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The Voter 6/12/24

Published on 6/13/2024

Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy.

The official newsletter of the League of Women Voters of San Luis Obispo County.

Vol 66 | Issue 5 | Date: June 12, 2024

In this issue:

INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION UPDATE

State League Sends Letter of Support for Senate Bill 977

The League of Women Voters of California has endorsed Senate Bill 977 to create a Citizens Redistricting Commission in San Luis Obispo County and praised our local League for our redistricting work. SB 977 passed the Senate in May and will be voted on in the Assembly before August 31. In the May newsletter LWVC reported as follows:

Independent Redistricting in San Luis Obispo County

SB 977 (Laird) will require San Luis Obispo County to establish a Citizens Redistricting Commission to adjust district boundaries in accordance with California’s local redistricting law and the FAIR Maps Act of 2023. The League supports a redistricting process and standards that promote fair and effective representation with maximum opportunity for public engagement. The League of Women Voters of San Luis Obispo County has been deeply engagedin working to ensure the fairness of local redistricting. Last year, they intervened in a 2022 lawsuit regarding the fairness of the Board-approved district boundaries. The resulting settlement required San Luis Obispo County to set aside the adopted map and reconsider alternative maps from the redistricting process, one of which was later adopted. SB 977 has moved through the state Senate and is now moving through the Assembly. Check out our letter of support here.

To learn more about SB 977 and the future of redistricting in SLO County join us for Lunch with the League on June 17. Click hereto learn more and register for the webinar.

LUNCH WITH THE LEAGUE

The Future of Redistricting in SLO County - SB 977

When: Monday June 17, 2024 at noon

Where: Online via Zoom | Registration required

Learn how SB 977, the bill to establish an independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, will affect the future redrawing of Supervisorial district boundaries in SLO County.

Panelists:

Bruce Gibson, District 2 SLO County Supervisor
Michael Latner, Professor of Political Science, Cal Poly
Megan Turley, Past Vice-chair, Santa Barbara County Citizens Independent Redistricting Commission

Moderator:Leslie Brown, Chair, LWV SLOCO Government Policy Committee

Join us on June 17 at 12 p.m. to learn about the future of redistricting of the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors district boundaries. On January 16, 2024, the County Board of Supervisors voted to have County staff work with Senator John Laird to sponsor a bill (SB 977) to establish an independent Citizens Redistricting Commission for future redrawing of Supervisorial district boundaries. SB 977 is currently moving through the State legislative process. In this Lunch with the League webinar a panel of presenters will cover the movement to form CRCs, specifics of SB 977 as currently drafted, and the lessons learned from Santa Barbara County's Independent Redistricting Commission in 2021. Don't miss this opportunity to learn how redistricting will take place in our county under SB 977.

Find more information and registerhere.

VIRTUAL COCKTAIL HOUR

~~~ You're Invited! ~~~

Virtual Cocktail Hour

Wednesday, June 26at 5 pm

Both League members and non-members are invited to join us on Zoom for a casual hour of cocktails (or mocktails) and conversation. This is a great way to meet other League members, express your thoughts, and ask questions.RSVP to receive reminders or just drop in using the link on the event page here.

RSVP Here

SPRING MEETING RECAP

League Sponsors Presentation on Affordable Housing Options
at 2024 Spring Members Meeting

On June 1, 2024, the League of Women Voters of San Luis Obispo County held its 2024 spring members meeting with a focus on affordable housing. More than 65 people attended the event at the Embassy Suites.

Co-president Elizabeth Manak welcomed everyone to the meeting, noting a number of elected officials in attendance, including Supervisors Bruce Gibson and Dawn Ortiz Legg, Port San Luis Harbor Commissioner Mary Matakovich, and Mark Buchman, a member of the Board of Trustees for San Luis Coastal Unified School District.

The keynote speaker, Anne Wyatt, Executive Director of Smart Share Housing Solutions and Planning Commissioner for San Luis Obispo County, District 2, spoke on “Housing Options: Community Solutions in a Time of Crisis”. She described the challenges of affordable housing and introduced innovative ways to tackle the problem. The options she presented ranged from co-housing arrangements to new ways to use existing housing to accommodate more people. Her talk inspired dozens of questions.

Vice president Ed Cabrera reviewed League activities over the last year, highlighting work with young people at high schools and universities. He presented a $250 honorarium to the non-partisan Young Progressives Club of Arroyo Grande High School to help them with future projects. Their president, senior Ethan Barnes, was in attendance and accepted the award on behalf of his school.

The luncheon gathering gave everyone time to socialize and get acquainted. Check out the event photos below.

DEI UPDATE

SLOCO League Works to Advance Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Vision

On June 6th at the SLO County Octagon Barn Center, League representatives Kim Gravell (pictured here) and Cindy Marie Absey participated in a Board Matching and Networking Mixer sponsored by the Diversity Coalition of SLO County. This was the second mixer that created opportunities to connect Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) professionals with local non-profit boards. Kim currently serves as Co-Chair for the Social Policy Committee and Cindy Marie is a Past President and chairs the Nominating Committee.

CIVIL DISCOURSE FORUM RECAP

Civil Discourse Committee Public Forum a Success

The Civil Discourse Committee achieved a solid success with its first public forum at the Nipomo Public Library on May 21.

Approximately 20 people attended the forum, “How to Effectively Communicate Your Ideas and Be Heard in Public Meetings.” “Everyone there was engaged and actively participated,” reported committee co-chair Anne Quinn. The evaluations submitted by forum participants were positive, and everyone indicated that they felt comfortable and respected during the forum.

The forum was designed to maximize audience participation. After a general introduction, a committee member gave a 10-minute presentation on a specific topic, followed by a breakout group discussion for 5-8 minutes. They then introduced the next topic, followed by a breakout discussion.

The topics covered included:

Meeting Participation and Presentation Tips (Jen Grayson)
Fact Versus Fiction: Know your Source (Anne Quinn and Deb Fialkowski)
Listening Skills (Kate Christensen)
Public Speaking Skills (Nita Kenyon)

Each presenter produced their own slides and tips for a general handout for attendees. Civil Discourse Committee member Jen Grayson put the slides into a League-standard, professional PowerPoint presentation. She also formulated the “Takeaway Tips” into a useful, easy to read handout. Bonnie Ernst ran the media connections and Marlie Schmidt was the greeter for the forum.

Jean Burns Slater, as master of ceremonies, kept the forum moving smoothly and within the 90-minute time frame allotted.

The Civil Discourse Committee thanks the Communications Committee for preparing promotional materials and distributing press notices in advance of the forum and helping to publish an outstanding new Civil Discourse brochure in time for the forum.

“We now feel confident that we’re ready to present to other groups and create other forums” noted committee co-chair Jean Burns Slater.

The committee has already been asked to do more forums. Virginia Souza, a representative from the League of Women Voters of North Santa Barbara County, attended and has requested a presentation with her League.

The Civil Discourse Committee urges others to join them. “We can always use more help, so please, join us,” says Anne Quinn. Contact them at civildiscourse@lwvslo.org.

UPCOMING EVENTS

One Person, One Vote
Dismantling the Electoral College

Thursday, June 27, 2024

4:00 - 5:30 p.m. PDT on Facebook Live

This spring the League launched One Person, One Vote, our long-term campaign to build the movement to end the Electoral College. Together, we will move our nation beyond the archaic Electoral College and toward true representation.

Join us as we are bringing together a panel of experts to speak to our Convention audience. We will be live streaming this panel here on Facebook and invite you to join us in hearing them share their views on why the Electoral College has existed for so long and how we will dismantle this system and build a democracy powered by the people, for the people, ALL the people.

Moderated by:Celina Stewart, Chief Counsel, LWVUS

Panel:

Na'ilah Amaru, Advocacy & Policy Strategist
Carolyn Dupont, University of Kentucky professor, historian around Electoral College
Keesha Gaskins-Nathan, Program Director, Democratic Practice- US, Rockefeller Brothers

Join the live stream Facebook here:fb.me/e/ag3uVrpwf. This event is free and open to the public.

Challenges for 2024: Election Protection and Integrity

Thursday, June 20, 2024

5 - 6 p.m. on Zoom

National Voter Corps invites you to a conversation with California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D. and Retired Judge of the California Superior Court LaDoris Cordell on challenges for election protection and integrity in 2024.Register Here.

Questions:info@nationalvotercorps.org.

Juneteenth Celebration: June 15, 2024

Juneteenth Freedom Day

Speakers, Music, Silent Auction, Bake sale

Resource Fair, History, Cultural, and Art Exhibits

Saturday, June 15, 11:00am – 4:30pm

Main Event: Mission Plaza, 980 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo

Art Exhibits: The History Center of SLO County, 696 Monterey St.

and Edna Contemporary, 967 Osos St.

Freedom Lounge:Hosted by The History Center of SLO County, 696 Monterey Street, SLO. The celebration will provide videos, education and Black art and history information for the San Luis Obispo County community.

Find more information atjuneteenthslo.com.

In-Person Event with Steven Ford
Finding Common Ground: A Life of Public Service

Thursday, June 13, 2024

Seacrest Hotel, 2241 Price St, Pismo Beach

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Program starts at 6 p.m.

Are there lessons we can learn from the past? What does it take to find common ground? Can vulnerability open up conversations and break stigmas?

Hear from Steven Ford, American actor, and the youngest son of former U.S. President Gerald Ford and former First Lady Betty Ford.Steven will share stories and photos regarding topics like Mrs. Ford's support for the ERA and her battle with breast cancer and alcoholism, and will talk about Watergate, Nixon Pardon, etc. Steven will also share his unique inside view of the White House in the 1970's and the efforts to find common ground.

This is a free event.Register Here.

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