 | | | | This is my final newsletter as your President of the League of Women Voters of Jacksonville First Coast, and I am deeply grateful for the privilege of serving in this role.
When we gathered in February 2020 for our Centennial Anniversary Celebration, none of us could have imagined how quickly the world would change. What began as a joyful kickoff to a milestone year soon shifted into months of virtual meetings, Zoom forums, and a pandemic that tested each of us personally and professionally. Yet through every challenge, League members stepped forward with resilience, creativity, and unwavering commitment to defending democracy.
Re‑establishing in‑person events and rebuilding our presence in the community was no small task. But once again, you showed up. You staffed tables at community events, supported candidate forums and public meetings, and carried forward the essential work of voter education, advocacy, voter registration, and election protection. Your willingness to adapt, engage, and persist ensured that our mission never paused—even when the world around us did.
This is your League. It exists because members like you give your time, talent, and treasure to support outreach, education, and advocacy. Some of you are deeply involved in other organizations or face circumstances that limit in‑person participation, and your financial support remains invaluable. Others are able to volunteer regularly, and your hands‑on engagement strengthens every corner of our work. Every contribution matters, and every member makes a difference.
Many of our current board leaders will continue to serve after the June election, and they will guide us into a new chapter filled with opportunities to advance their vision and goals. Because the League engages year‑round—not just during election season—each of us plays a role in sustaining that momentum. |  | After the new officers are elected, members will help shape our Local Program, which sets the direction for our work in the coming year. Once the Program is adopted, we will need volunteers to support action items, uphold our positions, and carry our mission into the community.
And of course, voter registration remains one of the most rewarding and accessible ways to get involved. Many of our current leaders began as voter registration volunteers. It’s a chance to meet people across our four counties, collaborate with partners, and better understand the issues affecting our neighbors. It is also one of the clearest expressions of our commitment to empowering voters and defending democracy.
Although my time as chapter President has ended, I am not stepping away from the League. I will continue to serve the League of Women Voters of Florida as Voter Registration Chair and look forward to taking on additional roles that support our statewide work. I believe deeply in the League’s mission and in the power of informed, engaged citizens to strengthen our democracy.
Thank you for your trust, your partnership, and your dedication. Serving as your President has been an honor I will carry with me always. I cannot wait to see where you lead this chapter next—and I will be cheering you on every step of the way.
In League,
Lanelle
Lanelle PhillmonPresident, LWVJFC | | |
Annual Business Meeting and Elections
Our Annual Business Meeting will be held Wednesday, June 3, at noon via Zoom and requires pre-registration. At the Annual Business Meeting a quorum of League members elects officers and directors, adopts the budget, and approves any updates to our bylaws. A quorum means 20% of our membership so it is important that you register and attend the Annual Business Meeting. For membership questions, email Paige Gottlieb at lwvjfc.membership@gmail.com.
In order to attend the Annual Business Meeting you must be a League member so please register as soon as possible so that we can verify your membership prior to the meeting. If you are not currently a member and are interested in attending the annual meeting and voting you should join today.
Deadline for registration is June 2nd
| Community Voting Event
Please volunteer to staff our table at an upcoming community voting event - "Truth About Voting: Keeping It Real" to be held at the Legend Center (5130 Soutel Drive) in Jacksonville on Thursday, May 7. Volunteers should plan to be at the Legend Center by 5:00pm as the event begins with dinner at 5:30pm. The Duval SOE's team will be there along with other community voting organizations. The goal is to provide voting information to community members. Questions - please contact Rhona at vp.lwvjaxfc@gmail.com.
|  | Movies that Matter - Coming in May
Come watch a movie with us! And bring a friend. The May movie is "The Librarians", a PBS documentary. It shows librarians across the country examining how restrictions on library content are shaping communities.
We’ll follow with a discussion and possible post carding about book restrictions. Finger food will be provided
To register, click the link below:
The address will be sent to those who register. Space is limited!
| Membership Orientation - Saturday June 6
On June 6 we will hold our quarterly membership orientation session. You can join in person or via Zoom.
Our orientation is an opportunity to learn about the League of Women Voters, our mission and guiding principles, our board structure and how we conduct business. It is also an opportunity to meet League members from across our four county area, our board members and action chairs. While we often refer to orientation as "new member orientation" we welcome all members regardless of how long you've been with the League.
If you would like to attend, complete the registration. When the date gets close, we'll email a Zoom link to the people who registered in case you'd like to attend virtually.
June 6, 2026 at 10:30 am
Pablo Creek Regional Library
13295 Beach Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32246
| Education Committee
Let our Education Committee Chair know you're a member of our chapter when you contact her at lwv.jax.education@gmail.com about these opportunities:
- Join our Duval google group so you’ll receive summaries of the Duval County Public School board meetings and action alerts for education bills.
- Volunteer to lead an education subcommittee for Nassau, Clay, or St. Johns.
- Volunteer for the LWV-Florida Education Action Team subcommittee focused on higher education.
- Volunteer to help with the League's “All registered voters can VOTE in the school board elections” campaign for all four counties.
|  | Voter Registration Committee
Spring is a time of renewal. We are seeing a renewal of interest in voting. People are checking on their registration status and asking a lot of questions. Many people are unaware that everyone can vote in the August primary for School Board, as those races are non partisan. All other races you must be registered in one of the two major parties.
The voter registration team participated in some compelling events during the month of April: Asian/American, Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Earth Day Celebration, Sexual Assault Awareness, and Jazmyn 5K Pride Run. Thanks to the volunteers who staff these events, we are out in the community and making an impact. |  | Forbidden Florida Reads
Izzy Miletic is a junior Economics and Literature student at Florida State University. She is a board member of the League of Women Voters of Tallahassee, where she began publishing Forbidden Florida Reads. Forbidden Florida Reads is Izzy’s original monthly column that highlights a book banned in at least one Florida school district. Izzy is passionate about books and educational policy making. She hopes to attend law school and earn her Masters in Library and Information Science.
| Growing Our Membership
This is an important year for recruiting people to our organization who will become active in our work. Please share a word about the League with people you know or meet in the community. Better yet invite a friend to one of our events or lunches.
| New Members - Welcome aboard!
Elizabeth Drury
Aaryn Frick
Katherine Harlan
Jeanne Higgins
Isabel Kelter
Lynn Kettellslifer
Susan Lloyd
Sherry Shaw
Linda Tisdale
| Donations are always appreciated!
We wish to acknowledge and thank those who made donations this month:
Isabel Kelter
Michelle Charron
Lanelle Phillmon
Our website lwvjaxfc.org offers an easy way to make donations to LWVJFC, even if you prefer to pay by check. Click on the red "Donate" button at the top of the Homepage. | | | | Local
Stay up-to-date on all local upcoming events on the LWV of Jacksonville / First Coast:
• Website
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
Regional
The Regional Facebook Group, LWV Florida North Region Leagues, includes Alachua, Bay, Jacksonville/First Coast, Okaloosa & Walton, Pensacola Bay Area, and Tallahassee.
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Contact Us!
Phone: 904-355-8683
Email: LWVJAXFC@gmail.com
Postal Address:
League of Women Voters of Jacksonville First Coast
PO Box 350210
Jacksonville, FL 32235-9998 | | | | The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization encouraging informed and active participation in government. We influence public policy through education and advocacy. | | |
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