Voters Guide for Wood County WV May 10 Primary Election The LWV Wood County candidate responses to a questionnaire for all candidates who will be on The Primary Election ballot in Wood County are in the Primary Elections folder. Ballots will also include a school bond for school consolidation, building three new schools, and improvements to other schools, renewal of the library levy, and renewal of the mass transit levy. Early voting is underway at the Judge Black Courthouse Annex and begins at Community Voting sites starting Wednesday May 3 at the following sites: Lubeck Volunteer Fire Department Mineral Wells Volunteer Fire Department Vienna Community Building Williamstown City Building Early dates are: Tuesday, May 3, 2022 through Saturday, May 7th, 2022 Don’t forget to take an ID
The WV Climate Time Capsule began as a contributing activity by the League of Women Voters of WV to a climate rally sponsored by the WV Climate Alliance in October of 2021. The contents contain contributions from multiple organizations, research on alternative energy technologies, articles that document current events that are shaping our WV Climate future, correspondence and more. The WV Climate Time Capsule also carries prayers, hopes and wishes to our neighbors in time, that we are working hard now to ensure their right to call this beautiful planet Earth their home. Nyoka Baker Chapman, LWVWV Natural Resources Committee, Chair
You are invited to a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of West Virginia. Please mark your calendars.
Subject: Democracy and Social Justice Bills before the WV Legislature
When: Saturday, February 19, 10:30 am
What: This is a 45 minute virtual forum for League members, guests and the public, which will provide an overview about bills concerning Election and Social Justice in the Legislature. The audience is encouraged to ask questions following the presentations.
Why: Democracy and Social Justice are two of our three priorities selected for action and education. Our intent is to promote ACTION while there is still time.
Democracy: Judy K Ball, State League Elections Chair
The League’s focus on Democracy includes voting rights, election reform, and redistricting. Congress has failed to enact Federal protections for voting rights, despite months of effort and advocacy. Recognizing that, the League has turned its attention to bills introduced in the 2022 session of the WV Legislature.
Social Justice: Kimberley Crockett, Jefferson County League and Delta Sigma Theta
The League is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion because, to succeed in the 21st Century, West Virginia must be welcoming for all. Kim is an attorney who is well versed on the bills currently before the legislature. These bills include the Crown Act, Human Rights Commission, and reproductive health. In recent years, lawmakers have declined to strengthen the state’s civil rights code to prohibit hair discrimination and protect members of the LGBTQ+ community from discrimination in employment and housing. They have also continued their assault on the reproductive freedom of West Virginians.
Inside this semi annual newsletter is important information on redistricting, the For the People Act, climate justice and health care. Links for more information and to take action also inside. Dive in!
On August 26, please grab your favorite drink and join Planned Parenthood Votes! South Atlantic for their Cocktails for a Cause: Celebration of Suffrage. Panelists include: South Carolina State Senator Margie Bright Matthews; Executive Director of the New North Carolina Project, Aimy Steele; and Effie Kallas, Co-President of the League of Women Voters of West Virginia. Register for FREE today.
Thursday, August 26, 2021
6:00 – 6:30 p.m. via Zoom
As we commemorate the 101st anniversary of suffrage for many American women, we also recognize the ongoing fight for voting rights. States across the country have introduced a surge of legislation that would make it harder to cast a ballot, particularly targeting people of color, people with low-income, and young people. Voter suppression directly impedes our ability to control our bodies and plan our futures. These political attacks are a tremendous threat to what we stand for.
Cocktails for a Cause will feature an exciting panel discussion on Planned Parenthood Votes! South Atlantic’s role in getting out the vote in 2022, and standing against voter suppression. Register today!
Your support makes it possible for Planned Parenthood Votes! West Virginia PAC to expand and protect reproductive health and rights in West Virginia.
The West Virginia Climate Alliance and a number of other organizations are holding a virtual public forum on Tuesday, August 24th from 7 to 8:30 pm. Climate, Jobs and Justice: A public forum on West Virginia’s future is designed to educate and inform the public where climate policy stands in Congress and what people can do to impact this policy. Collin O’Mara, President and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, will be joined by Pam Nixon of West Virginia NAACP, Jeremy Richardson of Unions of Concerned Scientist, and Sean O’Leary of Ohio River Valley Institute. It’s a great lineup.
Over the next two months we will either adopt significant policy addressing the climate crisis or fail once again to make meaningful reforms. Please join us for this important discussion.
Today kicks off a Week of Action organized by Young West Virginia. They are hosting rallies across the state to help garner community action in support of the For the People Act, John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, and D.C. Statehood. These pro-democracy reforms are our once in a generation opportunity to protect our freedom to vote, end partisan and racial gerrymandering, and get dark money out of politics. Join a rally near you. Events are happening in:
Join Young WV’s week of action and play a part in fulfilling the promise of our democracy.
This week is also the start of a series of listening sessions hosted by the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Redistricting, with public hearings in Winfield (Tuesday 7/27) and Logan (Thursday 7/29). All 12 in-person public hearings will take place from 6 to 8 PM, with doors opening at 5:30 PM to begin the sign-in process. Anyone who would like to be guaranteed an opportunity to speak during the hearings will need to be present to sign in by 6 PM.
Let’s take advantage of the upcoming hearings to let legislators know that when it comes to our districts, we want a transparent process we can trust, where communities remain whole and where voters have an equal voice.
We’re sharing this important Action Alert from our friends at the WV Rivers Coalition.
All Hands on Deck: WV Water Protections Under Revision
A recent a policy decision by the WVDEP related to water quality standards creates a loophole to allow industries to dump more toxins in our source water.
This proposal is part of a second round of human health criteria revisions – the portion of our water quality standards that protects our health from dangerous pollutants like cancer causing toxins, chemicals known to cause birth-defects, and poisons like cyanide.
This policy is dangerous for West Virginia. Not only will it allow more toxins in our drinking water sources, it creates a shortcut for polluters to allow EVEN MORE toxins in our water with less public involvement.
Ways this policy puts our health and our water at risk:
The proposal creates a loophole for industry to further weaken the human health criteria on a case-by-case basis if industry funds a study that sways the WVDEP to decide that water and fish can handle more toxins.
This is handout to big corporations, who can afford the studies. Hint: chemical manufacturers asked for this loophole, so we are pretty sure they can afford these studies and are confident they believe they can demonstrate results in their favor.
There is already a process in place to revise water quality standards. The revision sidesteps that procedure by creating a shortcut that reduces scrutiny and public input in decision-making.
The loophole exacerbates environmental justice issues by allowing more toxins in waters near industrialized areas, which are often poorer communities that are already struggling with problems related to social, economic, and environmental justice.
On top of all these factors, it’s just plain old bad policy. It’svague and sets a precedent for further weakening of water quality standards statewide.
This is an all hand on deck call to action!
You can submit comments on the proposal through July 19 here. It’s important for the WVDEP to hear personalized responses from commenters. Think about how the policy change would affect you and your loved ones personally.
The WVDEP is proposing another round of changes to the state’s water quality standards that will allow more toxins in our drinking water sources, while also creating loopholes for polluters to further weaken criteria intended to protect human health. Our friends at the West Virginia Rivers Coalition have more details here. You have an opportunity to weigh in on this bad policy at a virtual public hearing hosted by the DEP on Monday, July 19 at 6 PM.