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The time to meet with your Florida representatives is NOW!
Legislative Session 2024 seems so far away and yet, it's not. Too often, we wait until committees begin to meet the last few months before session starts before we call or email our house or senate representative. The time to build rapport with our elected members is now while they are in their local district and available for meetings. Ever wonder how representatives become aware of local issues or needs that can result in the submission of a bill? Very often it is the result of a constituent just like you making their representative aware of a particular need, issue or opportunity. When our elected representatives do not hear from us, they can lose touch with the community and can be swayed by party issues.
Can't think of anything to speak with your elected representative about? Perhaps you could inquire about the ongoing need for affordable housing, the challenges we face from a lack of teachers, the growing concerns surrounding the newly developed Florida State Guard, the rising cost of homeowners insurance and the narrowing list companies available in the state, the ongoing need for Medicaid expansion, the loss of personal freedoms to make reproductive healthcare decisions, the repercussions of SB1718 Immigration bill that had a swift and negative impact on our state's agriculture, construction and service industries, and the ongoing challenges we face with voter registration and vote by mail. |  |
Waiting until the legislative session starts to meet with your representative can be a challenge as the representatives are often in committee meetings or in the senate or house chamber discussing or voting on bills. Bills will already have been filed and in too many instances, legislators will have already determined how they are going to vote on a bill. Communication with them during session often looks more like a tug of war with numerous emails and calls trying to sway them in one direction or another.
Over the next few weeks while you are still enjoying the Florida sun (or rain!) take a moment to reach out to your elected representative to schedule an office visit so they can get to know you, hear about what's important to you, and understand particular needs or challenges that your community might be facing. And, if you have a solution to a problem, you can share that with them too!
Lanelle Phillmon, LWVJFC President | | |
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Mark Your Calendar!!!
We have great news! The League is returning to Seasons 52 for our Speaker Series. Our first Wednesday of the month meetings will include lunch and feature an expert speaker. Each luncheon will focus on a hot topic or issue of public interest. The meetings will be in person and not available on Zoom.
The League is pleased to announce that the Honorable Mayor Donna Deegan will be our first guest speaker. Mayor Deegan will discuss her plans for Jacksonville and answer your questions.
Join us on September 6th, for our First Wednesday Lunch with the League at Seasons 52, 5096 Big Island Drive, Jacksonville, 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM. You will receive an email soon with all the details. Tickets will be available on our website. Members and non-members are encouraged to attend. Seating is limited so register early! We are very excited to see everyone!
| Tour of the St. Johns Supervisor of Elections Office
You are invited to join us for a tour of the St Johns County Supervisor of Elections office. The tour will take place Friday, August 11, 2023 at noon at the SOE office located at 4455 Avenue A - Suite#101 St Augustine, FL 32095. We will have an opportunity to tour the facility, learn about their elections process, see the voting equipment, and ask questions of Vicky Oakes, the Supervisor of Elections. For our members who have not met Vicky Oakes, she began her career in the Elections Office in March of 1988, serving as the Assistant Supervisor for 23 years. She was appointed Supervisor of Elections by Gov. Rick Scott on September 6, 2011. She was elected in 2012, 2016, and 2020 to serve as Supervisor of Elections. Vicky Oakes welcomes the public into their facility to meet the staff, learn about the elections process, and gain a better understanding of how they maintain the integrity of our elections, the equipment used, and the election workers who staff the polling sites. She has maintained a transparent relationship with St Johns County voters and has met with the League several times in the past.
|  | School Supplies and Volunteers Needed
The LWVJFC is participating in the Beaches Back-to-School Book Bash, on August 19, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Donner Park, 2072 George St., Atlantic Beach. Our Voter Registration team will be on site to register voters, and members of our Education Action Team will distribute school supplies to children attending the event.
We need your help! If you would like to donate new school supplies (pencils, pens, crayons, markers, spiral notebooks, loose leaf notebook paper etc.) please contact Kathleen Kane by August 13th at vp.lwvjaxfc@gmail.com. If any school supplies are left after the event the LWVJFC will donate them to schools in the Mayport area. | Volunteer for the Education Team
Passionate about PUBLIC EDUCATION?
Concerned about recent EDUCATION LEGISLATION?
Believe that all children should have access to safe, quality public schools?
The League of Women Voters of Jacksonville/First Coast needs your help and expertise. Please join our volunteer Education Action Team! Members will work to ensure that DCPS schools have the resources to provide a quality education to all students.
We will contact members when the DCPS school board is meeting on a hot issue. Education Action Team members are encouraged to participate in one or more of the following actions-call or e/mail school board members, attend school board meetings, fill out a speaker’s card, and speak during public comment.
If you are interested in being part of the Education Action Team, please e-mail Kathleen Kane at vp.lwvjaxfc@gmail.com. |  | League Enjoys a Tour of County Courthouse
Some of our League members enjoyed a tour of the Duval County Courthouse with Clerk of Courts Communication Director Brian Corrigan as our tour guide. Mr. Corrigan provided us with a bit of history about the time capsule at the main entrance which contains newspapers, a Jaguars helmet, JFRD firefighter's helmet, a cell phone, and other items that will remain sealed until 2064. He also took us to the jury assembly room which is dedicated to the pioneering Black lawyer, Daniel Webster Perkins, a member of the Florida Civil Rights Hall of Fame and namesake of the D.W. Perkins Bar Association. We learned how jury members are selected and why some are dismissed. The last part of our tour was spent with Judge John Guy who is assigned to the Family Law Division. Judge Guy was very gracious with his time and shared some of the challenges families face and how he helps them navigate the best outcome for their situation. We also had a brief visit with Chief Judge Lance Day who dropped in to say hello. Our League continues to look for ways to engage with the local government and hope more members will join us in the future. | | Florida Right to Clean and Healthy Waters Petition | | |
The League of Women Voters of Florida has endorsed the Right to Clean and Healthy Waters petition and we will be gathering petitions in our four counties (Clay, Duval, Nassau and St Johns). We only have until November 2023 to gather the mandatory minimum number of petitions (891,589) across the state.
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LWV of Florida Supports Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion
A coalition entitled “Floridians Protecting Freedom” has launched a citizen-led ballot initiative campaign to give women the right to seek abortions up to viability. Florida voters want women to have the chance to ensure that their personal medical decisions are theirs and theirs alone to make. The League of Women Voters of Florida Board of Directors has voted to support this citizen initiative effort.
| L0cal Program for the Coming Year
Thank you to our members who contributed to the development of our Local Program.. While this program is not written in stone and we are able to respond to unforeseen issues that arise, our program allows us to develop events and work that helps us support LWVFL positions and have a positive impact on our local community and state.
If you have feedback or questions, please send them to lwvjaxfc@gmail.com with subject line: LOCAL PROGRAM We have until September 15, 2023 to finalize and approve the program. | | | Replay of Last Month’s Speaker Event
Replays of many past speaker events are available on our YouTube channel. | | |
| | | We can't do it without you! Please join in recognizing our new and returning members from last month.
New Members—Welcome aboard!
Dorene Baldwin
Melissa Moss
Dave Spaulding
Returning Members—Thank you so much for choosing to renew!
Kim Elmore
Marytlou & Michael Green
Jan Henry
Christopher & Sandy Martin
Wendy Snee
Brittny Shay
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Be sure to check out our new website, lwvjaxfc.org, with an easy way to join or renew online, even if you prefer to pay by check. Click on the blue “Join Today” button at the top of the Homepage.
Members who wish to renew must log in. If you are using a Mobile device, you will need to select Desktop at the bottom of your screen to receive the Login prompt.
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We wish to acknowledge and thank those who have made donations this month:
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.
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Volunteers Always Needed
Quite often, our League needs volunteers to help with small tasks that are not time consuming but vital to our leadership and membership.
If you are willing to help make phone calls, be trained to send text messages, or assist in other ways, please contact us and let us help you figure out how to invest your time in our League and our democracy.
Contact Lanelle at lwvjaxfc@gmail.com to discuss topics and abilities.
For more specific volunteer tasks, click HERE.
| | | | 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
We look forward to hearing from you!
Phone: 904-355-8683
Email: LWVJAXFC@gmail.com
Postal Address:
Please use the address below even if a form or document you have received from the League gives a different one.
League of Women Voters Jacksonville First Coast
PO Box 330353
Atlantic Beach, FL 32233 | | | | 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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