News, Bulletin, Event Archive
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News
Our March 22, 2025 Spring Fling lunch was a great success! We look forward to more gatherings over the coming months.
met on March 25 to launch the NYS-ERA campaign in Tompkins County.
The Committee plans to offer educational sessions on the NYS-ERA to various organizations and/or to collaborate with them in other ways to promote passage of the NYS-ERA.
Members present, left-to-right: Sally Grubb, Kathleen Yen, Susan Lee, Susan Suarez, Anne Mueller
https://nyequalrights.org/
The New York Equal Rights Amendment was adopted by
NYS voters on November 5, 2024!
Equal Rights Amendment Advances to New York Voters in November 2024!
The New York legislature passed the Equal Rights Amendment in its second consecutive session, officially bringing the amendment to New Yorkers for ratification on the 2024 November ballot. (January 25, 2023) Read More
READ About the Recent Naturalization Ceremony at Cornell – Welcome to 38 New Citizens (Cornell Chronicle, July 11, 2024)
LWVTC led a LANSING SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE FORUM on May 13, 2024
LWVTC board and members have recently been involved in voter outreach and some advocacy/education related to social policy and environmental policy activities, including:
(1) the national ERA and NY ERA events
(2) Food For All – presented by the Natural Resources and Health committees
A discussion of our food system, from production to access to waste, with speakers Don Barber, Chair of the Food Policy Council of Tompkins County and Beth Radow, LWV-NY Issue Specialist; Chair of the Energy, Agriculture and Environment Committee.
Watch the Food for All program video
(3) the “NY is Not Disposable” coalition advocacy visits with state legislative staff to advance the Packaging Reduction and Infrastructure Act and expansion of the bottle bill; and
(4) informal quarterly informational educational meetings with state elected officials representing Tompkins County.
In 2024, LWVNY submitted the following budget testimony:
February 2024 LWV of NYS Joint Hearing Testimony: Elementary and Secondary Education
February 2024 LWV of NYS Joint Hearing Testimony: Local-Government
February 2024 LWV of NYS Joint Hearing Testimony: Environmental Conservation
January 2024 LWV of NYS Testimony: Health – Medicaid
Bulletins
League of Women Voters Tompkins County Bulletins
February 2025
December 2024
October 2024
Summer 2024
Summer 2023
Winter 2022
Spring 2022
Fall 2021
Spring 2021
Winter 2020-21
Summer 2020
April 2020
Earlier issues available upon request.
Event Archive
2024
A downloadable Pre-budget advocacy packet is here, along with a Resources section with PDFs of the LWVNYS Budget Testimony.
We want to draw your attention to two of the many 2024 pre-budget legislative packet items:
(1) Environment Ask: Bigger Better Bottle Bill in the one house budgets and final budget
(2) Healthcare Ask: reject Gov. proposal to cut $2.55/hr. from home care workers in CDPAP (consumer directed personal assistance program and pass the Fair Pay for Home Care Act in the budget.
2023
Thursday-Sunday, December 7-10, 2023 – ONLINE
For ALL Young People – International Youth Human Rights Summit
The Summit is an outgrowth of the World House Global Network, with a Working Group led by people in India, South Africa, Mexico and the U.S. The aim is to build an international network of young people committed to social action, peace and non-violence, and community-building, who will continue to act – and interact – beyond the December Summit.
October 24, 2023
TESTIMONY OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS NYS FOR HEARING ON (EPR) PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY FOR PACKAGING
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2023 – 1 to 3 pm
Dodds Hall, First Presbyterian Church, 315 N. Cayuga St (enter from Court St)
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2023 – 6-8 pm
Lehman Alternative Community School, 111 Chestnut St., Ithaca, NY
Change Makers from the Margins: Stories of Stepping into Power: An evening of civic engagement, voter registration, music and food! Visit on Facebook
=> Watch a video of this event
Members of the
Your Voice – Your Vote
Tompkins Civic Engagement Coalition
on October 12, 2023
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2023
NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY
While this is a democracy, ensuring that our electoral outcomes reflect the will of the American people requires making sure that as many of those people as possible are able to participate at the ballot box as registered voters.
That’s why League of Women Voters of Tompkins County, together with members of YV2-Tompkins Civic Engagement Coalition, is a proud partner and supporter of National Voter Registration Day. It is the nation’s largest civic holiday with more than 5 million voter registrations to its name since 2012.
Here’s how YOU can celebrate democracy today:
★ National Voter Registration Day is the nation’s biggest nonpartisan civic holiday dedicated to getting every eligible American registered to vote for their next election.
★ Register to vote or check your registration online using National Voter Registration Day’s Online Voter Registration Portal. It’s simple, it’s free, and it’s secure. https://nationalvoterregistrationday.org/check-your-registration/
★ Get #VoteReady: Already registered? Even better! If you want to learn more about elections in your community, check out www.vote411.org
Thanks for taking a few moments to strengthen our community—and our country— with your voice!
THURSDAY, AUGUST 31 from 4 – 7 pm
Community & Familia
Block Party at 301 South Geneva Street
LWV-TC invites you to join us. We will be registering people to vote, talking about the voting process, and explaining why it is so important for everyone to vote.
There will be information tables, a food give-way, meals to go, and, of course, music and fun and games.
This party is supported by the FIG Lab (Figueroa Interdisciplinary Group) at Cornell University, Healthy Food For All, and the Community Foundation of Tompkins County.
Please join us. We look forward to seeing you!
THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 2023, 2 pm EDT, Webinar
Registering Voters with Paper Forms
SATURDAY, AUGUST 26, 2023, 11 am-2 pm
Ithaca Commons
WOMEN’S INequality DAY
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2023, 4-7 PM
A Family and Community Day at West Village Apartments
Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Tompkins County (LWV-TC) together with Southside Pride, Alliance of Families for Justice, No Mas Lagrimas/No More Tears Ithaca, Black Lives Matter at First Unitarian Society of Ithaca, and The Ithaca City School District.
You don’t want to miss this event. Join LWV-TC as we Register Voters, explain why voting matters, and help find your polling place, amongst Health & Community Services, Activities for Kids! A Job Fair, Music and Food and much more.
August 6, 2023
DEMOCRACY FEST 2023
Sunday, August 6, Ithaca, NY
Celebrate the anniversary of the Voting Rights Act!
(Voting Rights Act Passed: August 6, 1965)
March and Block Party
2pm Meet on the Ithaca Commons at the MLK Jr sculpture
2:10 March to Southside Community Center
2:30 Speakers, entertainment, free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream at Southside Community Center
(305 S Plain St)
Register to Vote!
WWW.REJOICETHEVOTE.ORG #UNMUTEYOURSELF
Join LWV-Tompkins County on Sunday, August 6, at 2 pm as we March to Celebrate the anniversary of the Voting Rights Act
Join members of the LWV of Tompkins County and others as we commemorate the 1965 Selma Marches in Alabama which led to the passing of the Voting Rights Act by MARCHING from the MLK Jr. Statue at the Cayuga St. end of the Commons to Southside Community Center on Plain Street and Democracy Fest 2023.
As we march, remember the sacrifices made by the Selma Marchers and their enormous achievement in ensuring our Voting Rights. At Ithaca’s First Annual Democracy Fest, 2023, #UNMUTE YOURSELF, register to vote, answer three questions and get free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, listen to speakers and musical entertainment and CELEBRATE DEMOCRACY!
LWVTC led a LANSING SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE FORUM on May 13, 2024
FOOD FOR ALL:
Environmental Justice and Food Security
WATCH a Recording of this virtual program here
presented on March 2, 2023, by the
Tompkins and Cortland County Chapters of
The League of Women Voters
October 31, 2022
Election Security
Have you ever wondered how New York State Elections are secured? In an effort to combat a rise in public mistrust around election security and reliability, the League of Women Voters of New York and Tompkins County in collaboration with the Brennan Center for Justice are working to explain how our elections are conducted and the steps used to ensure election security. (October 31, 2022) Read More
NY Environmental Bond Act
The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York
LWVNY support for Moratorium Against Proof of Work Blockchain Transactions
Watch our League’s October 16, 2022
VOTING RIGHTS ACT
presentation to the Dryden United Methodist Church’s Christian Education Group
Women’s INequality Day
was observed by our League on Friday, August 26, 2022
on the Ithaca Commons.
We are demanding that lawmakers restore and protect our rights by:
1. Passing voting rights legislation
2. Adding the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution
3. Restoring reproductive rights to women and those who can become pregnant
Read the Ithaca Voice article about our local League’s Women’s Inequality Day activities!
Read the Cornell Sun article too!
June 22, 2022
Roadmap for implementing the NYS Climate Leadership & Community Protection Act
Statement written by Beth Radow, chair of the LWVNY committee on Energy, Agriculture and the Environment, and Kay Wagner, LWV Tompkins County Natural Resources Chair and submitted during the public commenting period for the NYS Climate Action Plan. This plan was written as a roadmap for implementing the NYS 2019 CLCPA (Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act) legislation.
June 3, 2022
Bring the 10 day Voter Registration Deadline Bill to the Floor (A8858)
May 31, 2022
Call Speaker Carl Heastie and bill sponsor Assemblymember Robert Carroll and urge them to bring S2951/A8858 to the floor today!
An act to reduce the time for mailing and receipt of registration applications to the Constitutional
minimum of 10 days.
March 29, 2022
City Redistricting Working Group to Host Virtual Public Input Session (3/29/2022)
The City Redistricting Working Group will be hosting a virtual public input session on Tuesday, March 29 from 5:30- 7:30 pm. This meeting will be conducted via Zoom, and the public is invited to register to speak at the public information session, or to submit their comments. This meeting will be streamed live to the City’s YouTube channel, and archived for future viewing.
The proposed new map and plan are available to the public on the city’s website. The accompanying narrative sets forth the statutory requirements employed by the Working Group in developing the new map. The Redistricting Working Group has worked to find the best possible balance among the factors that must be considered in developing a new redistricting proposal for the City of Ithaca.
Based on the comments received at the public meeting the Working Group will meet again on April 5 to determine whatever modifications may be necessary and to decide on a plan to be submitted to Common Council as soon as possible thereafter.
The City of Ithaca 2022 Redistricting Working Group is composed of one member from each of the City’s five election wards. This group is responsible for proposing new election ward configurations based on the 2020 U.S. Census data to ensure equal representation for all city residents. The Working Group will present their final recommendations to Common Council for consideration and approval later this Spring. Please see the Redistricting Working Group page on the city’s website for more details.
Feb 28, 2022 Recording of online meeting (59 minutes)
LWV Tompkins County & LWV Cortland County meeting with Anna Kelles
January 25, 2022
NYS Statement on Failure of Independent Redistricting Commission
January 13, 2022, at 7 pm
Bitcoin, Cryptocurrency, Blockchain: The Promise and the Peril
To view recording: https://youtu.be/qIuMqn2ISA4
An online presentation by Irene Weiser, Coordinator of Fossil Free Tompkins, sponsored by LWV of Tompkins County and LWV of Cortland County
A technology exploding across NYS is celebrated for its transformative potential while criticized for its environmental impacts. To better understand this important issue, the League of Women Voters through its local chapters in Cortland and Tompkins counties presented a program on the above topic at 7 pm on Thursday, January 13, 2022.
Speaker Irene Weiser, Coordinator of Fossil Free Tompkins, covered the basics of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies and how the energy appetite of some forms can threaten to derail achievement of NYS climate goals. While not throwing the blockchain baby out with the bitcoin bathwater, she discussed possible directions forward.
Weiser has spent 10 years working toward local and state energy policies that will bring an affordable, equitable transition to renewable energy. She was elected to three terms as councilmember in the Town of Caroline, serving from 2012 to 2020.
Co-Sponsored by: Campaign for Renewable Energy, Fossil Free Tompkins, People for a Healthy Environment, and Sustainable Tompkins
2021
Auction Cancelled for Largest Remaining Private Shoreline in Finger Lakes
9/27/2021
Local Community Choice Aggregation
9/10/2021
Add the ERA to the Constitution
3/1/2021
League of Women Voters Calls for Washington D.C. to become the 51st State of Our Union
1/23/2021