Voter Services Report
November 2017League Line
VOTER SERVICES REPORT
Candidates Night. (Fall 2017)
Candidates Nightis scheduled for Monday October 30, 2017 at 7:00 PM, with doors opening at 6:30. The event will be held at the East Buffalo Township Municipal Building, 589 Fairground RD, Lewisburg. The contested races for Fall 2017 includeTownship Supervisors in Union and East Buffalo Townships,members of Lewisburg’s Borough Council, and School Board Directors. Based on LWVLA and LWVUS policy and federal guidelines, no proxies for absent candidates are allowed, and we are unable to host “empty chair” debates. In other words, if one candidate cannot attend, then there will be no candidate debatesfor that particular category. One Supervisor in East Buffalo Township and one in Union Township are unable to attend. Therefore, wewill hear from candidates running for School Directors and Lewisburg Borough Council.
Voters Guide
By the time this League Line is published, our Voters Guide will be published and distributed.Congratulations to another fine publication by our editor,Sheri Stayton,with the editorial assistance of Liz Clement, Marge Duck, Carole Madle and Sue Travis, and with Bridgette Thompson serving as designer. Thanks to Janice Bigelow for getting the VG posted on our website and on Facebook. Make sure you search for the Voter’s Guide on Facebook and then “Like” and “Share” it to help others find it as well.
Thanks go to Phyllis Dyer and the suffragetteswho will have distributed the Voters Guide by the time you read this. As always,we can use additional volunteers to help distribute the fall Guide to a variety of locations in the region. If you can help with this distribution effort, please contact Linda at 267-337-5986 or at .
Voter Registration
Here are a few crucial dates related to the November 7, 2017 Municipal Election:
- October 10- Last day to register, or to change your party, your address, or your name before the general election.
- October 31- Last day to apply for a civilian absentee ballot.
- November 3- Last day for your County Board of Elections to receive voted civilian absentee ballots.
- November 7 – Election Day
Voters can use our Website - to learn about candidates running for office and to make an informed choice in this fall’s election.
Facts for Voters
Priscilla Stowe will again serve as Editor, and Dawn Maneval will be theDesigner.
Update on the Civics Education Town Hall Meetings: Hallmark of Democracy
Partnering with TheDaily Item has turned out to be a wonderful experience for our League not only because of the quality of the speakers we had at the first town hall meeting but also through the amount of publicity The Daily Itemhas given to the rest of the town hall meetings. The 120 peoplewho attended the first eventTRUST, TRANSPARENCY AND THE NEWS, Tuesday September 19, 2017, 7:00 PM, Old Lewisburg High School Auditorium, Market Street, learned how to evaluate news sources and how to differentiate between “fake news” and news stories that politicians don’t want to hear. Attendees also asked questions of the panel to understand the motivations and practices of those who produce and write the news. Teri MacBride was quick to respond to the related questions to voter responsibility as she represented LWVLA on the panel along with Linda Beck, an HACC communicationadjunct, who discussedthe Consumer’s Guide to Media, and the Editor of the Daily Item, Dennis Lyons..
Part II is entitled: UNION COUNTY /MUNICIPAL GOVT., WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW. Was held on Wednesday, October 4, at 7:00 at the Fellowship Hall at St Johns United Church, 1050 Buffalo RD. Lewisburg-with about 70 attendees. Thanks goes to the facilitator: Mary Margret Rostan. Teri MacBride was the evening’s moderator, withpanelists Lewisburg Mayor- Judy Wagner, Union County Commissioner, Preston Boop, Mifflinburg Borough Manager-Margaret Metzger, East Buffalo Township-Hank Baylor, White Deer Twp. Emergency Mgr-Larry Maynardall gave brief explanations of what their different roles are in government. They received informed audience questions but appeared stumped when asked how does gerrymandering effect how they govern.
Part III- HOW THE LEGISLATURE AND EXECUTIVE BRANCHES OF OUR STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS OPERATE. Was presented on Tuesday, October 10 at 7:00 at East Buffalo Township Building on Fairmount RD, Lewisburg-facilitated and moderated by(LWVLA)Stacy Richards. Panelists include Susquehanna University professors- Dr, Michele DeMary and Dr. Rolf Peterson, Stacy Richard, Director SEDA-Cog, Amy Ershler, Recently retired litigator PA DEP. Approximately 60 people were in attendance and a lively discussion occurred during Q andA, PCN recorded this event and it’ll be on TV again,
Part IV- WHY COURTS MATTER-facilitator and panelist,(LWVLA) Mary Beth Clark esq, joining her will be Judge Louise Knight, and Fred Martin esq, moderator: (LWVLA) Marilyn Brill.
PCN will be recording this event as well. We expect this to be a great culmination to the Town Hall event. Come out and support your fellow League members in this final Town Hall.
Wednesday, November 15, at 7:00 PM, doors open at 6:00 at East Buffalo Township Municipal bldg., 589 Fairground RD, Lewisburg.
You will be able to register online for the last session at
Special thanks to Sue Travis, Stacy Richards, Professor Michele DeMary, Mary Margret Rostan, Teri MacBride for promoting these events on the WKOK radio with Mark Lawrence. Without the following Volunteers for all 3 events, they couldn’t have gone off as well: with Pat Longley, Ann Grundstrum, Susan Warner Mills, who vetted audience questions, Liz Clement, Barbara Baker for ushering, Mary Beth Clark, Cindy Peltier -set-up, Marilyn Brill, Marilyn Murphy, Ann Schmidt -membership table. Dakota Gessner, LAHS teacher who supports us by asking his students to usher. Finally, Janice Bigelow for all of her publicity of these events.
Our goal is to hold these seminars in Northumberland and Snyder counties. With this new project we will need ushers and folks sitting at our LWV Table. Email me if interested, . Or call 267337-5986
Linda Harris, Voters Services Chair