Dear League Members,

We have a suggested New Year’s Resolution for you and hope as you welcome in 2018, it is included in your priorities. As a member of the League, I will participate in more League events in 2018 using my time, talents, energies and finances.

Happy New Year and welcome to a busy League year ahead. We will have many election events including candidate’s forums, the Voters Guide, Vote 411 and Poll Evaluations. You are urged to participate in all of them.

By the time you read this, the Maryland General Assembly will be close to convening and may even have started. Here are the League of Women Voters of Maryland Legislative and Budget Priorities for 2018. We will concentrate efforts in these areas but are not limited by them: Redistricting Reform, Improved Voter Access and Security of Election Processes, Mitigating Climate Change, Increasing the Use of Clean Renewable Energy, Ensuring Safe Water and Clean Waterways for All, Maintaining the Safety Net for Vulnerable Populations, Providing Adequate and Equitable Pre-K-12 Public Education, Providing Adequate Public Transportation and Reforming Corrections, and Sentencing.

Units for January will be on Primaries in Maryland, Open vs. Closed? Top Two/Four or by Party? Plurality or Majority? Read the Study Sheet before attending a meeting so you have background and information which will help you vote on the questions that will be asked. After all, this is the basis on which the League was started!

Happy New Year.

Betsy Grater & Barbara Russell