The Voter: July 2026 Newsletter

Posted by & filed under Voter.

Stay up to date on LWV happenings in Topeka and Shawnee County!

Calendar of Events

Saturday | June 20 | Hillcrest Community Center
Voter Services tabling at the Topeka Family & Friends Juneteenth Celebration

Friday | July 3 from 5pm to 7pm | ArtsConnect in NOTO
Voter Services tabling during First Fridays Art Walk

Monday | July 6 from 7:30am – 11:30am | Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library
Voter Services tabling at the Monday Farmers Market

Tuesday | July 7 at 12pm | Constitution Hall in Downtown Topeka
Tuesday Topics: Summer Field Trip Presentation & Renovation Tour of this Historic Site

Friday | July 10 at 11am | Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library Anton Room
Book Club: One Nation Under Guns, by Dominic Erdozain. View more information.

Monday | July 13 5:30-7:30pm | Marvin 101 at Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
Primary Candidate Meet & Greet. View more information.

July 14-18 evenings | Fiesta Topeka
Voter Services Tabling at Fiesta Topeka

Monday | August 3 from 7:30am – 11:30am | Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library
Voter Services tabling at the Monday Farmers Market

Tuesday | August 4 from 7am to 7pm | Your Shawnee County Polling Location
The 2026 Primary Election!

*Check our website in upcoming weeks for information on the August 4 Tuesday Topics at the library.

For dates of upcoming Voter Education, Voter Registration, Board Meetings, and more, please view the events calendar on our website.

Volunteer Sign Up on Point

As you can see from the calendar of events above, our Voter Services team is busy this summer! However, our League is currently without a Chair for Voter Services.  Various members are coordinating tabling activities at community events.  We have some upcoming events with few or no volunteers.  Please help out by volunteering during this important election cycle.  Tabling is an essential part of our voter education effort. 

We use POINT to schedule volunteers.  It’s an online app that helps the League’s  volunteers and activity coordinators all on the same page. Join POINT today!

Local Observer Reports

A circle button with the LWV logo along with "Observer Corps."This month’s reports include discussion of data centers and an update on Hotel Topeka.

LWV observers keep you informed about what is happening in local government. The Local Observer Corps volunteers attend city, county and school board meetings and take notes.

Observer Reports will be posted on our website to help get our members this useful and actionable information in a more timely manner.  

 

Tuesday Topics Summer Field Trips are Back!

The July summer field trip will take us to downtown Topeka for a tour of the renovations at Constitution Hall. We will hear a program about this nationally recognized facility for its importance in assertion of voting rights and struggles over the expansion of freedoms.

Please arrive a few minutes early to account for downtown construction and parking. The program will begin at 12pm.

Parking: Street parking downtown is available as well as parking garages. Info at https://topeka.gov/community/parking_garages_lots/index.php

 

Save the Date: Primary Candidate Meet & Greet

Our local league is continuing the tradition of co-hosting candidate “Meet & Greet” events before each primary and general election. Mark your calendars for the next one!

Date: Monday, July 13
Location: Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library (Marvin Auditorium)
Candidates Invited to Attend: Primary candidates for offices representing Topeka/SNCO

All are welcome to attend this free, nonpartisan voter education event! 

Adopt a Duck!

It’s time to adopt your little swimmers for the Great Topeka Duck Race!  The ducks are in training getting ready to race, September 26 at 10:00 AM. Support Topeka charities and the LWVTSC and have fun doing it. Adopt a Duck online from the League’s team. Help the League beat it’s 300 duck adoption goal!

In addition to supporting the League, the Duck Race benefits Topeka Sertoma Clubs’ programs & beneficiaries, including Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters in Shawnee County, Capper Foundation, Children’s Miracle Network, The Villages, The Marian Clinic, Meals on Wheels, Head Start Programs, LULAC and East Topeka Sr. Center, Safe Streets, KVC, LifeHouse Child Advocacy Center, Ronald McDonald House, TARC, Boys & Girls Clubs, Sole Reason, hearing health missions, and many other worthy causes. More details on the Duck Race homepage.

Join the LWVTSC Book Club

The LWVTSC book club meets at 11 am on the second Friday of every month. We’re currently meeting in the Anton Room on the 2nd floor of the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library. Lunch in the Millennium Café following the discussion is optional. Anyone is welcome. Contact Carole Jordan for more information.

Upcoming titles:
July 10 –  One Nation Under Guns, by Dominic Erdozain 
August 14 – Dark Money, by Jane Mayer
September 11 – A Woman of No Importance, by Sonia Purnell
Full list on our website.

LWV Board Updates

  • The Climate Committee was authorized to continue its efforts to ensure transparency by local government bodies as they consider the possible development of a data center in Shawnee County. 
  • Volunteers are currently addressing postcards to Shawnee County Voters urging them to Vote No on the proposed constitutional amendment on primary election ballots.
  • LWVTSC accepted a grant from the State League to help fund educational materials for Voter Services. 

Unite and Rise 8.5: A LWVUS Initiative to Defend Democracy

Unite & Rise 8.5 aims to build a movement of 8.5 million individuals to unite and rise up against the anti-democratic actions of this administration. Launching in May 2025 and running until the 2026 midterm elections, this initiative is part of our Women Defend Democracy campaign. 

Unite and Rise 8.5 will fight for our democracy on multiple fronts, from the courts to the streets. More actions will be outlined in the future, but there are several actions along with more information at https://www.lwv.org/uniteandrise. 

State League Action Alerts & Newsletter

Stay informed of State League of Women Voters activity.

Do you find this information valuable?

Your membership dues make this work possible. Consider making an additional donation to the LWV of Topeka and Shawnee County to support the programs, events, and communications that promote civic engagement in our community.

Observer Reports: July 2026 Newsletter

Posted by & filed under Uncategorized.

Each month, LWV volunteers attend city, council, and school board meetings. Their observer reports help keep us informed.

 

Thank you to observers Paul Post, Elvera Johnson and Vicki Arnett for attending city and county meetings in the past month, and keeping us informed on the major items discussed.

This month’s report includes discussion of data centers and an update on Hotel Topeka.

The most recent report is available to open as a pdf. 

 

 

League members sitting at table during monthly board meeting

Interested in joining the observer corps? Send us an email today.

 

 

Volunteer Sign Up on POINT

Posted by & filed under Voter Services.

VOLUNTEER SIGNUP ON POINT

Our League is currently without a Chair for Voter Services.  Various members are coordinating tabling activities at community events.  We have upcoming events with few or no volunteers.  Please help out by volunteering during this important election cycle.  Tabling is an essential part of our voter education effort. 

We use POINT to schedule volunteers.  It’s an online app that the League uses to keep volunteers and activity coordinators all on the same page. 

If you think you set up an account previously, but cannot remember your password, use the “Forgot Password?” link on the login page. 

If you have not used POINT in the past, you must set up an account. You can easily access POINT to take that first step from the LWVTSC volunteer page on our website.

   

Then, join the League of Women Voters Topeka Shawnee County POINT group.  Doing so will send a notice to our POINT coordinators who can approve your participation.  This is necessary for League activities because our volunteers must be members. 

Once you have a POINT account and sign in, you will see the LWVTSC area and can volunteer for any of the posted events. 

On our ‘POINT page’ you will see, listed by date, our scheduled events with all the necessary information for volunteering at each event.  You will be able to see where more volunteers are needed. 

     The best way to get on POINT after you have created your account is via the LWVTSC website:

  1. Go to LWVTSC.org.
  2. Click the menu (across the top of the webpage or the three bars at top right).
  3. Click GET INVOLVED.
  4. Scroll down and click VOLUNTEER. 
  5. On the Volunteer page, click the white SIGN IN button (see the second graphic in these instructions).
  6. Once in POINT, select the events you wish to volunteer for.  You will receive an email confirmation from “Pointapp No-reply” that you’ve volunteered.  If you do not receive that confirmation, contact Mary Galligan.

Thank you for making a difference in our community.

If you have questions, feel free to contact Mary Galligan.

League of Women Voters of Topeka-Shawnee County logo

Show Up – Speak Out for Shawnee County!

Posted by & filed under Action Alert, Climate Committee.

The LWV-TSC Climate Committee keeps us informed about policies and initiatives that support – or oppose – our researched position on climate, energy, and sustainability. Recently, the Committee learned about two upcoming meetings of Shawnee County leaders that could quickly pave the way for location of a large scale data center in Shawnee County. 

Read the planned testimony below prepared by LWV Climate Committee co-Chair Vicki Arnett, and consider contacting your County Commissioner AND attending the following meetings:

  • Shawnee County Planning Commission | June 8, 6:00 p.m.
    • Shawnee County Annex
    • 1515 NW Saline Street, First Floor Conference Room
  • Shawnee County Board of Commissioners | June 11, 9:00 a.m.
    • 707 SE Quincy Street, Commission Chambers 1st floor
Show your support for open, transparent government by participating.  Show up – Speak Out!

Data Center Testimony
May 30, 2026

My name is Vicki Arnett and I am co-chair of the League of Women Voters Topeka Shawnee-County climate committee. The climate committee supports the development of clean energy sources. Although we do not have a position supporting or opposing data centers, we do have a core value of encouraging public participation in community decisions through transparent, deliberative government processes. The speed which the planning commission reviewed and approved rezoning allowing the development of data centers through the conditional use permit process allows for neither public participation or transparent government.

Friday May 8th, Commissioner Aaron Mays, speaking on Eye on Northeast Kansas WIBW, denied any data centers were currently under consideration. Monday, May 11th, the Shawnee County Planning Commission passed a rezoning ordinance allowing for the development of large data centers through the conditional use permitting process. Wed. May 13th, Go Topeka spoke at JEDO for the first time publicly revealing a non-disclosure agreement between Go Topeka and an unknown entity to develop a large data center in Shawnee County. The public has been completely cut out of this process. The public will continue to be cut out of this process through the conditional use permitting process. The parameters of the location, size, scale, energy needs, environmental impact, financial impact on residential energy and water customers, noise, light pollution and water usage will be determined by Go Topeka.

We ask the planning commission to put in place a one-year moratorium to develop regulations to limit the development of data centers. This will allow the public to participate in a process that is transparent and holds governing bodies accountable for the decisions made. The planning commission spent more than two years developing regulations of large-scale solar installations for the benefit of the public good. We are asking you to do the same regarding data centers in order to prevent harm to the community.

Thank you for your service.

The Voter: June 2026 Newsletter

Posted by & filed under Voter.

Stay up to date on LWV happenings in Topeka and Shawnee County!

Calendar of Events

Tuesday | June 2 at 12pm | Brown v Board of Education National Historic Site
Tuesday Topics: Summer Field Trip Presentation “The Walk to Voter Rights”

Friday | June 12 at 11am | Anton Room, Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
Book Club: In the Time of Butterflies, by Julia Alvarez. View more information.

Tuesday | July 7 at 12pm | Constitution Hall in Downtown Topeka
Tuesday Topics: Summer Field Trip Presentation & Renovation Tour of this Historic Site

Monday | July 13 5:30-7:30pm | Marvin 101 at Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
Primary Candidate Meet & Greet. View more information.

For dates of upcoming Voter Education, Voter Registration, Board Meetings, and more, please view the events calendar on our website.

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities

with the Voter Services Team

It’s that time of year!! We’re gearing up to educate voters across Topeka and Shawnee County in preparation for the Primary Election in August and the General Election in November.  We are looking for League members to help with that effort.

We use POINT, an online platform to let our volunteers know about volunteer opportunities.  You can join us on POINT from the League’s webpage or sign in there if you’ve used POINT in the past.  

Right now we need volunteers for three upcoming events.  Keep checking back.  New opportunities are posted as arrangements are finalized.

Presidents Perspective

This month’s message comes from Co-President Elect Lissa Staley. 

Summer is almost here! As you just read above, this time of year brings us fun ways to take action by getting out in our community. Speaking of Voter Services: We are looking for 2-3 members to take on leadership roles with the Voter Services Committee until April 2027. This is a great opportunity (there’s that word again!) for a few members to learn more about the League and make a real impact in Shawnee County by sharing nonpartisan voter education. Contact us today if you might be interested!

Read the full President’s Perspective for more on the latest member updates and summer events.

 

Local Observer Reports

A circle button with the LWV logo along with "Observer Corps."This month’s reports includes more on local government sustainability action (or inaction) and a new addition to the Noxious Weeds list.

LWV observers keep you informed about what is happening in local government. The Local Observer Corps volunteers attend city, county and school board meetings and take notes.

Observer Reports will be posted on our website to help get our members this useful and actionable information in a more timely manner.  

 

Tuesday Topics Summer Field Trips are Back!

Meet us at the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site for a presentation titled, “The Walk to Voting Rights.” The address is 1515 SE Monroe St. Parking is available on site. Please arrive a few minutes early; the presentation will begin at 12pm. If the weather is nice, we encourage you to spend some extra time exploring the site and the 2018 mural across the street. All the details are on our Facebook page and website.

For the July 7 field trip, mark your calendars for a presentation and tour of the recent renovations at Constitution Hall!

 

Save the Date: Primary Candidate Meet & Greet

Our local league is continuing the tradition of co-hosting candidate “Meet & Greet” events before each primary and general election. Mark your calendars for the next one!

Date: Monday, July 13
Location: Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library (Marvin Auditorium)
Candidates Invited to Attend: Primary candidates for state offices representing Topeka/SNCO and for Shawnee County Commission District 1

All are welcome to attend this free, nonpartisan voter education event! More details to come.

Adopt a Duck!

It’s time to adopt your little swimmers for the Great Topeka Duck Race!  The ducks are in training getting ready to race, September 26 at 10:00 AM. Support Topeka charities and the LWVTSC and have fun doing it. Adopt a Duck online from the League’s team. Help the League beat it’s 300 duck adoption goal!

In addition to supporting the League, the Duck Race benefits Topeka Sertoma Clubs’ programs & beneficiaries, including Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters in Shawnee County, Capper Foundation, Children’s Miracle Network, The Villages, The Marian Clinic, Meals on Wheels, Head Start Programs, LULAC and East Topeka Sr. Center, Safe Streets, KVC, LifeHouse Child Advocacy Center, Ronald McDonald House, TARC, Boys & Girls Clubs, Sole Reason, hearing health missions, and many other worthy causes. More details on the Duck Race homepage.

Join the LWVTSC Book Club

The LWVTSC book club meets at 11 am on the second Friday of every month. We’re currently meeting in the Anton Room on the 2nd floor of the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library. Lunch in the Millennium Café following the discussion is optional. Anyone is welcome. Contact Carole Jordan for more information.

Upcoming titles:
June 12 – In the Time of Butterflies, by Julia Alvarez
July 10 –  One Nation Under Guns, by Dominic Erdozain 
August 14 – Dark Money, by Jane Mayer
Full list on our website.

LWV Board Updates

We need your help with these activities authorized by the Board:
  • Volunteer to be a member of the newly-created fundraising committee.
  • Sign up on POINT to help with the May 28 naturalization ceremony.
  • Help address Vote NO postcards in June.
  • Attend the July 13 Meet-and Greet for primary candidates at the library.  Bring your friends.

Email us or check out the Point App. Info at https://www.lwvtsc.org/get-involved/volunteer/.

Unite and Rise 8.5: A LWVUS Initiative to Defend Democracy

Unite & Rise 8.5 aims to build a movement of 8.5 million individuals to unite and rise up against the anti-democratic actions of this administration. Launching in May 2025 and running until the 2026 midterm elections, this initiative is part of our Women Defend Democracy campaign. 

Unite and Rise 8.5 will fight for our democracy on multiple fronts, from the courts to the streets. More actions will be outlined in the future, but there are several actions along with more information at https://www.lwv.org/uniteandrise. 

State League Action Alerts & Newsletter

Stay informed of State League of Women Voters activity.

Do you find this information valuable?

Your membership dues make this work possible. Consider making an additional donation to the LWV of Topeka and Shawnee County to support the programs, events, and communications that promote civic engagement in our community.

Observer Reports: June 2026 Newsletter

Posted by & filed under Observer Reports.

Each month, LWV volunteers attend city, council, and school board meetings. Their observer reports help keep us informed.

 

Thank you to observers Elvera Johnson and Vicki Arnett for attending city and county meetings in the past month, and keeping us informed on the major items discussed. This month’s reports includes the county staffing changes, updates to the Noxious Weeds list, and action (or inaction) on sustainability recommendations.

The most recent report is available to open as a pdf. 

 

League members sitting at table during monthly board meeting

Interested in joining the observer corps? Send us an email today.

 

 

President’s Perspective: June 2026

Posted by & filed under President's Perspective.

This month’s President’s Perspective is guest-authored by Co-President Elect Lissa Staley.

Greetings! I hope you will take a few minutes to read the updates below, and pick at least one as a chance to get more engaged. Will you sign up for a committee? Download the Point app and sign up for a volunteer event this summer? Spend a Friday evening making crafts for democracy? It’s a choose-your-own-adventure kind of summer with the League of Women Voters of Topeka and Shawnee County!

Fundraising Committee

At our May 2026 board meeting, formation of a Fundraising Committee was approved to make recommendations to the board for future fundraising activities. If you are interested in joining, contact us by email! 

Naturalization Ceremonies

In addition to the League supporting naturalizations by providing educational materials at naturalization ceremonies, we have the opportunity to explore ways to support new citizens with accurate voter education through partnerships with existing organizations. Working in partnership with other nonpartisan organizations is one of the strengths of our League and we are able to accomplish so much more together. 

Fun fact: Volunteering at Naturalization Ceremonies is part of what our Voter Services team does. 

Needed: Voter Services Co-Chairs

Speaking of Voter Services, we’re looking for two or three people to step up and lead all of our Voter Services. This is an immediate need, under the mentorship of previous committee leaders. These co-chair roles would continue through the April 2027 election of officers and is an opportunity for several people to become more involved in League activities while considering what roles they are most interested in for the future. Email contactus@lwvtsc.org to learn more!

Craft Night in June

Coming up in early June, the LWVTSC will participate in a free Friday Night Crafts event to include making Vote No buttons, sharing voter information for the August primary, and incorporate the opportunity for postcard writing at the event as well. By inviting more community members into our efforts, we can engage additional people in promoting informed choices at the ballot box. Watch for details and button designs. Buttons will be distributed freely in our community.

Policy and Gift Options

The Board approved an amendment to our gift policy to include address the handling of donated stocks. League supporters have many options for supporting the League beyond their membership dues and volunteering their time and talents toward our work. Whether you are wanting to serve on the Voter Services or Fundraising Committees, assist the Treasurer, or use your retirement account’s RMD to benefit the LVWTSC, we can help you choose how you want to support the work of the League in ways that work for you.

2026 Election Season

We’re already preparing for a busy election season! The primary election is August 4. Remember: every Kansas voter has a ballot in the primary election because of the Constitutional Amendment! If you haven’t already, read our statement opposing this ballot initiative. Also, we will co-host another candidate meet & greet on July 13 with our partners the Topeka Voter Collaborative and other nonpartisan community organizations. This will be for all candidates running in a primary race for a statewide position or district that includes Shawnee County.

LWVUS Updates

The 2026 LWV National Convention will be held in Columbus, Ohio at the Hilton Columbus Downtown.  Several LWV-TSC members plan to attend virtually, and we look forward to sharing updates with our members.

Unite & Rise: Consider joining our LWVUS  Unite & Rise 8.5 effort which aims to build a movement of 8.5 million individuals to unite and rise against the anti- democratic actions of this administration. Go to LWV.org to sign up!

 

Legislative Session Resource. I encourage you to contact members of the Shawnee County legislative delegation, by phone or email, regarding proposed or passed legislation. Included below is their Statehouse contact information.

  • Sen. Brenda Dietrich  Room #223-E  785.296.7648Brenda.Dietrich@senate.ks.gov
  • Sen. Rick Kloos  Room # 418-E  785.296.7645Rick.Kloos@senate.ks.gov
  • Sen. Patrick Schmidt Room #135-E  785.296-7372 Patrick.Schmidt@senate.ks.gov
  • Sen. Kenny Titus Room #124-E  785.296.7656Kenny.Titus@senate.ks.gov
  • Rep. John Alcala Room #173-W  785.296-7371 John.Alcala@house.ks.gov
  • Rep. Jesse Borjon Room #512-N  785.296.7374Jesse.borjon@house.ks.gov
  • Rep. Ken Corbett Room #187-N  785.296-7679 ken.corbet@house.ks.gov
  • Rep. Kirk Haskins Room #43-S  785.296.7673Kirk.Haskins@house.ks.gov
  • Rep. Kyle McNorton Room #561-W  785.296.7460Kyle.McNorton@house.ks.gov
  • Rep. Tobias Schlingensiepen    785.296.7669 Room #174-W    Tobias.Schlingensiepen@house.ks.gov
  • Rep. Alexis Simmons Room #43-S  785.296.7632Alexis.Simmons@house.ks.gov
  • Rep. Virgil Weigel Room #451-S  785.296.7104virgil.weigel@house.ks.gov

Furthermore, you may access the Kansas Legislative website at http://kslegislature.gov to review bill status and content, house and senate calendars and committee schedules.  Through this website you may listen to or via video streaming follow committee hearings and General Session proceedings.

An additional resource is the State Library.  You may access their services in the following ways:

  • Phone:800-432-3919 or 785-296-2149
  • Legislative Hotline: 800-432-3924
  • Email: infodesk@ks.gov
  • Download the Ask a Librarian app to your mobile device.

 

The Voter: May 2026 Newsletter

Posted by & filed under Voter.

Stay up to date on LWV happenings in Topeka and Shawnee County!

Calendar of Events

Tuesday | May 5 at 12pm | Marvin 101BC at Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
Tuesday Topics: Marvin Burris, Interesting Facts about United States Presidents

Friday | May 8 at 11am | Anton Room, Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
Book Club: We the People, by Jill Lepore. View more information.

Tuesday | June 2 at 12pm | Location TBD
Tuesday Topics: Summer Field Trip, Details TBD – check our website for updates!

Friday | June 12 at 11am | Anton Room, Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
Book Club: In the Time of Butterflies, by Julia Alvarez. View more information.

Tuesday | July 7 at 12pm | Constitution Hall in Downtown Topeka
Tuesday Topics: Summer Field Trip Presentation & Renovation Tour of this Historic Site

Monday | July 13 5:30-7:30pm | Marvin 101 at Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
Primary Candidate Meet & Greet. View more information.

For dates of upcoming Voter Education, Voter Registration, Board Meetings, and more, please view the events calendar on our website.

Position on the Supreme Court Constitutional Amendment

In August 2026, voters will decide on the Legislature’s effort to amend Article 3 of our Kansas Constitution. The proposed amendment would abolish the Kansas Supreme Court nominating commission. People seeking a position on the Supreme Court would run for election. As candidates, they could hold office in any political party, and they could campaign and directly or indirectly raise money for their own or anyone else’s election.

The League’s state board has taken a position against this proposed amendment. The League of Women Voters of Topeka and Shawnee County concurs in that position, which follows:

The League of Women Voters of Kansas Opposes the elimination of the Supreme Court Justices’ Merit-based Selection System. We recommend that voters vote NO on the Constitutional Amendment on the August 4th, 2026, primary election ballot. Kansas has a fair system that ensures our state Supreme Court justices are unbiased. Justices are nominated through a merit-based process that ensures voices across the state are heard, and Kansans already get to vote on whether justices should keep their jobs. It’s a system that balances independence with accountability and has served our state well for generations. The proposed amendment would dismantle Kansas’ fair system and replace it with partisan elections, turning our justices into politicians. Instead of weighing the law and the facts of each case, they would be forced to answer to political parties, special interests, and big donors.

Presidents Perspective

Dr. Glenda Overstreet Vaughn

Greetings and Merry May!

This month’s Presidents Perspective includes several key highlights:

  • We have posted our position statement on the constitutional amendment on our website so that the public knows our stance. 
  • There are several new ways for members to get involved!
  • The legislature closed its session passing elections bills that countered democracy.  Yet, we will not be deterred. Read more…

 

Local Observer Reports

A circle button with the LWV logo along with "Observer Corps."Observer Reports have a new look! This month’s reports includes the County Commission’s adoption of solar regulations and our League members’ testimony and public support. Also of note: increase pay for election workers. 

LWV observers keep you informed about what is happening in local government. The Local Observer Corps volunteers attend city, county and school board meetings and take notes.

Observer Reports will be posted on our website to help get our members this useful and actionable information in a more timely manner.  

It’s Time to Double Check your League Membership

Due to the change in the annual membership system, many members may have accidentally missed their renewal date. Luckily, renewing has never been easier! Just follow this link to the Join/Renew section of our website. Everything you need to know is there.

Become a Member Today | LWVTSC

If you’re not sure its time for you to renew, send me an email and I’ll check for you: allanpqz@gmail.com
-Allan Foster, Membership Chair

Tuesday Topics is May 5

Join us at the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library for our monthly civic education presentation. In May, Marvin Burris will present on the topic of “Interesting Histories of United States Presidents.” View all the event details here.

 

 

April Recap

Thank you to all our members who attended the 2026 Annual Meeting held on April 7 at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library. There were 42 members and 4 visitors in attendance. 1 attendee joined on Zoom.

A few highlights from this year’s Annual Meeting include awarding the first annual Climate Award to Robert Riley and Justine Greve for their work at Full Circle Sustainability. Full Circle Sustainability is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in July 2023 with the mission of making low-waste living easier. We also recognized Grace Wilson, Lifetime Member, for her decades of service, leadership, and advocacy. 

Current Board Leadership: 
Officers
● President: Dr. Glenda Overstreet Vaughn
● Vice President: Paul Post
● Co-President-Elect: Kristin Hammer
● Co-President-Elect: Lissa Staley
● Secretary: Cindy Lash 
● Treasurer: Mary Galligan 
Elected Directors
● Membership Chair: Allan Foster 
● Gretchen Gleue
● Observer Corps Coordinator: Meredith Williard
● Tuesday Topics Facilitator: Glennie Buckley 
● Vicki Buening 
● Kimberley Brown
Appointed Directors
● Danielle Twemlow 
● Dennis Bosley 
● Mary Lou Davis 

Save the Date: Primary Candidate Mett & Greet

Our local league is continuing the tradition of hosting candidate “Meet & Greet” events before each primary and general election. Mark your calendars for the next one!

Date: Monday, July 13
Location: Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library (Marvin Auditorium)
Candidates Invited to Attend: Primary candidates for state offices representing Topeka/SNCO and for Shawnee County Commission District 1

All are welcome to attend this free, nonpartisan voter education event! More details to come.

Join the LWVTSC Book Club

The LWVTSC book club meets at 11 am on the second Friday of every month. We’re currently meeting in the Anton Room on the 2nd floor of the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library. Lunch in the Millennium Café following the discussion is optional. Anyone is welcome. Contact Carole Jordan for more information.

Upcoming titles:
May 8 – We the People, by Jill Lepore
June 12 – In the Time of Butterflies, by Julia Alvarez
July 10 –  One Nation Under Guns, by Dominic Erdozain 
Full list on our website.

A Note from the Treasurer

Are you a lifelong learner? We have an opportunity for you! Shadow the LWVTSC Treasurer role to learn more about it and consider whether you would want stand for office as Treasurer in the future! Anyone interested should contact Mary Galligan via contactus@lwvtsc.org.

The Treasurer primarily devotes their existence to tracking dues payments, donations, and expenditures and reporting same to the Board each month. But there is more! Among the activities that are most fulfilling are the following:

  • Supply Procurement: The high-stakes role of helping Board members buy things, provided those things were in the budget and are strictly necessary.
  • Aquatic Fundraising: Arranging for LWVTSC’s participation in the Great Topeka Duck Race, putting their professional skills to use in the field of competitive, yellow, plastic waterfowl. (Extensive coaching experience is challenged by those unruly ducks!)
  • The Budgetary Gauntlet: Providing the raw data required to fuel the vivid imaginations of Budget Committee members Jim Edwards, Becky Dickinson, Meredith Williard, and Marc Galbraith for the upcoming fiscal year. The new budget is unleashed when adopted by the general membership at the Annual Meeting and confounds the Board regularly during the ensuing fiscal year.
  • Oversight: Having survived budget formulation, the Budget Committee transforms into the Audit Committee—looking backward rather than forward. The Audit Committee’s real fun begins once the Treasurer provides them with the financial records for the most recently ended fiscal year.

Once the auditors are satisfied, the Treasurer pursues their recurring pastime of filing paperwork with the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the IRS, and Candid ensuring that everyone, everywhere can verify that we are, in fact, a real organization in  good standing.

LWV Board Updates

  • Want to get more involved? We need members to:
    • Shadow the Treasurer and Membership Chair
    • Serve as Voter Services Chair
    • Check POINT to learn about upcoming events that need volunteers
  • Dennis Bosley Mary Lou Davis, and Danielle Twemlow were reappointed to the Board.
  • Orientation for new members is being developed.

Unite and Rise 8.5: A LWVUS Initiative to Defend Democracy

Unite & Rise 8.5 aims to build a movement of 8.5 million individuals to unite and rise up against the anti-democratic actions of this administration. Launching in May 2025 and running until the 2026 midterm elections, this initiative is part of our Women Defend Democracy campaign. 

Unite and Rise 8.5 will fight for our democracy on multiple fronts, from the courts to the streets. More actions will be outlined in the future, but there are several actions along with more information at https://www.lwv.org/uniteandrise. 

State League Action Alerts & Newsletter

Stay informed of State League of Women Voters activity.

Do you find this information valuable?

Your membership dues make this work possible. Consider making an additional donation to the LWV of Topeka and Shawnee County to support the programs, events, and communications that promote civic engagement in our community.

Observer Reports: May 2026 Newsletter

Posted by & filed under Observer Reports.

Each month, LWV volunteers attend city, council, and school board meetings. Their observer reports help keep us informed.

 

Thank you to observers Elvera Johnson, Paul Post, and Vicki Arnett for attending city and county meetings in the past month, and keeping us informed on the major items discussed. This month’s reports includes the County Commission’s adoption of solar regulations and our League members’ testimony and public support. Also of note: increase pay for election workers. 

The most recent report is available to open as a pdf. 

 

League members sitting at table during monthly board meeting

Interested in joining the observer corps? Send us an email today.

 

 

Dr. Glenda Overstreet Vaughn

President’s Perspective: May 2026

Posted by & filed under President's Perspective.

Greetings and Merry May to you,

I hope you are getting your personal spring cleaning underway by looking at things that have not served you well through indifference, lack of empathy, or unfulfillment because you deserve to be a part of an energy that embraces you, fights for you, your family’s democracy, your well-being, and your safety.  As a member of the League of Women Voters, you are in the right place!!

Women and those who love and support women are vital to the well-being of our league’s mission, our state’s advocacy, and our nation’s excellence! 

The legislature closed its session passing elections bills that countered democracy.  Yet, we will not be deterred because we stand committed to a fair, transparent, and open voting process for all registered voters.

We will continue to educate across the state on the constitutional amendment vote in August on whether the merit system for the Supreme Court should be changed.   Palm cards  are now  available educating the public on this issue.  We have  posted our position statement on the constitutional amendment on our website so that the public knows our stance.  We will send a press release of the same.  If you are interested in receiving cards to educate others, please reach out to our board members.

We stand united with the Kansas and other local leagues in posting our league position of voting NO on the constitutional amendment to change the judicial selection from a merit based process to an elected process during the primary election in August. 

Also, please note there is a proposed constitutional amendment for the general election in November to vote on the Kansas Citizenship Voting Requirement. The board will be taking up a position on this amendment soon and will share with the membership.

Legislative focus

Below is a summary of bills to date as currently known by the  LWVTSC below:

Election Bills.

  • HB 2437, HB 2569 and HB 2587 passed the House and Senate and were sent to the Governor on March 30. The Governor vetoed all three.  On April 9, both chambers overrode the veto of HB 2437.    The other two bills were not acted on before sine-die and died.    
  • HB 2437  OVERRIDE. (84/39; 28/11) Checking multiple sources, including government voter registration agencies, to clean voter rolls; and added (HB 2438) online registration restrictions – voter applications need to be on a .gov website or approved by the SOS; and added (HB 2640) requiring checks with the SAVE system for non-citizens. Senate: (28/12) House (80/43)
  • HB 2438, which was amended to HB 2437 was improved by delaying enactment until the SOS has rules and regulations in place (probably in 2027) and we are led to believe that KSVotes.org would meet the anticipated rules and regulations, but the bill still prohibits county election offices from accepting voter registration forms from non-approved sites, violating federal law.
  • Also, states using the SAVE system for broad data checks for non-citizens, have been sued for removing citizens from voter rolls.  The national SAVE system does not automatically update when immigrants are naturalized ( info from Advocacy LWVK)

HB 2437 – This bill proposes to expand the list of data sources that can be used to remove people from voter registration rolls. It would need careful monitoring to ensure people are not improperly removed and that electors data is not improperly shared with unauthorized or unknown users.

HB 2438 – This bill limits the ways people can register online to vote. This bill would target the dismantling of websites that have been vetted to seek registration of voters for years and have been more reliable than even the Secretary of State website, which has gone down and does not always provide effective data.  Most importantly, this bill sets up a monopoly which forces the funneling of people interested in registering, and could promote a system shutdown, limiting the peoples’ access during critical election windows. amended to remove ksvotes ban, still problematic for issues with federal compliance re rejecting federal voter reg forms.

Please note these local bills are part of the SAVE Act being strategically pushed by the Administration, which has yet to pass the senate in full, and has significant restrictions for voters.

Annual Meeting 2026

Many thanks to our members and guests for attending our annual meeting.  Congratulations to all of our newly elected members and thank you for your support.

We need you!  Below are areas we can use your support. Please consider your time and let us know if you can help us help make this organization grow.  All persons considered must be members of the league.

Young Adults Advocacy Initiative

We have received information from an organization that can possibly help us through reimbursed funding next year.  We are hoping that an injection of funds to help kick off this initiative will be critical to those interested in restructuring our new initiative – Young adult legislative advocacy.  If this is a passion for you, we need you. If you have skills or hobbies that include mentoring, teaching, debate, public speaking, research, legislative advocacy, social media and/ or tech marketing, this committee is for you!  This role is very important in including our young adults in civic engagement while promoting the work of our organization.

Financial Mentee

A Financial mentee position is available for someone interested in shadowing the treasurer and learning about managing, overseeing and safeguarding the  organization’s financial operations as part of a succession planning strategy. 

Voter Services Team co- chairs

This is an awesome opportunity for you and a friend to work together to make an awesome workplace get the community engaged in voter experiences.  We already have established members that work with naturalization services, school networking, and need more connections with community tabling events and coordination with our volunteer system, POINT.  This is a great opportunity to get involved in community fun while helping to inform voters.  It’s a win-win!!

Our lifeblood – you!

Our calls continue to reach out to you – our members.  Many of you are successfully responding and we thank you!  However, If you haven’t renewed yet, please consider doing so.  If you are waiting to hear from us, have no fear, you are on our list and we will be calling you soon.  You are important to our organization!!   If you know anyone who would be a great fit for our organization, please forward them our contact information. In addition, we continue to send invitation letters to non-partisan organizations and individuals encouraging them to join us in defending and strengthening democracy, definitely a task where we continue to need all hands on deck.

We are up to 169 in our membership ! We are continuing to support our student members who are interested in renewing by paying ½ of their membership as scholarships.  It is vital to our organization to keep our students engaged in democracy through our organization!

Welcome to our New members! Angela, Anne, Alice, D’Ette, Ellen , Renee W., Renee A.,  We are glad you have joined us and we look forward to working with you!

Thank you to our renewing members: Mary and Kimberely.  We appreciate all you do! Let’s get busy!!

Please tune into Inspire on KTWU and see the Right to Vote program.  Your league was invited to attend and discuss elements of the SAVE Act.  Please see what we had to share.  Many thanks to Secretary Cindy Lash and Vice President Paul Post for joining me on the taping.

Legislative Action

Here is a link to the Election Committee site.  This is how you can help:

  • Access this site weekly to determine progress
  • Watch for our Legislative Action Alerts
  • Sign up to be a testimonial writer
  • Sign up to be an observer
  • Sign up to be a member speaker
  • If interested in signing up, please contact me at President@lwvtsc.org
  • Watch or participate in committee meetings on www.kslegislature.org

League affiliate updates

The 2026 LWV National Convention will be held in Columbus, Ohio at the Hilton Columbus Downtown.  It starts on Thursday, June 25, 2026 and ends Sunday June 28, 2026.  Registration for the Convention is now open. Check the LWVUS website for details.  The convention is open to all members. The LWVUS is also offering limited scholarships for convention attendance in person and virtually.  See the attached link. https://events.lwv.org/event/Convention2026/scholarship

Consider joining our LWVUS  Unite & Rise 8.5 effort which aims to build a movement of 8.5 million individuals to unite and rise against the anti- democratic actions of this administration. Go to LWV.org to sign up!

NOW AVAILABLE: Civic Action Toolkit During ICE Activity and Related Blog With immigration enforcement activity increasing in our communities, it can create fear, confusion, and barriers to participation in civic life. Leagues can now review our civic action toolkit on the League Management Site to learn how to show up safely, lawfully, and in solidarity during ICE activity.

o LWVUS has a new blog post describing what’s happening with ICE and how to respond, including Know Your Rights information.

Let’s get to the POINT!

Feel free to continue to connect with our voter services team!  Things are gearing up and this  is a great time to get on board and express your interest in participating. Join them on the POINT application and get in on the experience!   They are outreaching to the community providing education on registration and voting.  Below is the link to volunteer for our events.

Volunteer

💜💜Your board members are always available to answer questions and help you move the League’s mission forward. Feel free to reach out!

Remember as we work to protect democracy, Teamwork makes the dream work!

Best regards,

Dr. Glenda Overstreet Vaughn, President

Community Connections

It is important for us to share and exchange events held by our collaborators.  We also extend an invite for our members to participate as interested. See partner events below.

  1. The Topeka ( KS) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated hosts its Third Annual Mother’s Day Brunch on Saturday, May 9, 2026 from 10:00 A.M.-1:00 P.M. at the Townsite Tower Ballroom, 535 S. Kansas Avenue, Topeka,, KS, Tickets $75. Www.topekalinksinc.org or call 785-845-1099.  Wear your Crown!!  Save the Date.
  2. Many thanks to our advocacy partners, Loud Light and ACLU for uniting in legislative testimony against the voter suppression bills.  The LWVK and LWVTSC have been diligently submitting testimony as have other local leagues in actively advocating against election bills this session that propose to strip or reduce voting access and rights. Updates on how you can help are shared in Action Alerts.

Remember: If you have a community group interested in learning about the recent proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution, which eliminates the merit selection of Supreme Court Justices, please reach out to the League and we will connect you with a resource to come make presentations to your group(s).

Legislative Session Resource. I encourage you to contact members of the Shawnee County legislative delegation, by phone or email, regarding proposed or passed legislation. Included below is their Statehouse contact information.

  • Sen. Brenda Dietrich  Room #223-E  785.296.7648Brenda.Dietrich@senate.ks.gov
  • Sen. Rick Kloos  Room # 418-E  785.296.7645Rick.Kloos@senate.ks.gov
  • Sen. Patrick Schmidt Room #135-E  785.296-7372 Patrick.Schmidt@senate.ks.gov
  • Sen. Kenny Titus Room #124-E  785.296.7656Kenny.Titus@senate.ks.gov
  • Rep. John Alcala Room #173-W  785.296-7371 John.Alcala@house.ks.gov
  • Rep. Jesse Borjon Room #512-N  785.296.7374Jesse.borjon@house.ks.gov
  • Rep. Ken Corbett Room #187-N  785.296-7679 ken.corbet@house.ks.gov
  • Rep. Kirk Haskins Room #43-S  785.296.7673Kirk.Haskins@house.ks.gov
  • Rep. Kyle McNorton Room #561-W  785.296.7460Kyle.McNorton@house.ks.gov
  • Rep. Tobias Schlingensiepen    785.296.7669 Room #174-W    Tobias.Schlingensiepen@house.ks.gov
  • Rep. Alexis Simmons Room #43-S  785.296.7632Alexis.Simmons@house.ks.gov
  • Rep. Virgil Weigel Room #451-S  785.296.7104virgil.weigel@house.ks.gov

Furthermore, you may access the Kansas Legislative website at http://kslegislature.gov to review bill status and content, house and senate calendars and committee schedules.  Through this website you may listen to or via video streaming follow committee hearings and General Session proceedings.

An additional resource is the State Library.  You may access their services in the following ways:

  • Phone:800-432-3919 or 785-296-2149
  • Legislative Hotline: 800-432-3924
  • Email: infodesk@ks.gov
  • Download the Ask a Librarian app to your mobile device.