as well as Nitro from UCF with Victoria Shinker and others. |  | | LWVOC Members Alicia Homrich, Marilyn Baldwin and Virginia Meany recently attended the Eatonville community update by the Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community (PEC). Pictured are N.Y. Nathiri, PEC Executive Director, members of the PEC Board, Eatonville community members and Alicia, Virginia and Marilyn. |  | | Emgage Florida is a Muslim American Voter Empowerment organization. The League was invited to be part of a panel discussion on Sunday, October 27. Gina Hall attended and spoke about Voter Registration, the importance of voting for candidates for federal, state and local races and issues (amendments and referendums), Making a Plan to vote and Casting a ballot. She also discussed VOTE411 and Mis/disinformation. Handouts were provided. | | |
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Looking for a good read and discussion? Join the LWVOC Social Justice Book Club!
The Social Justice Book Club is welcoming new members. Since our first meeting in May, 2024 we've tackled challenging books (The Devil in the Grove by Gilbert King) and have been in awe of the beauty of the writing of our fiction authors (Giovanni's Room) by James Baldwin.) Our discussions are deeply thoughtful and honest. We meet on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 7p by Zoom.
Next up for our group is Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi (YA version). It's a book banned in Florida schools but presents a history that some (but not us!) have been reluctant to acknowledge. We will meet virtually to discuss it on Nov 20 at 7p.
Please contact Sandy McAdams
“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free." – Frederick Douglass
|  | Over 40 LWVOC members and friends will be in attendance for Aoife O'Donovan's "America, Come." on Tuesday, November 12 for the Orlando Philharmonic’s event at the Dr. Phillips Center. Tickets for the League block have all been claimed but if you are attending on your own, please consider joining us for a group photo. Here’s the “dress code” as the theme of some of the songs to be featured will be the Women’s Suffrage movement. Join League members in "showing your “suffragist style" at the concert by wearing all white, a white blouse and black skirt or pants or all black. We will have “suffragist” sashes ready to pin on female members. This theme will make it picture perfect!
(Let Lee Rambeau Kemp (vp@lwvoc.org) know if you are attending on your own so she can include you on updates for the photo time and place.) | | |
 | | The Florida Right To Clean Water team has a great idea for collecting a bazillion petitions on Election Day! Collecting Clean Water petitions from people standing in line is SUPER EASY! Check out those opportunities on the League's Volunteer page. Ask a friend to join you – you don’t need to be a LWV member! Visit Volunteering Opportunities and choose from multiple "Election Day Petition Gathering" locations and times. |  |
The Election Protection Coalition still needs lawyers. Anyone who has a JD degree from any state is eligible. They may be retired or have an out of state license. Lawyers are desperately needed in these counties: Alachua, Polk, Charlotte, Leon, Lake, Brevard, Osceola and Manatee. If any of your members are attorneys, please reach out to see if they are interested or know any attorneys who may be.
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Volunteer Openings! Members, be sure you're logged into the system and visit our site page for ALL the available openings.
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Warren Lindsey
Eileen Forrester
Share this newsletter and invite your family and social circles to JOIN the League of Women Voters of Orange County!
|  | Saudi M. Ellis , in recognition of Voter Services Democracy Defenders
Barbara Granade, Giving Society
Suzanne M. McGovern, Giving Society
Visit our Donor page to see the MANY different ways you can support the League of Women Voters of Orange County. | | |
| Gather up signs and drop them off at any of these locations. They will be hauled to NuCycle Energy in Plant City where they will be transformed into a clean alternative energy source, Enviro FuelCubes! See LWVOC.org Volunteering Opportunities to help!” | Sponsors are vital to our work to empower voters by providing timely information for the benefit of non-partisan civic engagement in our community.
To further explore how becoming a Hot Topics Sponsor can align with your business goals, please contact LWVOC Vice President, Lee Rambeau Kemp HERE
A range of sponsorship levels are available. |  | |
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