League of Women Voters: Tompkins County

Lansing Village Election
2026-04-28 12:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | NY
Tuesday, April 28, 2026 Lansing Village Election.
Polls open Noon to 9 pm

Board Meeting
2026-05-06 19:00 - 21:00 | Kendal at Ithaca, Kendal at Ithaca, 2230 N Triphammer Rd, Ithaca, NY, 14850

The Health Care Crisis & The New York Health Act
2026-05-07 18:00 - 19:30 | Tompkins County Public Library
Why do we pay 2 to 4 times as much for medications in the US than in Canada?
Dr. Rosemary Batt, the Alice HansonCook Professor at the Cornell University school of Industrial and Labor Relations, and Susan Beckley, a proponent of the New York Health Act, discuss health care financing and the New York Health Act on Thursday May 7th, starting at 6pm at Tompkins County Public Library Borg Warner Room (101 East Green St. Ithaca NY 14850.) The talk is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Tompkins County.
Is the American Health Care system broken? Why is it hard to find a primary care physician? Why do you have to wait weeks to get an appointment? Why do you get sent to an urgent care clinic or the ER when you are sick instead of seeing your primary care physician?
Why are infant mortality rates and maternal mortality rates significantly higher in the US than in Canada or other wealthy countries? (Canada 3.74, New York State 4.1, Cortland County 8.5, Cayuga County 8.6, Tompkins County 6.0 –2024 or 2025)
The United States spends nearly twice what Canada and Europe and other wealthy countries spend per capita on health care–$14,800 in the US vs $7000-$9000 in Canada and Europe. Andi n those countries all citizens have comprehensive health care, including long term care. And in spite of the high cost of healthcare in the United States, we have shorter life expectancy.
Why do all citizens in every other wealthy country have access to health care but in the United States, 27 million Americans do not have health insurance? The increasingly high cost of health insurance with high deductibles, high copays and out-of-network costs leave millions of Americans in debt and hesitant to use health care. Medical debt is a leading cause of bankruptcy in the US–62% of consumer bankruptcy.
Dozens of hospitals in rural Upstate New York are at risk of closing. Medicaid and Medicare payments to doctors and hospitals are at rates that are not sufficient to keep rural hospitals open and draw doctors to practice. Rural hospitals with more uninsured patients provide care for which they are not reimbursed. Many rural New York hospitals have closed or are closing some services. Cayuga Medical Center no longer admits children. Children who require
hospitalization are sent to Syracuse or Rochester

Coffee & Talk
2026-05-18 13:30 - 14:30, 2026-06-15 13:30 - 14:30 | Sunset Grille, 823 Danby Rd., Ithaca, NY
Sunset Grille
823 Danby Rd, Ithaca, NY
Stop by to learn more about the LWV!

LWVTC Annual Meeting
2026-06-03 18:30 - 20:00 | The History Center in Tompkins County, inside Tompkins Center for History & Culture, 110 N Tioga St, Ithaca, NY
Join us for a delightful evening of appetizers, great company, and wonderful conversations.
Our business meeting will include recognition of new members in the past year, updates on our new committees, and election of new officers for 2026-2027.
Date: June 3, 2026
Time: 6:30-8 PM
Venue: The History Center in Tompkins County Inside Tompkins Center for History & Culture,
110 N Tioga St, Ithaca, NY 14850
Please RSVP to Megan Nettleton by May 29th, Nettleton.megan@gmail.com
If you have any dietary restrictions, please let us know!
Suggested Donation $20
This end of the year gathering is a time to meet other League members, vote on the incoming board, and help shape our local League’s focus for the coming year.
Appetizers and desserts await! Please bring your own mug or water bottle, help us go green!
Parking is available on the street, the garage across the street is closed.
Please let us know by May 29th if you would like a ride from the Triphammer Road area.
The space is accessible to all!
In addition, we are collecting donations for “Women’s Inequality Day” on 8/26.
This year, we are making donations to two local organizations:
The Women’s Opportunity Center and the Menstrual Equality Cabinet in Center Ithaca.
Please bring any of the items to the annual meeting, and we will add them to our donation.
The wishlist for both places is as follows:
Unopened feminine hygiene products, preferably unscented. (pads, tampons, feminine wipes & washes)
Unopened shampoos, conditioner, deodorant, toothbrushes/paste/flossers, etc. Travel sized items are also welcome
NEW, unopened over-the-counter medications; Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Aspirin, Excedrin, Pamprin, Midol, etc.

How To Register Voters Training Session
2026-06-13 13:00 - 14:00 | Tompkins County Public Library
1-2 pm, Borg Warner Room, East at Tompkins County Public Library (we have the space reserved from 12:45 to 2:30 pm)
Please RSVP here! https://forms.gle/zzKhwzbNbAirMR5g8
Whether you’re new to voter registration or a seasoned veteran, there’s always room to grow and improve your #VoteReady skills!

Meeting with NY Assemblymember Dr. Anna Kelles
2026-06-16 14:00 - 15:00 | via Zoom
Join us for our quarterly town hall advocacy meeting with Assemblymember Dr. Anna Kelles
2pm, Via Zoom – Please submit any questions by June 3rd
A link will be sent to members 3 days before the meeting

Meeting with NY State Senator Leah Webb
2026-06-18 13:00 - 14:00 | via Zoom
Join us for our quarterly town hall advocacy meeting with Senator Leah Webb
1pm, Via Zoom – Please submit any questions by June 3rd
A a link will be sent 3 days before the meeting

Tuesday, June 23, 2026 Primary Election
2026-06-23 | NY
see https://www.tompkinscountyny.gov/All-Departments/Board-of-Elections

Summer Book Club: Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the United States!
2026-07-18 13:00 - 14:30 | Stewart Park (the small pavilion), 42 Stewart Park, Ithaca, NY, 14850
Since July is the month in which the Declaration of Independence was adopted, we have selected the short book by historian Walter Isaacson called, The Greatest Sentence Ever Written.
This short book analyzes and celebrates the wording of the Declaration, focusing on the sentence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, ….”
This event is a great way to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States!
We will have popsicles!

Summer Coffee and Talk
2026-07-20 13:30 - 14:30 | Sunset Grille, 823 Danby Rd., Ithaca, NY
Stop by to learn more about the LWV!

General Election, Tuesday, November 3, 2026
2026-11-03 06:00 - 21:00 | NY
Check back for Additional Information closer to the election date.
=> Use Vote411.org to find your personalized voting information.
