 |  | Dear Members of the League of Women Voters Wichita-Metro,
As we welcome 2024, THANK YOU for your incredible dedication to the community within the League of Women Voters Wichita-Metro.
As Co-Presidents, we are immensely proud of the League of Women Voters Wichita-Metro's accomplishments this year. Your tireless efforts, whether in organizing events, engaging with the community, or advocating for positive change, have strengthened our organization and enriched our community.
From our voter services initiatives, where we played a crucial role in numerous naturalization ceremonies, to the various voter education events that empowered our community with knowledge, your efforts have left an indelible mark on the landscape of civic participation.
Tuesday Topics events have been a highlight, providing us with opportunities to delve into critical issues facing our community. We explored our complex water systems and our current drought plan; the unsettling housing disparities in Wichita, shedding light on the challenges faced by many of our fellow citizens. In our pursuit of knowledge, we also embarked on a journey to comprehend the meaning of "banning a book" and delved into how libraries across the country are navigating the challenges of censorship. The insight gained from these discussions has equipped us with a deeper understanding of the importance of intellectual freedom and the role we play in safeguarding it. Join us on January 23rd at 6 p.m. as we learn more about Marion County and the Freedom of the Press.
If you're curious about the inner workings of our group and have an interest in joining the leadership team, the League's Board meetings provide valuable insights into what goes on behind the scenes. There are upcoming openings on the Board, and elections will take place in May or June, making this an opportune time to start shadowing. For any inquiries or to express your interest in a specific office, please reach out to any Board members via their LWV email addresses or contact the Board collectively at Board@lwvwichita.org with questions or to express interest in a particular office.
A quick shout out THANK YOU to the Communications team for keeping us all on track and informed! Your efforts are felt daily, and are grateful for your dedication.
Kansas hasn't held a presidential primary preference since 1992! Learn more about who what when and how here:
SAVE THE DATE for our January planning meeting, which will happen on Monday the 22nd at 6 p.m.! This is our annual planning meeting. Please come and share what is most important to you.
Let us continue to stand united in our pursuit of justice, equality, and a better future for all. Our mission remains steadfast – to hold our lawmakers accountable to the people, ensuring fair and accessible elections that include and empower more voters.
Your passion and unwavering commitment are the driving force behind our successes, and we are excited to see what we can achieve together in the coming year.
With gratitude and excitement,
Jessica Maldonado and Nancy Brown, Co-Presidents
League of Women Voters Wichita - Metro
| Did you miss Governor Laura Kelly's call to action on Friday?
Governor Kelly, Women for Kansas, Alliance for a Healthy Kansas and fellow Kansans came together to advocate for Medicaid Expansion in Kansas. We expect a recording to be released soon. We will send you a link as soon as we have it.
Check out the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas for additional information as to why Medicaid Expansion is good for Kansas. Also see Governor Kelly's press release for the Cutting Healthcare Costs for All Kansans Act. It is a commonsense legislative proposal built on previous bipartisan Medicaid Expansion proposals to address Republican concerns, including by making the bill revenue-neutral. |  | News from LWV of Kansas
We're gearing up for the 2024 Kansas Legislative Session, which kicks off on Monday, Jan. 8.
First - Join us for the LWV of Kansas Observer Corps' inaugural "Fast Friday at 4 p.m." on Jan. 5. We'll dive into prefiled bills, discuss expectations and gather insights on committee preferences from interested members. The session runs until 4:40 pm and is followed by an open Q&A and essential information for newcomers. This meeting occurs every Friday throughout the session. Each week, you can join via Zoom here.
Second - all league member will receive a weekly legislative update of Paul Johnson's policy watch newsletter. If you missed the Special Edition Legislative Preview in your mail box, you can check it out here online..
Policy Watch e-list is a collaboration of the following organizations: Kansas Rural Center, League of Women Voters of Kansas, Kansas Natural Resource Council, Kansas Farmers Union, Climate and Energy Project, Audubon of Kansas, and Friends of the Kaw, and Jayhawk Audubon Society
|  |
Next Naturalization Ceremony
Friday, January 12, 2024
11 am
NOTE EARLY DATE
Come help new citizens become registered voters! We would love for you to join us for the next ceremony.
The ceremony is from 11am to noon at
WSU Hughes Metropolitan Complex- Lowe Auditorium
5015 E. 29th Street North, Wichita, Kansas.
| | | | 2024 Naturalization Ceremonies
Mark your calendars today!
Friday, January 12
Friday, February 16
Thursday, March 7
Thursday, April 11
Thursday, May 16
Thursday, June 27 in Dodge City
Friday, July 19
Friday, August 16
Friday, September 20
Friday, October 18
Friday, November 15
Thursday, December 12 | | |  | Welcome New Members, Casey Jones and LaVonta Williams!
End of year Reminder
We report our membership to our LWV Kansas and LWVUS on January 31st so if you haven't yet renewed and plan to, the time is now! We don't want to drop you from our membership rolls. We study issues and advocate at local, state and national levels, your financial support of the League and your volunteer time support our work at all 3 levels.
Basic member dues are $65 a year. You can mail a check to our treasurer OR log into our membership database through the link on our webpage lwvwichita.org and pay dues by credit card.
For checks mail to
Treasurer
LWV WIchita-Metro
P.O. Box 2411 Wichita, KS 67201
If you are able, we have a Sustaining Membership at $100. We also have household memberships at $97.50. If you are a student or 50 year member dues are $0. If you want to make an additional gift please note it on your check or choose the "donate" button on our website. Our dues year is from July 1 to June 30 so if you have paid dues since then you are "up to date". If the $65 a year is a stretch and you are actively participating in the work of our league contact the membership team at membership@lwvwichita.org.
LWV WIchita-Metro Membership Committee
| League of Women Voters Wichita-Metro
All Membership Planning Meeting
Location: Advanced Learning Library | 711 W 2nd St.
Monday January 22, 2024
6:00 pm-7:30 pm
For those unfamiliar with the Planning Meeting, it is an “all-member” meeting and will be our regular meeting for the month . As a local membership, the Planning Meeting is when we discuss and decide what issues we feel need to be prioritized for the coming year. Also, we’ll discuss and decide whether a local study is needed and, if so, who might chair the study.
Mark your calendar today! LOOK FOR MORE INFORMATION BY EMAIL SOON!
|  |  | | Marion County and the Freedom of the Press. What Happened?
Tuesday January 23, 2024
Advanced Learning Library
711 W 2nd St N
6 pm- 7 pm
On August 11th, 2023, the residence of Eric Meyer, a journalist based in Marion County, underwent a raid conducted by both the Marion City police and Marion County Sheriffs. This extraordinary incident gained national prominence due to the infrequent nature of newsroom raids in the country. In the following discussions, insights will be provided by professionals from the news and law sectors to elucidate the sequence of events and to explore the reasons underpinning the heightened national attention surrounding this occurrence. The panelists are Dr. Michael Birzer, a professor of criminal justice; Max Kautsch, from the Kansas Press Association; and Max McCoy, an award-winning author and journalist.
Tuesday Topics is a partnership event of Wichita Public Library and the League of Women Voters Wichita-Metro. The public is welcome. |  | SAVE THE DATE:
League Day at the Capitol
Feb. 14, 2024
From League of Women Voters Kansas Voter Notes:
We have had rousing approval from league members following our last two "League Day at the Capitol" events, so we will hold another on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024. The format will be similar: a morning of pertinent presentations from Kansas leaders. Lunch. Then league members can meet with their legislators, attend hearings, or the Senate session that generally starts at 2:30pm. Please plan to join us. More information soon!
| Join Climate and Energy Project for WEALTH DAY AT THE CAPITOL on 2/5/24
Join organizations, advocates, and legislators on Monday, February 5th at the Kansas State Capitol to connect on Water, Energy, Air, Land, Transportation, and Health — Kansas WEALTH! $20 registration fee includes lunch!
REGISTRATION
Tickets to register as a general attendee will cover the cost of your Local Foods Lunch.
Legislator registration is free and comes with a complimentary lunch.
| Check us out on Instagram
Check our Events page here.
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Find out more about what the League of Women Voters of Kansas is doing.
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Our previous issues of our newsletter are here.
Our new phone number is (316) 835-0001 | |