League of Women Voters of Williamsburg Area
Newsletter - May 2025 |
- 04 June | 4 PM | Board Meeting | Williamsburg Regional Library on Scotland Street
- 12 June | 4 PM | LWV of Williamsburg Area Annual Members Meeting | Legacy Hall | Sign Up Now!
- 13-15 June | LWV of Virginia State Convention | Fredericksburg, VA
- 17 June | Virginia Primary Election Day
| Thank You New & Renewing Members!
Barbara Anderson, **Diane Duggan, **Brenda Beebe Duncan, **Roberta & Alan Falquet, Rhona Flehinger, April Flowers, Peter Forman, **Helen Hansen, Joy Kirch-Kelling, Cary Kelly, Rochelle Kithcart, Doris McKnew, Tracey Charity-Ray, Mark Silverman, **Maryann & Jim Simpson, Abra Smith, Angela Surber, Caroline Wirth, Sheila Zubkoff
** - gave an extra donation in addition to membership
| Thursday June 12th is our LWV of Williamsburg Annual Member Meeting where we elect the the slate of Board candidates, adopt a budget and any By-law changes, and adopt a program for next year.
We need a quorum to conduct business. Your attendance is important!
The meeting starts at 4 PM at Legacy Hall with a short business portion followed by our guest panel. There will be delicious light refreshments!
PANEL: MISSION & CHALLENGES
JAMES CITY COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICES
Read about our panel members here: The Panel
Our distinguished moderator, Monty Mason, former Virginia State Senator, will introduce our panel of leaders in JCC government and in county service organizations:
(1) Keith Denny
James City County Housing Project Administrator [jccvahousing.gov]
(2) Paul Scott
Director, Child Development Resources, Inc. [cdr.org]
(3) Aaron Thompson
Executive Director/CEO Olde Towne Medical & Dental Center [otmdc.org]
|  | The mission of JCC Housing is to address affordable housing needs and work closely with federal, state, other local agencies, community organizations and the private sector to offer a wide range of housing assistance services to low- and moderate-income County residents. |
 | CDR provides early intervention services for babies, young children and their families. Whether a child is facing developmental delays, a lack of resources, or other special needs, CDR is there to provide the support necessary for that child and family to succeed. |
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 | | Olde Towne Medical & Dental Center, formed in 1993, helps Greater Williamsburg's uninsured and medically underserved residents by providing "quality, cost-effective, coordinated and preventative primary health care to clients, regardless of ability to pay." |
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WILL YOU BE ABLE TO VOTE
IF SAVE ACT PASSES? |
AN UPDATE
The SAVE Act and An Executive Order Limiting Voter Registrations
"Safeguard American Eligibility Act" AKA SAVE ACT
The SAVE Act passed the House on April 10, 2025 in a 220 to 208 vote.
While the ten Virginia delegates voted 6 against the Act and 4 for the Act, local Delegates Jen Kiggins and Rob Wittman voted for the SAVE Act.
SAVE Act requires proving US citizenship before registering to vote or updating your voter registration: a birth certificate that carries your current legal name, or naturalization papers that carries your current legal name, or provide a valid passport. The Senate now has the bill, and the hope is that there will not be enough votes to pass the Senate.
On the lawsuit by the League of Women Voters against the Executive Order that would require passports to vote and sought the decommissioning of voting machines and recertification to new non-existent federal standards, the Federal Court on April 24th issued an injunction against implementing the Executive Order. The status quo is to remain while the lawsuits work their way through the system.
As stated by Marcia Johnson, Chief Counsel for the LWV,
"this executive order and the SAVE Act try to make it more difficult for American voters, particularly women voters, to participate in our elections — but the League hasn't and will not back down. The League of Women Voters will continue to fight to defend our democracy from those who seek to restrict it.”
Stay tuned for further developments. Women got the vote 125 years ago, but the fight remains an active one today.
~Susan Bivins,
President, League of Women Voters of Williamsburg Area
|  | LWV of the United States
Felony Disenfranchisement: How Leagues are Engaging and Advocating for Re-Enfranchisement in Their Communities
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
3:00 PM Eastern
Online panel presentation about the importance of enfranchisement for justice-involved individuals, why the League is important to this movement, and how state and local Leagues can engage and advocate. | There is only a June Democratic Primary in Williamsburg, James City County, and York County as all Republican candidates are unopposed on the Republican slate. In the Democratic Party Primary, there are competing candidates for Lieutenant Governor and for Attorney General.
KEY DATES
- Early Voting Has Begun!
- May 27 Last day to register to vote in the primary election with a regular, non-provisional ballot
- June 06 Last day to request an absentee ballot be mailed to you
- June 17 Primary Election Day!
| CONGRATS TO
VOTER SERVICES TEAM | The League of Women Voters-Williamsburg Area has received a national award from the All In Democracy Challenge for its excellence in nonpartisan student voter engagement, one of only six local leagues nationwide to receive this award.
The award recognized the Voter Services Committee chaired by Maryann Simpson and Denise Koch. The Voter Services Committee works with the William & Mary Voter Engagement Committee, composed of students and their mentor, Rich Thompson. Thompson nominated the League along with the City of Williamsburg deputy registrar, Haley Snapp, for this award, and both groups were winners.
Many many thanks to all the League members who volunteer for this important work!
| | COMMUNITY BABY SHOWER A SUCCESS! | | A Successful Community Baby Shower
Held at Olde Towne Medical & Dental Center | April 23
From the Virginia Gazette (May 10, 2025)
"The event provided community resources to both expecting and new moms in the Williamsburg area along with a presentation on maternal topics, such as pregnancy health and postpartum care. The event was sponsored by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority’s Omicron Xi Zeta Chapter as well as the York-James City-Williamsburg NAACP, Birth in Color and Williamsburg’s League of Women Voters..." | Hard at work, Voter Services hosted a voter information table at the 2025 Naturalization Ceremony held at the American Revolution Museum in Yorktown. The Ceremony was organized by the Yorktown Comte de Grasse Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation in partnership with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services of the Department of Homeland Security. There were 99 new citizens from 45 countries taking the Oath of Allegiance to the United States and became American citizens. |  | More than 40 members of our local LWV-WA answered the call of LWVUS and LWV of Virginia to attend a Hands-Off! Nationwide Mobilization Event on Saturday, April 5th. Williamsburg’s Hands-Off event was masterfully organized by Williamsburg-James City County Indivisible.
People of all ages began gathering more than a hour before the 2:00pm kick-off at the WJCC Courthouse. Some set up their chairs in front of the staging area or in a shady area; others found a spot on the Courthouse steps or brick walls. Most stood for nearly three hours in the 82° heat, raising signs, waving to passers-by, and joining in chants, especially multiple renditions of “Hands-Off our— (fill in the blank).”
Peaceful protesters lined sidewalks on both sides of Monticello Avenue and stood in the medians holding home-made signs and waving American flags. At one point, the crowd was estimated at between 1,800 to 2,000.
The cacophony of car horns never let up. People filming, waving, thumbs-upping, and cheering as they drove by. Members agreed one of the most memorable moments was when a USPS tracker trailer truck started laying on the air horn a block away, after just leaving the nearby Newtown Postal Facility. As the truck came into view, the crowd erupted in cheers and chants of “Hands-Off the USPS” and “We love Postal Workers.”
There were students and young families but there were far more Seniors. Many said they’ve been fighting the good fight for far too many years. There were also “first-time” rally goers who pledged it wouldn’t be their last. It was an inspiring day— totally peaceful and overwhelmingly powerful.
Next time, because there will be another and another, let’s pick a time and a spot for all League members to meet for a group photo.
~ Laura Tripp, Vice President, LWV of Williamsburg Area
Click the below image and watch HANDS OFF RALLY footage shot overhead of the Courthouse (filmed within appropriate regulation!)
|  | | READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY? | | July 31 | 4:30 PM | Member's Home
Discuss with us American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation by Jon Meacham
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