[ Falcon Heights - Lauderdale - Little Canada - Maplewood - Roseville ]

1.  Absentee Ballots are mailed out and able to be returned by a prepaid bulk postage rate which is less costly, because of the volume, than each having a first-class stamp.  The Post Office confirmed on Friday, Aug. 14th, that there is NO DIFFERENCE in the speed of delivery.

2.  The specific impact of Federal changes to Post Office funding and operation are unknown at this time.

3.  The recently issued consent decree that removed the witness requirement for registered voters to supply on their Absentee Ballots for the Nov. Election and also extended the deadline by seven days for Ballots postmarked by Election Day, Nov. 3rd, to be received in one’s local Elections Office is being challenged.  For now, it is in effect until further notice.

Two Terms are Being Used Related to Not Voting in Person at early voting sites or at the polls on Election Days.  

• VOTE BY MAIL ~ this refers to the process in some states, such as Colorado, where registered voters are automatically mailed a ballot to complete and return.
• VOTE FROM HOME ~ system in Minnesota where by citizens, without any excuse, may apply for an Absentee Ballot on-line or by paper application.  They are then mailed an Absentee Ballot to complete and return.  Only those who apply for Absentee Ballots receive them.  VOTE FROM HOME is being promoted by LWV as a safe and secure way to vote, especially during a Pandemic.

As part of our year-long celebration of 100 years of the League of Women Voters, our League invited Dr. Josie Johnson and her co-author Carolyn Holbrook to speak at our Wednesday, September 16 meeting 6:30 - 8 pm. Due to personal circumstances, Dr. Johnson is unavailable to attend, but we are fortunate that Holbrook will cover both Dr. Johnson’s book as well as her own newly released book, Tell Me Your Names and I Will Testify. Both books are published by the University of Minnesota Press and are pertinent to our League anniversary and the times we live in, where we must continue fighting for voting and civil rights. This Zoom meeting is co-hosted by the Roseville Ramsey County Library.

Dr. Johnson’s esteemed career includes being a long-time member of the Minneapolis League and serving on the national League board in the 1970s. Her book, Hope in the Struggle, highlights her role in the League and elsewhere advocating for voting rights, including making brave trips to the South to register voters during the heat of the Civil Rights Movement.

Carolyn Holbrook, adjunct professor of creative writing at Hamline University, was founder and executive/artistic director of SASE: the Write Place and now leads More Than a Single Story, a series of panel discussions and community conversations for people of color and indigenous writers and arts activists. She was a recipient of the Hamline University Exemplary Teacher Award and the first person of color to win the Minnesota Book Awards Kay Sexton Award.

League member Marquita Stephens will moderate.

Books will be available for purchase online through Subtext Books after the 6:30 p.m. virtual meeting that is free and open to the public. Advance Registration is required.  To register, go to:https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2T5042DPTCyiBYfmoAOOAw

League of Women Voters of Roseville Area reminds you that No excuse Absentee Ballot Voting is allowed in Minnesota!  The first step is to request an Absentee Ballot.  This can be done for both the Primary Election on August 11th and for the General Election on November 3rd.  Requests can be completed on-line at  https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/other-ways-to-vote/vote-early-by-mail/ or by calling the MN Secretary of State Office at 651-215-1440 or your local elections office to ask that a paper application be sent to you.  Ramsey County Elections Office phone is 651-266-2171, or online at https://www.ramseycounty.us/residents/elections-voting/voters/vote-election-day/vote-mail. 

Vote411.org is the site for answers to voting and election questions as well as a source of information on candidates running for local Minnesota and state-wide public office. It is a resource provided by the League of Women Voters.  Sherry Hood is the LWV of Roseville Area member in charge of soliciting and submitting candidate questions. All are encouraged to use Vote411.org for learning about candidates and to become better informed voters.

More judges are needed to insure that people will have the option to vote in person at Early Voting Places as well as at the Polls on Election Day.  Voting by Absentee Ballot is encouraged but the in-person opportunities will be offered also.  This SecretaryofState link can be used to access information on becoming an Election Judge. Despite the previous deadlines, they are still accepting applications.

Back by popular demand is the 4th annual Brews and Book Reviews, however with a different look. BYOB&B might be a more appropriate description: Bring Your Own Beverage and Book!  LWV of Roseville Area will be hosting this event via Zoom on Wednesday, July 15, at 7 pm in your residence. Beverages will be available from your refrigerator! Details (Zoom link) will be emailed to you a day in advance. To get the link, RSVP by sending an email to lwvrosevillearea@lwvmn.org.
While you are invited to share a book, it is not required. In the past, some participants have come to get personal reading lists. In addition to not being physically at a brewery, we will begin the evening with some prepared quick reviews of books on racism, anti-racism, and history of the black experience, after which the Zoom room will be open to individuals sharing favorite reads. Mark your calendars now, and remember to RSVP to participate!

Board Meeting April 2020

Board Meeting June 2020