❄️ It's the most wonderful time of the year. ❄️ Our Under the Dome newsletter is back, the 131st Legislative session is almost here, and new legislators will be sworn in on Wednesday, December 7.
In the next session, we'll focus on National Popular Vote, expanding absentee ballot access, expanding Clean Elections, structural reform (like Ranked Choice Voting), racial justice issues, and standing with the Wabanaki Alliance and their right to tribal sovereignty.
Will you be there to help? Our weekly newsletter will keep you updated on the status of these bills, steps to take action, and more. We'll see you in 2023.
Remembering Anne Schink
We recently said goodbye to a longtime League member and friend, Anne Schink. Anne first became involved with the League of Women Voters in 1972 in Philadelphia. She was a young mother, and the ERA had just passed in Washington. Soon, she would take on leadership roles at the state and national level, serving four years on the LWVUS board.
Anne’s long and deep commitment to the League was an inspiration to many. She always felt empowered by the history of the organization and was ready to work. Learning more about the suffragists, and what they did to complete their goals, only fueled her fire. In her own words: “We believe in the power of women to create a more perfect democracy. I just love that.”
Thank you, Lado!
We are saying a big thank you to our Program Director Lado Ladoka as he leaves the League after nearly five years as a member of our staff. Lado has left a deep impact with his dedication to expanding democracy to people all-too-often excluded from systems of power. In particular, as the creator and program leader for the Neighbor to Neighbor program, Lado has helped more than tens of thousand low-income and immigrant Mainers access timely, non-partisan voting information. We’ll miss working with him daily, but know that we’ll stay friends and allies as he expands his advocacy for affordable housing for all.
Calling Writers, Researchers, Editors, and Creative People: We're prepping our work for the next State of Democracy report. It examines and assesses the state of democracy in Maine based on publicly-available data, published reports, and research conducted by our team. It's widely received and critically acclaimed. (Where's our Pulitzer, right?) Read our last report here. If you're interested in joining us as a writer, researcher, and/or editor, we welcome your skills to the team. Email Ann for more information.