2016 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER VOTER

"The State of Black Cincinnati 2015: Two Cities" - Urban League

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2016 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER VOTER

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President's Notes - by Nancy Dawley

Following a contentious presidential campaign with a difference between winning popular and electoral college totals, I’ve turned to the League of Women Voter’s Principles http://lwv.org/content/principles and Public Policy Positions http://lwv.org/content/public-policy-positions to ground myself once again. What do I personally believe and insist of my elected officials? What proposed changes are not for the common good, and therefore not something for me to be silent about? For 96 years, League of Women Voters members have studied, discussed, and come to consensus on these “best practices” for a democratic government. Consider taking another look at them yourself to clarify in your own mind how you want elected officials at all levels of government to serve the people of our country and when you will speak out.

Nearly all of the 100,000 Voter Guides printed for 2016 were distributed before the weekend leading up to Election Day. According to compliments heard, this edition – number 95 by the League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area – was even more informative and easy to use than ever before. Sandra Maddux Mowell led this effort. We owe her a lot of thanks for her vision and dedication to quality.

Additionally, many Hamilton County voters found their election information on-line at www.VOTE411.org, thanks to yeoman efforts by Liz Shockey who made sure information from national, state, judicial, and local candidates was included and up to date.

The Board of Directors experimented with new ways for the LWVCA to Get Out the Vote (GOTV) during this election. Take a look at this link to the TV spots on Star64’s At the Movies and see what you think. We’ll be evaluating these choices and let you know if they are a good addition to our GOTV repertoire. Comments from members are always welcome.

Important LWVCA events are scheduled over the next few months. You are invited to educate yourself and friends about The State of Black Cincinnati 2015: Two Cities, as we invite Chara Fisher Jackson, Executive Director of the Greater Cincinnati Urban League to speak and answer questions about their recent report.

After a holiday ride on the new streetcar, we’ll get serious again in January with a LWV Ohio consensus meeting on Primary Elections in Ohio. And our Making Democracy Work Celebration in February 11. Please add these to your calendar and join us to meet, socialize, and learn with friends and fellow League members.

In League,
Nancy Dawley

Ride the Streetcar - LWVCA Holiday Gathering
~ by Chris Moran

Join a League gathering and welcome the holidays by riding the rails on Cincinnati’s latest addition to transit, the Cincinnati Bell Connector.

You can choose to join us either Thursday, December 1^sor Saturday, December 3^rd.We will meet at 10 a.m. both days in the atrium of the Westin Hotel, 5th & Walnut St., to talk about Cincinnati’s modern streetcar, review the route and how to get a ticket to ride. Family and friends are welcomed.

We will ride together to Findlay Market with commentary provided along the way. From there, your group can plan to eat, explore &/or shop before returning to Fountain Square. You could linger at Findlay Market or take the streetcar to the restaurants on Vine Street or the Banks. Enjoy time together, and experience travel on the streetcar.

The holiday decorations will be fresh and the view from the Streetcar will be a new perspective of downtown and attractions near to the route. Parking is available at the Fountain Square garage and other nearby parking areas.

For planning purposes and so we can be on the lookout for you in the Westin Hotel atrium, please call the LWVCA office 513-281-8683 or contact Carolyn Miller or Chris Moran and let us know how many will be coming with you.

TIME TO RENEW MEMBERSHIP!

You now have a few ways to renew and pay

1. Renew and pay online.

2. Fill the Membership Form and print

3. Volunteers are mailing a second dues renewal letter this month.

Please send the form and check to 103 William Howard Taft Rd., Cincinnati, OH, 45219.

Member - $60.00
Household (2 or more at same address) - $90.00
Full-time Student - $25.00

Thanks from your Membership Team,
Marlene Muse, Chair
Ursula Bess
Sandra Mowell
Margaret Standriff
Susan Steele

League Provided Extensive Voter Service this Election Season
by Meredith Atherley, Voter Services Chair

Another election has come and gone and the League once again made extraordinary efforts to promote informed and active participation in government by all citizens. Achieving our goal to educate and engage voters involved numerous volunteers working on a wide range of activities.

Educating Voters
Our print and online voter guides are the most comprehensive non-partisan sources of election information available to voters. We have been publishing our print Voter Guide (formerly The Who & What of Elections) since 1921 and we now provide online voter guide information through Vote411.org. Producing these guides is an enormous task, led this year by Sandra Maddux Mowell and Pinky Kocoshis on the print side and Liz Shockey on Vote411, alongside our office manager, Lisa Williams-Nelson. It will take some time to get the numbers in on how many people accessed Vote411, but of the 100,000 copies of the print guide ordered, only a few hundred remain.

While we are very fortunate to have such strong leadership involved on the Voter Guides, it takes many people to analyze ballot issues, proof the print guide, and manage orders and distribution. Many thanks to the following people who contributed to this effort: Glenda and Malcolm Bernstein, Elizabeth Brown, Melissa Currence, Marjorie Davies, Katherine Durack, Nancy Forbriger, Mary Kay and Gene Gardner, Kristen Guastaferro, Corinne Gutjarh, Kathy Helmbock, Cecilia Kloecker, Maggie McNerney, Cheryl Meadows, Carolyn Miller, Chris Moran, Ernest Mowell, Gwen Peerless, Bridgett Pincus, Burton Roehr, Rina Saperstein, Grace Sferra, Dee Shaffer, Janet Smith, Janet Steiner, Deb Vance, and our corps of office volunteers.

Our Speakers Bureau and Voter Guide Live Election Forum kept community members informed about the ballot issues, voting and election information, and the importance of the local races appearing on the ballot. Under the leadership of Mary Kay Gardner and Alice Schneider (Speakers Bureau) and Glenda Bernstein and Desirae Futel (Election Forum), valuable information and services were provided. Thanks go to the following: Jane Anderson; Elizabeth Brown; Katherine Durack; Alberta Hemsley; Sherry Heyses; Pinky Kocoshis; Cheryl Meadows; Carolyn Miller; Sandra Maddux Mowell; Ernie Mowell; Chris Moran; Don Rhode; Helen Rhode; Burt Roehr; Rina Saperstein and Emily Thobe for their contributions to these efforts.

Engaging Voters
Nancy Forbriger and Alva Reid coordinated our voter registration efforts, either by training small groups to register voters themselves or by organizing volunteers and materials for larger events.

Alberta Hemsley partnered with The Association of 100 Black Women to assist the Board of Elections in promoting the Youth at the Booth initiative, designed to register eligible high school students and sign them up to work as poll workers.

This year the League worked with WKRC to produce three 15-second ads about voter registration, how to vote, and the League and our Voter Guide. The ads ran over 300 times in September and October, reaching over a million viewers. In addition, Melissa Currence and Desirae Futel were featured in nine segments shown on Star64’s At the Movies during the weekend prior to Election Day.

Consensus Study on Primary Elections in Ohio
by Elizabeth Brown, VP Program

In the next couple of months, Leagues throughout Ohio will be discussing the state’s system of holding primary elections. A Study Guide and consensus questions were developed by a committee that included Dot Christensen from Cincinnati. The responses to the consensus questions will determine whether the League of Women Voters of Ohio should adopt a position advocating reform of the current primary system.

The Cincinnati Area and Clermont Leagues will hold a joint general meeting on Saturday, January 21, 9:00 to noon, to consider the consensus questions and provide our input to the state LWV.

All members are encouraged to save the date and plan on attending. In the meantime learn more about the issue by reading the study materials available on the LWV Ohio website. Four short fact sheets provide a good introduction to the topic, plus the full study guide is available. Click on the titles below to bring up the documents.

Fact Sheet 1 – describes the difference between “open” and “closed” primary systems and how Ohio’s system compares with other states.
Fact Sheet 2 – looks at local municipal primary elections in Ohio, noting very low turnouts averaging about 16%.
Fact Sheet 3 – looks at the March 2016 statewide primary, noting the number of previously independent voters choosing to declare a party in order to vote in the primary, but still with a relatively low turnout.
Fact Sheet 4 - summarizes the results of questionnaire/interviews conducted with academic researchers and voting advocates across the U.S.

Full Study Guide:Primary Election Systems Study (23 pages)

MUSE Cincinnati’s Women’s Choir Opens 34^thSeason
with two performances of RISE! featuring Award-Winning Activist Duo Emma’s Revolution
November 19, 7:30 pm and November 20, 3:00 pm at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

Eva Floyd,
MUSE welcomes CCM’sPhD, Associate Professor of Choral Music Education as Interim Director for the 2016 Fall Concert

CINCINNATI, Ohio — Those seeking a post-election place to reflect, restore and rally will find it Nov. 19-20, 2016, when MUSE Cincinnati’s Women’s Choir presents two concerts titled RISE! at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Performing with MUSE will be Emma’s Revolution, the duo of award-winning, activist musicians Pat Humphries and Sandy O. hailed as “smart, funny and informative – like Rachel Maddow and Jon Stewart with guitars.”

For complete details about Muse and the program, please go to the MUSE Cincinnati's Women's Choir link below

MUSE Cincinnati's Women's Choir

BUDGET

2015-2016 EDUCATION FUND


				Jul 2015 - Jun 2016	FY Annual Budget
Income
	420 · Contributions
		422 · Contributions-Members
			422-01 · Summer Ask - Members	6,606.11
			422-03 · Year End Ask - Members	4,410.00
			422 · Contributions-Members - Other	4,237.51
		Total 422 · Contributions-Members		15,253.62
		424 · Contributions-Community
			424-01 · Summer Ask - Community	2,532.00
			424-03 · Year End Ask - Community	875.00
			424-04 · TRU Orders	36.00
			424 · Contributions-Community - Other	1,306.00
		Total 424 · Contributions-Community		4,749.00
		426 · Donations-Memorials		300.00
		427 · Federated Giving Program
			427-01 · Community Shares	3,904.53	3,500.00
		Total 427 · Federated Giving Program		3,904.53	3,500.00
		428 · Contributions - Corporate
			428-01 · Shopper Rewards	382.53	350.00
			428 · Contributions - Corporate - Other	115.00
		Total 428 · Contributions - Corporate		497.53	350.00
		420 · Contributions - Other		0.00	16,000.00
	Total 420 · Contributions			24,704.68	16,000.00
	430 · LWV Products			0.00	400.00
	435 · Who & What of Elections (Ads)			129.34
	440 · Grants (Found./Project Funding)
		441 · Voter Service Grants
			441-01 · Seasongood Grant	0.00	10,000.00
			441 · Voter Service Grants - Other	0.00	810.58
		Total 441 · Voter Service Grants		0.00	10,810.58
		440 · Grants (Found./Project Funding) - Other		5,866.85	12,000.00
	Total 440 · Grants (Found./Project Funding)			5,866.85	22,810.58
	444 · Bank/Cr.Card Reimbursment			13.49
	450 · Events			0.00	500.00
	460 · Making Democracy Work Celebrat
		461 · Event Tickets/Donations		10,195.92
		463 · Event Auction		3,011.00
		464 · Event Sponsorships		2,100.00
		466 · Event Program Ads		1,865.00
		460 · Making Democracy Work Celebrat - Other		420.00	14,500.00
	Total 460 · Making Democracy Work Celebrat			17,591.92	14,500.00
	485 · 485-Miscellaneous
		485-01 · LWVCA Shared Expenses		11,914.27
		487 · FROM RESERVES		7,000.00	8,000.00
		485 · 485-Miscellaneous - Other		1,279.57	4,000.00
	Total 485 · 485-Miscellaneous			20,193.84
Total Income				$68,500.12	$70,060.58
Expense
	500 · Operations
		505 · Supplies
			505-01 · General Supplies	111.96
			505-02 · Voter Supplies	0.00	0.00
			505-03 · Membership Supplies	178.64
			505-04 · Office Equipment	816.46
			505-05 · Printer	3,251.41	1,900.00
			505-06 · Online-Web Site	263.19	250.00
			505-07 · Parking	11.50
			505 · Supplies - Other	1,572.27	2,500.00
		Total 505 · Supplies		6,205.43	4,650.00
		506 · Telephone, Telecommunications		2,614.68	1,881.60
		507 · Rent		10,005.24	7,818.05
		508 · Cleaning		1,008.00	691.20
		509 · Insurance & Bonding Fee		642.00	600.00
		500 · Operations - Other		0.00	0.00
	Total 500 · Operations			20,475.35	15,640.85
	501 · Annual Meeting			21.00
	510 · Postage
		510-001 · The Voter		245.65
		510-03 · Voter Service Postage		16.95
		510-05 · Fundraising Postage		490.00
		510 · Postage - Other		1,884.08	2,150.00
	Total 510 · Postage			2,636.68	2,150.00
	540 · Payroll Expenses
		540-01 · Payroll		18,296.97
		540-02 · Payroll Taxes		7,195.30
		540 · Payroll Expenses - Other		147.29	23,240.00
	Total 540 · Payroll Expenses			25,639.56	23,240.00
	550 · Event
		550-01 · Tour		75.00
		550-02 · Forum		150.00
	Total 550 · Event			225.00
	560 · Generate Annual Report			0.00	500.00
	570 · Trainings
		570-01 · Speakers Bureau Trainings		-250.00
		570 · Trainings - Other		400.00
	Total 570 · Trainings			150.00
	580 · Marketing			100.00	100.00
	586 · LWV Items			0.00	200.00
	650 · Annual Celebration
		650-01 · Donor Thank You Event		397.82
		650 · Annual Celebration - Other		6,160.00	6,700.00
	Total 650 · Annual Celebration			6,557.82	6,700.00
	660 · Community Relations			148.63	100.00
	670 · Tax Preparation & Review			875.00	1,300.00
	710 · Partner Organizations
		710-02 · Community Shares		475.00	475.00
		710 · Partner Organizations - Other		0.00	100.00
	Total 710 · Partner Organizations			475.00	575.00
	740 · PayPal & Unity Fees			163.33	50.00
	742 · Bank Checks & Deposit Slips			563.96
	795 · PMP
		795-01 · PMP - Ohio		1,436.87	1,500.00
		795-02 · PMP - US		0.00	1,000.00
	Total 795 · PMP			1,436.87	2,500.00
	800 · Voter Service Activities
		810 · Voter Service Forums & Ed		2,500.00	750.00
		815 · Voter Service Committee Mtgs		0.00	0.00
		825 · Voter Guides		16,300.00	20,000.00
		850 · They Represent Us (TRU)		1,250.00	2,400.00
		880 · VOTE411		2,500.00	1,200.00
		800 · Voter Service Activities - Other		0.00	1,000.00
	Total 800 · Voter Service Activities			22,550.00	25,350.00
	900 · Voter Newsletter Supplies			0.00	600.00
	910 · Miscelaneous Expenses			647.00
Total Expense				$82,665.20	$79,005.85

BUDGET

2015 - 2016 LWVCA


					Jul 2015 - Jun 2016	FY Annual Budget
Income
	INCOME ACCTS
		400 Dues			13,060.00	15,000.00
		420 Contributions
			422 Members
				422-01 Summer Ask - Members	450.00
				422-02 End of Year Ask - Member	3,120.00
				422 Members - Other	270.00
			Total 422 Members		3,840.00
			424 Community
				424-01 Summer Ask - Community	400.00
				424-02 End of Year Ask - Commun	100.00
				424 Community - Other	80.00
			Total 424 Community		580.00
			420 Contributions - Other		0.00	4,800.00
		Total 420 Contributions			4,420.00	4,800.00
		430 Products			26.44
		460 Annual Meeting			1,005.00
		490 Net Unrealized Gains/Losses
			Steiner Fund		-2,443.00
			490 Net Unrealized Gains/Losses - Other		0.60
		Total 490 Net Unrealized Gains/Losses			-2,442.40
		495 Donations to Ed Fund			210.00
	Total INCOME ACCTS				16,279.04	19,800.00
Total Income					$16,279.04	$19,800.00
Expense
	EXPENSES
		502 Annual Meeting Expenses			608.98	0.00
		505 Supplies
			500-04 Office Eqmt & Supplies		0.00	475.00
			500-05 Printer		0.00	0.00
			500-06 Online/Web Site		0.00	220.00
			505 Supplies - Other		312.00	400.00
		Total 505 Supplies			312.00	1,095.00
		506 Telephone			0.00	470.40
		507 Rent			0.00	1,954.51
		508 Janitorial Exp			0.00	172.80
		509 Insurance			0.00	100.00
		510 Postage
			510-02 Products		11.55
			510 Postage - Other		54.56	575.00
		Total 510 Postage			66.11	575.00
		540 Payroll Expense			0.00	5,810.00
		545-Shared Expenses			8,548.09	0.00
		566 Conventions
			566-02 National Conventions		2,565.00
			566 Conventions - Other		0.00	2,500.00
		Total 566 Conventions			2,565.00	2,500.00
		574 Miscellaneous Voter Service
			574 Miscellaneous Voter Service - Other		0.00	200.00
		Total 574 Miscellaneous Voter Service			0.00	200.00
		600 Presidents' Expenses			0.00	50.00
		610 Board Administrative			0.00	50.00
		630 Finance Committee			0.00	50.00
		640 Membership Committee			0.00	1,600.00
		650 Program Committee			414.30	400.00
		670 Tax Preparation and Review			625.00	1,300.00
		680 Community Relations				200.00
		720 Action			1,000.00	100.00
		710 Coalitions/Conferences
			710-01 GC Homeless Coalition		286.00
			710-02 IVLP		71.75
			710 Coalitions/Conferences - Other		0.00	350.00
		Total 710 Coalitions/Conferences			357.75	350.00
		740 PayPal Fee			40.48	75.00
		742 Bank & Check Fees			120.15
		750 Donations to Ed Fund			250.00
		795 PMP
			800-02 LWVO PMP		4,310.62	5,825.00
			800-01 LWVUS PMP		7,744.00	7,236.00
		Total 795 PMP			12,054.62	13,061.00
		Miscellaneous Expenses			375.00
	Total EXPENSES				29,502.91	30,113.71
Total Expense					$29,502.91	$30,113.71

Monthly Discussion Topics

September - "Encouraging Voting in a Time of Challenges to Voter Rights (discussion units)
October - Ballot Issues (forum and unit discussions)
November - Urban League’s report on the State of Black Cincinnati (discussion units and general meeting)
December - Ride the Streetcar Holiday Event & Public Transit Issues
January - Ohio Primary Election Systems Study and State Program Planning
February - Making Democracy Work Celebration
March - Poverty & Housing, based on the book Evicted by Matt Desmond (discussion units)
April - Forum on MSD with a panel of speakers
May - Aging Infrastructure & Funding Challenges (discussion units)

UNIT MEETING DAY
2nd Monday: Northeast Evening, 7pm
2nd Tuesday: Hilltop North 12pm; Anderson & Warren/Butler, 7pm
2nd Wednesday: Central Evening, 6:15pm
3rd Wednesday: Eastern Day, Metro Day, 12pm

Check Out Our Current Study Pages

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER EVENTS

Friday, November 18, 2 PM, Naturalization Ceremony, U.S. District Court, Cincinnati
Saturday, November 19, 7:30 PM & Sunday, November 20, 3:00 PM, MUSE Cincinnati Women's Choir, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
Monday, November 21, 6:30 PM, General Member meeting with guest speaker, Chara Fisher Jackson, Executive Director of the Cincinnati Urban League, Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church, Geier Room
Wednesday, November 23, 4:30 PM, Program Development Committee, LWVCA Conference Room
OFFICE CLOSED - NOVEMBER 24 & 25 - THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
Thursday, December 1 & Saturday, December 3, 10 AM, Holiday Streetcar Ride, Westin Hotel (Lobby)
Friday, December 2, 2 PM, Naturalization Ceremony, U.S. District Court, Cincinnati
Wednesday, December 7, 6 PM LWVCA Board of Directors Meeting, LWVCA Conference Room
Monday, December 12, 6 PM - Northeast Evening Unit Holiday Party, Ferrari’s Little Italy, Madeira
Tuesday, December 13, 7 PM - Warren/Butler Unit Annual Holiday Dinner; Carrabba's, Mason Montgomery
Friday, December 16, 2 PM, Naturalization Ceremony, U.S. District Court, Cincinnati
OFFICE CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAYS - DECEMBER 23 - JANUARY 3

Officers

Nancy Dawley, President
Melissa Currence, VP Fund Development
Meredith Atherley, VP Voter Service
Elizabeth Brown, VP Program
Maggie McNerney, Secretary
Dee Shaffer, Treasurer

Directors

Marlene Muse, Membership
Desirae Futel, Outreach
Elizabeth Zak, Action
Liz Shockey, Vote411
Emily Thobe, Outreach
Pinky Kocoshis, Meetings, BOE Liason

Lisa Williams-Nelson, Office Manager

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