| OFFICERS & DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT
Jerrie Champlin
VP-ORGANIZATION
Kristen Coppock
VP-PROGRAM
Tania Rickett
VP-VOTERS SERVICE
Becky Waguespack
DIRECTOR, ELECTION INFORMATION
Vacant
SECRETARY
Kay Sherrill
TREASURER
Roxanna Deane
DIRECTOR, MEMBERSHIP
Anne Gulick
DIRECTOR, PUBLICITY
Helena MacCrossan
DIRECTOR, YOUTH
EMPOWERMENT
Sheila Pattison
CHAIR, NOMINATING
COMITTEE
Ada Conlan | | Calendar
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 20, 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Tye Preston Memorial Public Library
16311 South Access Rd
Canyon Lake
WHEN: Tuesday, December 3
WHERE: everywhere
Make a year end donation
to defend democracy!
WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 14, 11 a.m.
Invitations with details will be sent to all members.
WHAT: MLK Day March and Rally
WHEN Monday, January 20, 2025
WHERE: New Braunfels
Times and location TBD
Most people join the League
because they are asked.
Ask a friend!
Ready to Join?
| | |  | | From the President
Thank you to all our donors and volunteers. You made it possible for us to reach more voters than ever in 2024. Giving Tuesday, the start of the year end giving season, is in two weeks and we hope you will include the LWV Comal Area in your gifts and in your volunteering plans. In coming months, we will be monitoring the Texas Legislative Session, speaking out about our concerns to the legislators and, as always, empowering voters and getting out the vote in local May elections.
We need folks to step up into Board positions and to join our Voter Services and Youth Empowerment Teams. A variety of opportunities are available! Please Contact Us to learn more.
-Jerrie Champlin
| | | | Comal Area Youth Pick
Favorite Pollinator
The Butterfly flew ahead in New Braunfels polling locations to win the LWV Comal Area's 2024 Pollinator Mock Election Runoff!
421 under 18 year olds cast ballots in the runoff between the Butterfly and the Bee from August 1 - November 5 at Mammen Family Public Library, New Braunfels Public Library, Westside Branch New Braunfels Public Library and Das Rec. At Mammen, 136 voted for the Butterfly, 133 for the Bee and 13 for ineligible write-in candidates; while in New Braunfels, 98 voters chose the Butterfly and 41 the Bee giving the Butterfly a total of 234 to the Bee's 174. The young voters, their parents, librarians and LWVCA volunteers all agreed that it was a fair, fun learning experience.
| | |  | | LWV Comal Area Will Speak Up and Speak Out
Election results do not change our commitment to empowering voters and defending democracy here in Comal and Guadalupe Counties. We will continue to register and empower voters, and to communicate our concerns about the issues that impact our lives and our democracy to our elected representatives and officials.
As LWV US President Dianna Wynn wrote in her blog post Reflecting on the Election: "Despite what political parties may have you believe, issues are not inherently partisan. Of course, political parties take partisan positions on issues. But that does not alter the League's nonpartisan approach. Advocating for gender and racial equality is not partisan. Calling out attacks on democracy is not partisan. After all, our mission is to 'defend democracy'. We cannot live up to our mission if we are unwilling to speak up and speak out."
Members, supporters and community partners, we are grateful for what your donations and volunteer hours have enabled us to do and ask that you continue your support. If you are not a member, we invite you to join now.
| | | New Membership Portal Coming in 2025
-from LWV US
LWV is switching to a new member portal for all Leagues across the country. There is no action that members need to take right now, but we want to provide you with an overview of what these changes mean for you.
This year, you will still renew in the usual way. When the system launches in January-February 2025, you will receive an email to log in to the portal, but you will not be asked to renew again until a year after your most recent renewal. You will be given the option to sign up to auto-renew annually, and your membership will last a year after your last renewal. Once you have access to the portal, you will be able to update your own information, including contact information.
When it comes time to renew, you will receive an email reminder. Dues will no longer be a fixed rate but will be pay-what-you-can. The recommended dues amount for all members across the country will be $75, but members can pay any amount (min. $20), including the current dues rate.
Under the current system, LWV Comal Area pays a fixed rate per member to LWV Texas and to LWVUS. Under the new system, a percentage of dues will go to the state and national League. This means that when you renew, if you would like to make an additional contribution directly to LWV Comal Area as some members choose to do when they renew, this will need to be separate from choosing a higher dues amount. A higher dues amount benefits the League as a whole and allows us to offer the option of lower dues to increase our member base but does not exclusively support the local League.
There will still be the option to renew by check for members who don't use the internet, but members who are able to access the portal and renew that way are encouraged to do so.
On a member level, we hope these changes will make managing your membership easier. On a League level, this is expected to increase membership around the country and increase our ability to empower voters and defend democracy. We will keep you informed as we have new and relevant information. |   | |