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For Immediate Release:
February 5, 2019 The League of Women Voters of the Lower Cape Fear has announced their Hot Topics Event for February. The public is invited to attend Fair Districts NC- Let’s End Gerrymandering, to learn about a League of Women Voters of North Carolina study on 50 bills for redistricting reform and learn about the League’s coalition initiative on Reasonable Redistricting Reform. EVENT: Hot Topics: Fair Districts NC -Let’s End Gerrymandering DATE: Monday, February 25, 2019 TIME: 11:30 a.m. LOCATION: New Hanover County Library 201 Chestnut St, Wilmington, NC ABOUT: FAIR DISTRICTS NC is a broad, bipartisan coalition that takes a new approach to end gerrymandering in NC. It is based on initiatives that have worked in other states. Redistricting approaches following principles that have gained bipartisan support and won approval by state legislatures in several other states. We believe this approach will work in North Carolina too. MEDIA CONTACTS: Carol Roberts – President, League of Women Voters of the Lower Cape Fear, carolwroberts@gmail.com or 910-547-6161 Gail F. Bromley– Fair Elections Action Team Leader, League of Women Voters of the Lower Cape Fear, gailfbromley@gmail.com or 910-859-7191 Mary Ellen Cole –Communications Director, League of Women Voters of the Lower Cape Fear, maryellencole2010@gmail.com or 703-618-6196 The League of Women Voters of the Lower Cape Fear has joined with the League of Women Voters of North Carolina to draft a letter to North Carolina General Assembly leaders calling on them to reconsider their decision to relocate the press room to the legislative building's basement. LWV-LCF believes transparency and freedom of the press are cornerstones of a functioning democracy. Read the entire letter here.
For more information, contact: Mary Ellen Cole, LWV-LCF Communications Director THE PRESIDENT SHOULD FUND THE GOVERNMENT – NOT A BORDER WALL
Washington, DC – The League of Women Voters of the United States CEO Virginia Kase released the following statement following President Trump’s address to the nation. “What will keep our nation secure is not a wall, but a comprehensive immigration plan executed through a fully funded government. The real threat to the safety and security of Americans is the loss of paychecks for hundreds of thousands of hard-working public servants during the ongoing shutdown.” Read more at LWV. SWEEPING DEMOCRACY REFORM BILL WILL MAKE ELECTIONS FAIRER AND PUT POWER BACK IN THE HANDS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WASHINGTON –
The League of Women Voters is proud to support HR1, the first democracy reform agenda bill introduced in the House of Representatives in the 116th Congress. Today, League of Women Voters CEO Virginia Kase released the following statement in support of this important legislation: Read more here. JUSTICES HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENSURE FAIR MAPS NATIONWIDE
Washington, DC – Today the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will hear arguments in a challenge to North Carolina’s 2016 congressional redistricting plan, which is one of the most egregious partisan gerrymanders in American history. The case has the potential to reshape future redistricting nationwide by limiting politicians’ ability to suppress the voices of voters in how they draw electoral districts. Oral arguments will be held later this term. Read more here. Washington, DC – On Tuesday, Americans elected more female candidates to office than ever before. Across the country, voters selected women to represent them at every level of government, from local and state office to Washington, D.C. “We could not be prouder to see so many women elected to public office this year,” said Chris Carson, President of the League of Women Voters. “This is an inspirational moment for women, and we will not stop until the number of women in elected office reflects the makeup of our communities.” Americans are sending at least 117 women from both parties to Washington, including the first Muslim and Native American women ever elected to Congress, the first female Senators from Arizona and Tennessee, the first female African-American Congresswomen from New England, and the first Latina Congresswomen from Texas. “It’s not just that women won big this year, but it’s how they ran and won,” said Virginia Kase, CEO of the League of Women Voters. “These are powerful, amazing women who ran strategic, smart campaigns, and they ran as their authentic selves. This year we saw women of all walks of life – women of color, veterans, doctors, mothers – who stood up and said it is our time to lead.” The final voter count is not yet available, but the New York Times estimates 114 million votes were cast compared to 83 million in 2014. Voter engagement was also at historic highs, as the League’s voter information site, VOTE411.org, surpassed the number of users from the 2016 presidential election by more than a million voters. "Our democracy is strongest when everyone participates, and this year voters had their voices heard,” said Carson. “All year long, League volunteers worked hard registering more voters than ever before and reaching out to more candidates in order to provide voters with the information they needed to cast their ballots. Our work is never done, but we are so encouraged by the turnout and renewed enthusiasm across the country for our elections.” While more women than ever before will serve in Congress, there is a long way to go before women will reflect the full population of the country. Women make up 52% of the electorate, but in the 116th Congress they will still represent less than a quarter of all Senators and Representatives. At the state level, at least nine women were elected Governor Tuesday night. "We believe the 2018 elections will inspire future generations of women to run for office, because now more women can see themselves in these positions of power,” said Kase. “For now, we hope these newly elected officials will stand up and represent the American people and set a new tone for our country.” Contact: Sarah Courtney | 202-263-1332 | scourtney@lwv.org |
AuthorLeague of Women Voters of the Lower Cape Fear serves Brunswick, New Hanover, and Pender Counties. Archives
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