Voter Outreach
Please contact LWVtompkins.info@gmail.com if you are interested in helping out with voter services.
SPRING 2025
The Voter Services Committee is starting to work on civic engagement and election events with local organizations.
We are really pleased that Sev Domochowske, the Youth Educator at Tompkins County Advocacy Center has invited us to provide relevant information about civic engagement, voting and voter registration at the “Take Back the Night” rally which is being planned for the Night of April 25th on the Commons at the Bernie Milton Pavilion starting at 7pm. I am looking for League members who enjoy working with high school and college-age students to help at this event. We will have a table and chairs and hopefully be undercover in the event of rain. Perhaps we can include our SIA students at this event. This is a popular community event with high attendance by the young.
Lansing School District has asked LWV-TC to moderate their Candidate Forum on May 12 at 7 pm. We will provide a moderator, a timekeeper, and probably someone to collect questions from the audience. It is likely to be in person and not hybrid or livestreamed.
The Town of Danby is again looking for help holding a Candidates Forum for the June Primaries. We have done this in the past. We are waiting for more information about date, time, candidates etc., but again, will need moderator, timekeeper and possibly someone to collect questions.
May 15 there will be a Naturalization Ceremony for New Citizens at the County Court House from noon onwards. Kathy Hopkins and Sheila Stone are looking for members interested in helping at this fun event.
Lastly we have just received a request for help, via YV2, from Tom Stern, Producer at Pegasys Media. He says the Pegasys Media show, Ithaca Politics, is on the rise, scheduling people running for city and county offices for on air discussions to be released through YouTube and the local cable channel. We are also looking at the huge cauldron of national politics and creating shows to get viewpoints from local activists and scholars. And he needs help with a multitude of tasks including booking people for shows, doing some research on subject matter, and possibly search for funds to defray the costs of production. If people want to get involved with the technical end of putting on shows, I am glad to hear from them as well. Tom has worked with the League before and it would be very worthwhile to work with him again. Please contact Tom Stern directly if you would like to help: tstern952@gmail.com .
We also hope to organize Candidate Forums for City and County Primaries in June, and again later in the Fall. If anyone is able to help coordinate these events please let Sally Grubb know at: LWVtompkins.info@gmail.com
PREVIOUS EVENTS
Here are some of the events we held leading up to the November 2024 election:
Saturday, October 5 between 10 am and 2 pm – Dryden, outside Clarke’s Supermarket. If you can help, please contact: sally.grubb@gmail.com
Every Saturday until October 26, 12:30 to 3:00 pm, help register voters at Greenstar, Cascadilla St.
Every Monday until October 26, 5 to 7 pm, help register voters at Greenstar, College Town.
If you can help, please contact Cindy Bowman: violetchb22@gmail.com
October 8, 2024, 8PM – CORTLAND CANDIDATE FORUM/DEBATE with 22nd Congressional District candidates will be aired on WCNY (not Ithaca — we are in the 19th Congressional District but of course all are welcome)
This will feature John Mannion and Brandon Williams.
Contact LWV Cortland Co-Presidents Sheila Cohen: 607-756-8191 & Kim Cameron: 315-427-8291 – Web: LWV Cortland County, FB: LWV Cortland County Facebook
October 10, 2024, 7PM, Debate between U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro and Josh Riley for 19th Congressional District race. Collaboration with four stations out of Albany (WAMC/Northeast Public Radio, WMHT Public Media, and WNYT NewsChannel 13.
Contact LWV Cortland Co-Presidents Sheila Cohen: 607-756-8191 & Kim Cameron: 315-427-8291 – Web: LWV Cortland County, FB: LWV Cortland County Facebook
Note: Tompkins County is in Congressional District 19. This Debate is of great interest to LWV-Tompkins County. Tune in to one of the radio channels to hear the candidates speak.
October 23, 2024, League of Women Voters of Tompkins County and Cortland County are co-sponsoring an in-person CANDIDATE FORUM for Mike Sigler and State Senator Lea Webb, candidates for 52nd State Senatorial District. The Forum is being held at the Cortland YWCA, 14 Clayton Ave, Cortland, NY 13045 from 6-7PM. Volunteers are needed from 5 pm onwards to set up the room, greet people and collect questions from the audience. Please let LWV Cortland know if you can help. Contact LWV Cortland Co-Presidents Sheila Cohen: 607-756-8191 & Kim Cameron: 315-427-8291 – Web: LWV Cortland County, FB: LWV Cortland County Facebook
From Saturday, October 26 onwards we will be working on GOTV activities.
Early Voting sites will be open October 26-November 3.
October 26, 2024, 7:30PM, HALLOWEEN PARTY TABLING
We’ve been invited to table at this event. Let me know if you want to participate. It’s billed as a Dark Carnival & Costume After Party organized by ATI; it’s at the Cortland Corset Building, 75 E Court Street, Cortland, NY 13045. Let me know if you want to table at this event. Yes — You can come in costume!
Contact LWV Cortland Co-Presidents Sheila Cohen: 607-756-8191 & Kim Cameron: 315-427-8291 – Web: LWV Cortland County, FB: LWV Cortland County Facebook
Arrangements are ongoing for NYS ERA Ballot Prop 1 presentations in September and October.
Presentations proposed at Dryden UMC, Kendal, City Club of Ithaca, Forest Home Improvement Association, and for LWV-TC. This last could possibly include LWV Cortland County.
Any suggestions for other locations such as Churches or community clubs are very welcome.
PREVIOUS EVENTS
Saturday August 31 12:30 to 2:30 AND every Saturday through October 26 at Greenstar (Cascadilla Street) Cindy Bowman will be registering voters, particularly newcomers to town, and needs volunteer help. Please contact Cindy at violetchb22@gmail.com.
Monday September 2 5:00 – 7:00 AND every Monday through October 21 Cindy will also be registering to vote newcomers to town and again needs volunteer help. Please contact Cindy to help either day at violetchb22@gmail.com.
Wednesday September 4 11:30 to 1:30 – Get Connected Fair (including New Student Voter Registration) at TC3. Kerry Curran is organizing, Connie Stirling Engman and Sally Grubb will be helping.
Wednesday September 11, 6:00 – 7:00 pm – NYR ERS Ballot Prop 1 presentation by Mickey Belosi of NOW at Groton Public Library. Volunteers encouraged to attend in support of Mickey. There will be voter registration if you wish to help before and after the presentation. Please contact Sally Grubb at sally.grubb@gmail.com
On Thursday September 12, LWV-TC will join FLIC at a Voter Registration/Education event scheduled at the Racker Center- 9/12/24 1:00 – 3:00 PM at 3226 Wilkins Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850 – Open to the Public.
Saturday September 14, 1:00 – 3:00 pm Downtown Ithaca Alliance will be welcoming newcomers to the community on the Commons. Alphabet Soup has invited the LWVTC to register voters outside their store that day. If anyone would like to help please contact Sally Grubb at sally.grubb@gmail.com.
Monday September 16 – Friday September 20 National Voter Registration Week
Many events are taking place throughout the County and we hope to be able to participate in one way or another at many of them.
Tuesday September 17 – NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY
LWV-TC has reached out to all the County Libraries inviting them to participate and we will be delivering Voter Registration bags to them. We will be reaching out to member organizations of the YV2 Coalition to ask them if we may give them Voter Registration Display bags and materials as well so that they can also participate during the week or on Voter Registration Day.
We will have a table outside Alphabet Soup during the lunch period. If you can volunteer to help registering voters then, please let Sally Grubb know at sally.grubb@gmail.com
If you would like to set up a voter registration table at another location, PLEASE do so. Contact Sally Grubb at sally.grubb@gmail.com with location and she will provide you with a Voter Registration Bag. Cindy Bowman is pleased to help you set up such an event.
Tuesday September 17, 11:30 – 1:30 pm at TC3 Kerry Curran will be setting up a Presentation on NYS ERA Ballot Prop1 and Voter Registion. If you are able to volunteer to help, please let Kerry Curran know at KEC@tompkinscortland.edu and also myself at sally.grubb@gmail.com.
Thursday September 19 10:00 to 12:00 New Citizens Naturalization Ceremony at Tompkins County Court House. If you would like to come and help at this fun event, please contact Kathy Hopkins at or myself at sally.grubb@gmail.com
Thursday September 19 – Sunday September 22 Reproductive Rights Film Festival 2024 at Cinemapolis. Volunteers are needed shortly before and after these films. Thursday, Friday, and Sunday films start at 7 pm. On Saturday there are two films at 3 pm and two films at 7 pm. Please contact sally.grubb@gmail.com if you can help out.
Friday, Saturday, Sunday – September 27, 28 and 29 Apple Harvest outside Alphabet Soup. Thank you to all the volunteers who are helping provide voter registration and education at Apple Harvest. We now have enough volunteers and hope to see you on the commons sometime during the weekend.
Help register voters, assist with candidate forums and collect and manage Vote411.org information.
Volunteer opportunities are available now for the General Election, November 5th!
We welcome anyone (including non-members) who would like to join League members at our various activities, especially registering voters and providing voter education during the election season.
Interested? contact us at LWVtompkins.info@gmail.com