lwvminneapolis

Get Involved in Redistricting

lwvminneapolis — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 01:27:47 +0000

Every ten years, after the census, district boundaries must be redrawn to create wards and park districts that reflect population changes in Minneapolis. A 2010 charter amendment assigned the task of changing boundaries to the Charter Commission. The commission, along with an advisory group appointed by the commission are woking on those changes now. Do you want the process to be fair and transparent? Get involved. Observe meetings, try to create a fair map (see how hard it is!), and give your input. This is democracy at work.

work.

Attend public meetings on draft maps. Hearings will be held from 5- 7pm on Wednesday, Feb 29 at the Webber Community Center (4400 Dupont Ave. N.), and from 5-7pm on Thursday, March 1 at the Hosmer Library (347 E. 36th St.)
Go to the city’s website to learn about the redistricting process
Create a map on Common Cause Minnesota’s website
Submit questions by email to redistricting2012@minneapolis.gov

-Julaine Heit, LWV Minneapolis Member

*Original image can be found on the MN legislature website

Making a Donation to LWV Minneapolis

lwvminneapolis — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 21:06:01 +0000

Would you like to make a donation to the League of Women Voters of Minneapolis? LWV Minneapolis is a 501c3 non-profit, therefore, your gift is tax-deductible.

Here are some ways you can donate:

By Check: Make payable to League of Voters of Minneapolis, Inc.
By Credit Card: Call the office manager, Sarah King, at (612) 333 – 6319.
Stock: For instructions on how to donate, call the Treasurer, Don Hall (612 ) 823 – 5408, or the office manager, Sarah King (612) 333 – 6319.
Endowment: Call the Minneapolis Foundation at (612 ) 672 – 3859, and ask for Mary Ellis Peterson
Deferred Gift Annuity: To get the latest interest rates and gift instructions, call Mary Ellis Peterson at the Minneapolis Foundation at (612) 672 – 3859.

We are grateful for your generous consideration. Non-partisan voter information benefits everyone. Thank you!

-Donald Hall, LWV Minneapolis Treasurer

Creating a Culture of Civic Participation

lwvminneapolis — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 14:22:09 +0000

When most people think of civic participation, they think of voting (particularly during federal elections). During the last presidential election 62% of eligible voters visited the polls, a 40 year record, with Minnesota leading the nation with a turnout of 78%. Those are great numbers, but how many Minnesotans do you think go beyond casting a ballot every four years? Voting is merely one aspect of civic participation, which also includes developing a sense of political literacy and continuous participation on many levels.

Do you have a son or daughter, friend, partner, or coworker new to civic life or simply disengaged from the process? Maybe they only plan on voting in the general election this year? If so, I challenge you to create a culture of participation that encourages their civic involvement throughout this entire election cycle and beyond.

Ways to create a culture of participation:

Ask them if there is a local issue they are concerned about. Is there something they want changed in their neighborhood? Did a change take place that they are not happy with? Suggest they write a letter to their City Council person.
Help them to arrange to attend a Lobby Day at the state legislature. Numerous organizations across the political spectrum offer lobby days, and give the chance for citizens to learn about issues and then address their elected officials on those issues.
Suggest a visit to the State Capitol. Guided tours are free and occur multiple days a week and visitors can watch floor sessions. Also, committee meetings and hearings are open to the public.
Visit the Secretary of State’s website and request a voter registration form. Remind the person to fill it out.
Remind them of Election Day Registration. Don’t let them use the fact that they are not already registered as an excuse not to vote. Minnesota has EDR and it has a huge impact on our voter turnout. Overall, in the 2008 presidential election, states with EDR averaged voter turnout 10 points higher than states without.*
Additional ways to positively influence participation: encourage them to attend a caucus, attend or tune into a candidate debate, participate on an issue or candidate campaign, attend a protest, research or learn about how a bill becomes a law, write a letter to the editor, vote in off-year and primary elections, join a neighborhood organization, or become an election judge.

Remember to keep your conversations positive. Don’t necessarily challenge this person’s views if they do not want to debate. You want to create the impression that everyday people can engage in politics and that it is an sign of good citizenship. Hopefully, by engaging in a variety of activities during the 2012 election cycle a culture of participation can be created that may carry over to the next year.

*America Goes to the Polls 2008.

-Ruby Hocker, LWV Minneapolis Member

Not Worried about the Poor?

lwvminneapolis — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 03:15:39 +0000

“I am not worried about the poor.”

That quote was attributed to one of frontrunners in the 2012 Presidential race this morning.

He may not be worried but I am. And so are the folks who have lost a job, a house, and insurance.

We have created a safety net in this country, but over time we have chipped away at it. We listen to claims that we have a Food Stamp President, and shame the elderly who live on a fixed income, who desperately need nutrition assistance to increase the likelihood of staying in their home or having their medication functioning appropriately.

Who are we as a people if we do not reach out to those who need help in a time of crisis? It seems to me that we hear a lot more about how much money you need to be really rich, than how impossible it is to maintain you family of four on less than $22,000 a year.

What would happen if we reserved just a day of the” 24 hour news cycle” to focus on innovative ideas of how we can work together to lift our people out of poverty?

-Colleen Moriarty, LWV Minneapolis Member

Turning our Passion into Action

lwvminneapolis — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:56:59 +0000

One of the most important meetings for our membership is January program planning. Members bring forward their ideas for next year’s topics and forums for the entire group to consider. There is no hidden agenda, no decisions have been made in a back room and no one is kept from speaking. LWV Minneapolis members value our grassroots approach to decision-making. Voices are heard. The process is straightforward. Following the general presentations, small groups gathered for more discussion and to shape the issues for each topic.

As this is an election year, Voter Education and Voter Services will play a particularly important role. A committee has already begun planning voter registration events, speaker opportunities and issue education for the public and our membership. We will continue our work in opposition to Voter ID, exploring more ways to educate the public.

We are committed to continuing our Healthy Legacy forums. Over the past four years, we, in coalition have offered forums on what needs to be done to have clean air, clean water, fewer chemicals in food and other products, and on urban agriculture. As we look to next year, we will consider alternatives to lawn fertilizer and pesticides in our city as our focus.

Education in Minneapolis schools has historically been a strong concern of members. We will host school board candidate forums as a way to better understand teacher preparation programs and how they interface with school districts, the North-Side Achievement Zone, and other issues.

The program planning meeting was a success. Good ideas were heard. Refinement of our topics will follow, and more input will be sought.

As you read this, I hope that you are encouraged to join us in our efforts to have an informed and involved electorate. There are many opportunities to volunteer or simply attend out informational forums.

-Marylin Dean, LWV Minneapolis Member

Non-Partisan Politics for the Common Good

lwvminneapolis — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:25:35 +0000

Non-partisan politics are an incredible force for the common good. Just think- you get to listen to various experts, consider varying points of view, weigh-in with your thoughts, and build relationships with interesting people.

Are you an independent thinker? Maybe you are a policy wonk, and don’t even know it!

The best part of being a policy wonk is the seeking of solutions through a variety of viewpoints. Now, I hope that you don’t find the word “wonk” to be disparaging, or insulting- it’s quite the opposite. I like to think of a policy wonk as someone who really cares about what’s going on in the world, and wants to do something about it. Another term- perhaps a more palatable term- is a policy expert, which is no doubt a higher calling for those of us who like to dabble in issues, learn about governmental policy, and maybe one day be knowledgeable as a generalist or in a particular area.

What public policies are you interested in? Please feel free to comment bellow. We like comments on our blog!

If you like to be among aspiring students of all ages who enjoy learning about the impact of a variety of governmental issues, I invite you to check out the League of Women Voters in Minneapolis! We welcome all people who have a little knowledge or lots of knowledge, or are looking to gain some knowledge in public policy. Whether you have a small interest in topics like: environmental policy, tax policy, social policy, education policy, the judicial systems, branches of the government, or a myriad of other issues that we discuss, study and report on- we welcome your input!

The League studies policies and issues that affect the lives of people in our local community, state and nation (and the greater global community as well). We work to make positive change. Now, don’t you want to be a policy “wonk” too?

-Sandy Hull, LWV Minneapolis Member

LWV Supports Dream of Martin Luther King

lwvminneapolis — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:54:19 +0000

In December, we were witness to democracy in action with the special primary for Senate District 59. A minority group supported one of their own in their precinct. Huge applause for Mohamud Noor and his engaging an emerging electorate. He may have lost the election but he won their future.

LWV on Voter Registration:

•In 2011, there were 80 Citizenship Ceremonies to swear in new citizens.

•LWV registered to vote more than 9,000 new citizens after those ceremonies.

•Majority of those new citizens were Somali.

•Somali candidate Mohamud Noor came within 6% points of winning.

•Somali precinct in the Cedar-Riverside area had the highest voter turnout of any precinct.

Drawing the lines of new districts to reflect Noor’s franchised supporters as well as so many other minorities is a welcomed opportunity for our democratic state. Understanding the purpose and the facts of the recent census is paramount. Kudos to the League’s advocacy to protect minority groups from the “tyranny of the majority.”

LWV on redistricting:

StarTribune praises LWV “Draw the Line” plan as superior to partisan plans

•“less tilted toward one party’s advantage”

•“fairer to minority populations”

•“less disruptive of long-established communities”

•“created many more so-called ‘minority opportunity’ districts than any of the three partisan plans.”

The League of Women Voters is rooted in an understanding of disenfranchisement and the advocacy to be fully franchised. With a major election year before us, can you be part of the answer to the following challenges?

LWV Challenges:

How do we encourage “emerging communities” to practice their voting rights?

How can we nurture minority opportunity districts?

How can we prevent Voter ID from further disenfranchisement of vulnerable voters?

“Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy.”

Martin Luther King

-Meg Forney, LWV Minneapolis Member

Let’s Talk About Amendments in MN

lwvminneapolis — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 17:54:33 +0000

Come November, not only will Minnesotans voice their preferences for local and national elected office holders, but they will take stances on potentially a half dozen constitutional amendments- solidifying in state law, irreversible by a judge’s ruling- issues on same-sex marriage, voter identification requirements, tax increases only with 60% or more of legislative support, and others.

As of the 2011 legislative session, only one constitutional amendment passed through the legislature to go on the 2012 general election ballot – a ban on same-sex marriage. The 2012 legislative session will reveal what other amendments make their way to the ballot.

It seems that constitutional amendments are becoming a new way of legislating in our current political climate. But are these amendments more common now than 20, 50 or 100 years ago? Turns out, they aren’t really. For a breakdown of all of Minnesota’s past constitutional amendments, check out this great chart provided by the state legislature.

That being said, how do you feel about the quantity and content of recent and proposed constitutional amendments? What do you wish you knew about the how, what and why of this method of law making? I think it would be great if the League of Women Voters Minneapolis provided educational, discussion-based forums on this issue, but would love some thoughts from readers on the role the League could play in educating the public on the history and future of amendments. Please leave a comment and let’s get some ideas flowing!

-Alison Griffin, LWV Minneapolis Member

No Going Back on Nonprofit Resolutions

lwvminneapolis — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 22:02:22 +0000

The month of January brings the begining (and the end) to many New Years resolutions. We find it easy to make committments to change ourselves for the better, but much more difficult to see our goals through when the excitement peters out.

New years is a time for Nonprofits like the League of Women Voters Minneapolis to come up with resolutions for their work as well, but they cannot afford to forget them so quickly. How can the LWV Mpls. become better at what they do- not for the month of January- but each and every month?

I’ve found a few resolutions from Nonprofits around the country that have some wisdom the League can use on The Chronical of Philathropy website.

Deepak Bhargava, Center for Community Change:
May 2012 be a year of courage for philanthropy and the nonprofit sector. We face an extraordinary assault on programs serving the most vulnerable in our society, voting rights we long took for granted, and harsh anti-immigrant policies that undermine our values. Now is the time for our sector to find its voice and support advocacy, organizing, and civic engagement.

Ritu Sharma, Social Media for Nonprofits:
2012 must be the year of deeper vs. wider. We must resolve not to pursue every opportunity to serve—like a raccoon chasing every shiny object it sees—but instead focus our efforts on where we can maximize impact.

Paige Holmes, The Jackson (Tennesse) Symphony:
To be a good steward of the money we bring in. We want our supporters to see that we are spending money wisely.

What resolutions do you think The League of Women Voters Minneapolis should make (and follow through with) this year?

-Erin Hagen, LWV Minneapolis Member

Blogging With LWV Minneapolis

lwvminneapolis — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 18:23:15 +0000

Welcome all to the League of Women Voters Minneapolis blog! Our hope is that you can use this blog to stay updated on the many projects going on at LWV Minneapolis this year and years to come. Please come back often and see what your fellow league members are up to. We would like to encourage everyone to participate, therefore, if you have anything you want to put on the blog, please email it to LWVMinneapolis@gmail.com.