The Howard County League of Women Voters enthusiastically holds activities that increase the understanding of issues that concern our community. The League continues to educate our community through forums, publications such as Voter Guides, and this Voter newsletter.

Our members are all volunteers. Our Board of Directors is the best Board in Howard County. We are successful because of our willingness to provide a service that we believe in.

LWVHC is 70 years old. We will continue to celebrate our organization’s accomplishments at our Annual Dinner and at every event we hold in 2016. We are set to have a great speaker and wonderful food.

Our candidates’ forum on March 19, 2016, was successful because of Howard County government, our member volunteers and sponsors—Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Howard, Howard County Association of Community Services, and Howard County Citizens. Our members can view rebroadcast on GTV at Verizon 44 and Comcast 99 and from one’s home computer at vote411.org or the LWVHC’s website.

We enjoy making democracy work by engaging and taking action on the nonpartisan positions that make this county government better.

Lillie Gallant

LWVHC President

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

Dear League Members,

This beautiful weather we have been enjoying should inspire and energize everyone to come out and participate in the many League events coming up. They will all be covered in this Voter and if you need more information, just access the web site –
www.lwvhowardmd.org. Even I, as an “old schooler”, am getting comfortable with all of our current methods of communicating. I still prefer paper copies but find myself going to this magic machine more and more.

We have conducted three High School Voter Registrations with 60 students responding to the opportunity to register at Long Reach. (Two still to be completed as I write this letter). Those who just registered will have their opportunity to vote in the 2018 elections for the first time. Do you remember the first time you voted?

Ask your neighbors and friends if they understand Medicare for All verses Single Payer and if they are like many people who don’t, invite them to our October Unit Meetings. This topic is something all of us need to understand to help us make good decisions about our health care and costs. Units in October will be on the 18th and 19th. Please mark your
calendars now.

Your Co-Presidents will be attending the LWVNCA (League of Women Voters National Capitol Area) Presidents Brunch to meet the LWVUS Board and other area Presidents. This is an annual event and a great opportunity to “hob nob” with the National Board
Members and Staff.

Barbara and I also attended the Constitutional Day Program at the University of Maryland Carey School of Law in Baltimore. The speaker discussed The Fourth Amendment and Electronic Surveillance.

Barbara will testify before the County Council concerning CB74-2017 about the Citizens Election Fund and the issue of government transparency and good government. LWV HC is supporting CB74-2017.

All of you receive the Report From State Circle (RSC) when the General Assembly is in session (January/April). RSC is sent out every two weeks while they are in session. Reporters are needed to cover League positions. You can perform this interesting job
primarily from your home. Reporters scan the list of bills introduced in the General Assembly on the web site every three or four days and summarize those in your subject area. Your write-ups are emailed to the editor. There will be training. If anyone is interested in becoming a reporter, contact [email protected] 

Your Co-Presidents,

Betsy Singer & Barbara Russell

The League of Women Voters of Howard County is busy protecting and promoting the voting right of our citizens. We protect and promote voter rights by keeping our citizens informed. We continue our voter registration drives in the high schools, create voter publications via voter guides, plan for our candidate forums and take action by providing verbal testimonies and writing letters to our community leaders. We address issues that concern our community.

In March we will offer nonpartisan information about issues and local candidates by providing forums. Our candidate forum will be March 19th at the George Howard Building. (More information on page 3.) Our forums are provided to educate our citizens about the candidates representing Howard County as a Board of Education member and U.S. House of Representative in Congress. Citizens can become informed as to where the candidates stand on issues that are important to this community. We enjoy making democracy work by engaging and taking action on the nonpartisan positions that make this county government better.

Lillie Gallant

LWVHC President