Dr. Glenda Overstreet Vaughn

President’s Perspective: December 2025

Posted by & filed under President's Perspective.

Greetings! If you thought the Topeka and Shawnee County library primarily offers books, no doubt you were totally surprised by the Executive Director, Marie Pyko’s, Tuesday Topics presentation! From converting VHS tapes to digital devices and arranging for personal delivery of your library goods, we found out about an array of free services available to the public. Many thanks to Marie for sharing updates with us. The library’s outreach is quite expansive.

For the month of December, we plan to hear from our City Management team. Strategic updates on the direction of our city will be shared. Be sure to join us on December 2 at Noon at the Topeka Library. The Tuesday Topics team is already lining up exciting speakers for 2026.

We still have slots open for members interested in working with a 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!

We continue to engage in our active renewal and recruiting campaign effort. 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.

Our engagement of LWV work in 2025 includes the following:

● Provided voting education at Naturalization service, Farmer Markets, Washburn University,
schools, community agencies, and other sites
● Completed voter education presentations at high schools
● Sent petition to the Election Assistant commission (EAC) to deny documentary proof of
citizenship on the Federal Voter Registration form
● Provides Observers at city, county and other governmental entity meetings
● Sent thank you letters to known representatives that held out or voted in opposition to
redistricting. We support fair maps!
● Coordinated Candidate Meet and Greet forum
● Collaborated with partners who share nonpartisan desire for democracy and attended their
events in support
● Presented to organizations seeking information on the LWVTSC
● Conducted Tuesday Topic forums to provide information on community services and
education on voter rights
● Coordinated onsite trips to Brown vs Board and Forensic lab during summer tour
● Presented position on climate issues
● Supported and attended rallies for strengthening democracy
● Presented and serve as representatives of Kansas Fair Maps
● Expanded our communication efforts to include press releases on positions taken and
enhance social media presence
● Implemented efforts to retain and increase membership

Yes, we have been busy in 2025 and look forward to continuing our work in 2026!

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 will open in January 2026. Check the LWVUS website for details. The convention is
open to all members.

Our recent membership is at 221 and growing! It is all because of you. You are our lifeblood. Thank you! Welcome to our New members: Lesley, Marcia. We are glad you have joined us and we look forward to working with you!

Thank you to our renewing members: Ethel, Judy, Robin, Vickie, and Danielle!
We appreciate all you do!

Feel free to continue to connect with our voter services team! Although many of the events are wrapping up for the year, our planning never ends. 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.

Your thoughts and voices are needed on our state survey. Please consider sharing your views on how we can make our league better. Here is the link to complete the form. https://forms.gle/Yv4dBBP58vR82Uji9

 

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).

This is the season for giving thanks and for celebrating holidays. May you and your families be blessed with good health, grace, and mercy. Remember as we work to protect democracy,

Teamwork makes the dream work.

 

Best regards,

Dr. Glenda Overstreet Vaughn

President

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.

Observer Reports: December 2025 Newsletter

Posted by & filed under Observer Reports, Uncategorized.

Note: The County Commission will not be in session on November 17 due to conducting the canvass of the recent county general election.

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

 

Thank you to observers Elvera Johnson, Patti Bishop, and Paul Post for attending meetings and submitting reports this past month! Topics covered by our local leaders include several updates for local resources such as WIC (Women, Infants, and Children), the potential for a new turnpike exit in Auburn, and staffing at the Sheriff’s office.

Their 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.

The Voter: November 2025 Newsletter

Posted by & filed under Voter.

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

Calendar of Events

Tuesday | November 4 | Noon | Marvin 101BC at Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
Tuesday Topics Speaker: Marie Pyko, CEO of the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library

Friday | Nov 14 | 11am | Anton Room 202, Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
LWVTSC Book Club: James, by Everett Percival

Tuesday | Nov 18 | 11:30 am – 1 pm | Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
Climate Committee Meeting – all members welcome to join, please contact Vicki Arnett.

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

Election Resources: Early Voting Has Begun!

Mail ballots are being sent, and early voting at the Shawnee County Election Office runs weekdays until 12pm on November 3. Here are some resources to help you make your voting plan:

  • Vote 411 is a national, free, nonpartisan tool developed by the League of Women Voters Education Fund. You can look up the races on your ballot, and even view surveys submitted directly from candidates who choose to participate. Our board of directors worked directly with Vote 411 to make sure that all of our local races are included, and reached out to candidates to invite them to participate by filling out the survey. 
  • The Shawnee County Election Office has all the information you need to request a mail ballot, check the in person early voting schedule, and confirm your polling place for election day.
  • Here is a full list of Shawnee County races and candidates.

President’s Perspective

Greetings! If you have been wondering what the latest news is on the Grocery Oasis of Central Topeka, the speaker at October’s Tuesday Topics did not disappoint. For the month of November, Marie Pyko, Chief Executive Officer of the Topeka And Shawnee County Library, will be our guest speaker and will be sharing strategic updates. Be sure to join us on November 4 at Noon at the Topeka Library.

Read the most recent message from Dr. Glenda Overstreet Vaughn, President.

 

Say “No” to New Maps!

By the time my fellow Leaguers read this we may have more clarity on whether the Kansas Legislature will meet in Special Session to further gerrymander our congressional districts.  What we know today, October 17, is that Kansas legislative majority leaders are pushing members to sign a petition calling for a Special Session to draw new maps.  The impetus for this comes from the White House, not from our fellow Kansans.  Let me remind you here at the top, and unambiguously, as a nonpartisan organization, partisan gerrymandering is just not the League way!
Read the full message from Mary Galligan, Treasurer, LWVTSC Board of Directors

Also: Take action and contact state lawmakers!

A circle button with the LWV logo along with "Observer Corps."

Local Observer Reports

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.

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

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

 

Notice: Membership Renewal Process

Most of us have recently received a membership renewal reminder email from the LWVUS. They are in charge of membership now, and send renewal notices 60 and 30 days before your official expiration date, which for most of us is 12/31/25. Linked below is information about the renewal period, how to join/renew through the LWV Member Portal, and how to join/renew offline.

 

Voter Services Update

It’s time to pull out the “Your Vote Matters”  yard signs lurking in your basement or garage. This is a final step in helping turnout the vote on Nov. 4. Our positive message helps remind people there is an election and reinforces our constant message that voting matters. 

I’m so grateful to all of you who have been taking action across Topeka by working at our over 30 registration events this election cycle. You’ve educated hundreds of voters to inform them about who is running, how to vote and when to vote. We can be proud of our visibility in the community, so I extend a warm thank you to everyone. Read More from Voter Services Chair Vicki Buening.

 

Take the TopCity25 Challenge!

The Topeka Voter Collaborative (TVC) is challenging the Topeka community to show up for this fall’s General Election in a big way! 

It’s 2025. Can Topeka voters top 25 percent voter turnout in the mayoral and city council elections? This would be a 5 percent increase from the last mayoral election, representing about 4,000 additional voters.

Can we meet the challenge? The Topeka Voter Collaborative believes we can. Spread the word and make your plan to vote early or on election day!
RSVP “going” to this Facebook event, and share the challenge with others using TVC’s toolkit: bit.ly/topcity25.

Tuesday Topics Recap: Highlights from October Presentation by Nadia Arbelo, from the Topeka Grocery Oasis

The Topeka Grocery Oasis is a local nonprofit on a mission to provide a nourishing, affordable, sustainable food source to Central Topeka neighborhoods facing food insecurity. In her presentation, Nadia Arbelo shared some of the history that formed into this effort, and the opportunities and challenges they face in this period of research and fundraising. 73 people attended, including 13 visitors who are not (yet) members.

Join the LWVTSC Book Club

The LWVTSC book club meets at 11 am on the second Friday of every month. We’re currently 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:
November 14 – James, Percival Everett
December 12 – Talk about books for 2026 and in general

Board Updates

  • Dennis Bosley has been appointed to the Board of Directors.
  • A Climate Award, to be presented at the Annual Meeting in April, has been instituted to recognize an individual who has exhibited leadership and demonstrated impact in the field. 
  • LWVTSC was highlighted by the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce as one of five organizations promoting voter registration and education.

State League Action Alerts & Newsletter

Stay informed of State League of Women Voters activity.

Observer Reports: November 2025 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, Vicki Arnett, and Paul Post for attending meetings and submitting reports this past month! Topics covered by our local leaders include voter registration, plans for a new/redeveloped RV and cabin rental property, and a meeting of the Topeka Sustainability Advisory Board.

Their 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.

Voter Services Update: November 2025 Newsletter

Posted by & filed under Voter Services.

By Vicki Buening, Chair

It’s time to pull out the “Your Vote Matters”  yard signs lurking in your basement or garage.  This is a final step in helping turnout the vote on Nov. 4.  Our positive message helps remind people there is an election and reinforces our constant message that voting matters. 

I’m so grateful to all of you who have been taking action across Topeka by working at our over 30 registration events this election cycle.  You’ve educated hundreds of voters to inform them about who is running, how to vote and when to vote.   We can be proud of our visibility in the community, so I extend a warm thank you to everyone.   

Voter Services activities never really end but our official registration events for the 2025 election are over.  We will continue to participate in local events throughout the fall and legislative session to advocate for fair maps and a judicial system that isn’t overly influenced by dark money.  Please pay attention to our news page on our website to stay up to date.  There will be more to come as we conclude the 2025 election cycle and enter 2026.

I’ll have more to report on our 2025 voter services activities in the next several newsletters.

Now, let’s finish the job and remind everyone we know to vote Nov. 4! 

Thanks so much.

Vicki Buening

Dr. Glenda Overstreet Vaughn

President’s Perspective: November 2025

Posted by & filed under President's Perspective.

Greetings!  If you have been wondering what the latest news is on the Grocery Oasis of Central Topeka, the speaker at October’s Tuesday Topics did not disappoint.  The wheels are definitely in motion and Topekans can’t wait to see the reality of a centrally located grocery again.  Warm thanks extended to Nadia Arbelo, Executive Director, for joining us to share the progress on what the board is doing to meet its end goal.

For the month of November, Marie Pyko, Chief Executive Officer of the Topeka And Shawnee County Library, will be our guest speaker and will be sharing strategic updates. Be sure to join us on November 4 at Noon at the Topeka Library.

Thank you, Thank you, to our two volunteers who signed up after our Tuesday Topics to become members of our Health Equity Committee.  We will be reaching out to you and appreciate your willingness to be active participants because we can’t do the work without our members.

We still have a couple of slots open for members interested in working with a new initiative – Young adult legislative advocacy.  If this is a passion for you, we need you.

Speaking of members, don’t forget this month kicks off our active renewal and recruiting campaign effort.  If you know anyone who would be a great fit for our organization, please forward them our contact information. In addition, we are sending invite letters to non-partisan organizations and individuals encouraging them to join us in defending and strengthening democracy, definitely a task where we need all hands on deck!

Our recent membership count is 219!  We are growing!!  You are our lifeblood.  Thank you!

Welcome to our New members: Marcia, Joyce, and Sheri. We are glad you have joined us and we look forward to working with you!

Thank you to our renewing members: Allan, Mary S., Judy, Eva, Neysa, DiAnna, Mary G.  We appreciate all you do!

Please feel free to connect with our voter services team!  They are at Washburn University, in the high schools, at the Farmer’s market venues, the public library and all over the city!  Join them on POINT application and get in on the experience!   They are outreaching to the community providing education on registration and voting.

Update:  The Topeka League will be the host of the LWVK Convention in 2027.  Great Bend will be the host of the Council meeting in 2026.  This is a change from an earlier communication provided in June. Updates will be forthcoming. All members are invited and encouraged to attend.

As we receive updates from our collaborators, we will share them in this format.  Below are a few of the updates received.

Join us in welcoming our new board member, Dennis Bosley!  He will be working with the Health Equity committee. Your board members are always available to answer questions and help you move the League’s mission forward. Feel free to reach out!

Teamwork makes the dream work.

Best regards,

Dr. Glenda Overstreet Vaughn, President

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).

Teamwork makes the dream work.

 

Best regards,

Dr. Glenda Overstreet Vaughn

President

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.

Say “No” to New Maps

Posted by & filed under Action Alert.

By the time my fellow Leaguers read this we may have more clarity on whether the Kansas Legislature will meet in Special Session to further gerrymander our congressional districts.  What we know today, October 17, is that Kansas legislative majority leaders are pushing members to sign a petition calling for a Special Session to draw new maps.  The impetus for this comes from the White House, not from our fellow Kansans.  Let me remind you here at the top, and unambiguously, as a nonpartisan organization, partisan gerrymandering is just not the League way!

We oppose mid-cycle redistricting because new congressional maps should only be redrawn every 10 years as necessitated by population changes and should always put communities before partisan advantage. It is worth remembering that the purpose of redistricting is to rebalance the population of districts to achieve the one-person-one-vote goal.  The US Census which is used to determine the population of congressional districts is conducted only once every ten years.  Absent that official census showing a population change, there is no nonpartisan basis on which to make changes to districts.

LWVTSC is taking action by joining the LWVK and other organizations in the voting rights space as part of the KSFairMaps coalition to educate and encourage the public to let their elected leaders know that partisan gerrymandering is not acceptable, and by educating voters so they are prepared to cast well-considered votes in 2026.  Through KsFairMaps the League will monitor the process if the Kansas Legislature decides that it should choose who will be represented – instead of letting voters choose who will represent them.

Recognizing that ‘just saying no’ is not enough in the face of pressure from the White House, on August 26, 2025, before our neighbors in Missouri were subjected to a new congressional map imposed from the top down, the CEO and the president of the League of Women Voters of the US, released a statement in announcing  guidance on drawing mid-cycle maps that protect historically disenfranchised communities:

“The League of Women Voters opposes mid-cycle redistricting because it can easily be used to disenfranchise voters based on race or party affiliation. Today, we face uncharted territory as an unpopular, authoritarian President exploits racial division and seeks to silence voters in a shameless bid for power.  

While we oppose mid-cycle redistricting, it’s happening now in states across the country. As Texas approves new maps, the League remains steadfast that any redistricting process must include people’s voices.”

Let your legislators know you do not want new congressional maps. Check back on LWVTSC.org, KsFairMaps.org, and the League’s Facebook page for updates about opportunities to make your voice heard.

To close, let me quote again from the August statement from the US League, “The League is holding true to our longstanding values. We will always remain nonpartisan in the fight to preserve our democracy, which requires diverse perspectives and is made stronger by including everyone. We will always defend voters, protect communities, and safeguard the integrity of our democracy.”

This post was authored by Mary Galligan, Treasurer, LWVTSC Board of Directors

The Voter: October 2025 Newsletter

Posted by & filed under Voter.

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

Calendar of Events

Monday | Sept 29 | 5:30-7:30 pm | Marvin 101 at Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library

Local Topeka Election Candidate Meet and Greet  – Chat with candidates on your ballot!  Meet the candidates for Topeka Mayor and City Council districts 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9. Volunteers will be available to help find your district and answer questions about the Nov 4 general election. View Facebook Event to RSVP and Share.

Tuesday | Oct 7 | Noon | Marvin 101BC at Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
Tuesday Topics Speaker: Nadia Arbelo, Executive Director of the Central Topeka Grocery Oasis (CTGO), shares information and updates. 

Friday | Oct 10 | 11am | Anton Room 202, Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
LWVTSC Book Club: The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare

Tuesday | Oct 21 | 11:30 am – 1 pm | Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
Climate Committee Meeting – all members welcome to join, please contact Vicki Arnett.

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

Election Resources

You know that 2025 is a local election year, but do you know how to make your voting plan and be an informed voter? Here are some free tools to help!

  • Vote 411 is a national, free, nonpartisan tool developed by the League of Women Voters Education Fund. You can look up the races on your ballot, and even view surveys submitted directly from candidates who choose to participate. Our board of directors worked directly with Vote 411 to make sure that all of our local races are included, and reached out to candidates to invite them to participate by filling out the survey. 
  • Topeka Mayor and City Council candidates in contested races took part in live-streamed candidate forums, hosted by WIBW and the Greater Topeka Chamber earlier this month. All of those videos are available for you to view and share with others. 
  • The Shawnee County Election Office has all the information you need to make a plan for your method of voting. You can request a mail ballot, check the in person early voting schedule, and confirm your polling place for election day.
  • Don’t live in Topeka? You still have an election this year! All Shawnee County School Boards have races, and there are several special districts and city council races in surrounding communities. Here is a full list of Shawnee County races and candidates.

Take the TopCity25 Challenge!

The Topeka Voter Collaborative (TVC) is challenging the Topeka community to show up for this fall’s General Election in a big way! 

It’s 2025. Can Topeka voters top 25 percent voter turnout in the mayoral and city council elections? This would be a 5 percent increase from the last mayoral election, representing about 4,000 additional voters.

Can we meet the challenge? The Topeka Voter Collaborative believes we can. Spread the word and make your plan to vote early or on election day!
RSVP “going” to this Facebook event, and share the challenge with others using TVC’s toolkit: bit.ly/topcity25.

 

 

Local Observer Reports

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.
 

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 5 meetings since August! Topics covered include affordable housing developments, city sustainability efforts, and a public hearing on mill levies after the state passed a law regarding revenue neutral property tax rates.

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

President’s Perspective

Greetings! What a great Tuesday Topics session held in September featuring Bob Beatty, Political Analyst and Professor at Washburn. He presented facts of our Kansas political landscape and shared highlights of candidates’ campaign kickoffs. Click below to read more about recent League happenings, upcoming events, and some new initiatives you might want to be involved in.

Read the most recent President’s Message

 

 

 

Notice: Membership Renewal Process

Beginning in February 2025, joining and renewing membership with the League became a standardized nationwide process regardless of which local or state League a member is part of. Linked below is information about the renewal period, how to join/renew through the LWV Member Portal, and how to join/renew offline.

LWV Renewal Instructions

Voter Services Update

Schools are back in session and that means Voter Services School Teams hit the ground as well. Washburn had three great events that provided us opportunities to interact with young voters. We even made it to WIBW news on National Voter Registration Day (read the news story) when we worked with Loud Light and the Shawnee County Election Office to check voter registration and offer registration to others. 

High school presentations also commenced in September for Topeka High, Topeka West and Highland Park. Soon to follow in October we’ll see students at Washburn Rural, Silver Lake, Seaman and Shawnee Heights. It takes a team to make these presentations possible. Thanks to Gretchen Gleue, Connie Jacobson, Mark Galbraith, Jeanne Vawter and Robin Sweeney. We are looking for a volunteer or two to help Jeanne on either October 9 or 13th. She especially needs a person to assist with running the slide show while she presents. If this sounds like something you could do, let me know (email) and I’ll get more details for you.

Can you help? 

Whether you’re a seasoned Voter Services volunteer, or looking to get more involved in the League of Women Voters, we could use you! Volunteer to work at a Voter Services event, now! The League uses Point, an app that lets members select when and where they will work at Voter Services events. 

Thank you, Vicki Buening and everyone supporting Voter Services!

 

 

 

Tuesday Topics: Highlights from September Presentation by Dr. Bob Beatty, Chair, Washburn University Department of Political Science

75 members and visitors attended the September 2  Tuesday Topics to hear Washburn University Professor Bob Beatty speak about the current political climate in Kansas. He used current and historical data, analysis and video advertising to help us learn and understand the upcoming 2026 races, get to know primary candidates from their announcement videos, and put the candidates, messages, and possible races in context with previous Kansas elections. His website archives over a thousand Kansas political ads!

 

 

 

Join the LWVTSC Book Club

The LWVTSC book club meets at 11 am on the second Friday of every month. We’re currently 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:
October 10 – The Girl with the Louding Voice, Abi Dare
November 14 – James, Percival Everett
December 12 – Talk about books for 2026 and in general

LWV Board Updates

  • The LWVTSC will host the statewide LWV Kansas conference in the spring of 2027.
  • We recently reviewed and reaffirmed our DEI policy. We are also reviewing other policies as they align with our state and national entities.
  • The Board posted a press release with this statement on Mail In Ballots and Voting Machines.

State League Action Alerts & Newsletter

Stay informed of State League of Women Voters activity.

Statement on Mail In Ballots and Voting Machines

Posted by & filed under Board of Directors, Media.

The Board of Directors recently sent the following statement as a press release to local outlets.

The Board of Directors of the League of Women Voters of Topeka-Shawnee County aligns with the recent statement from the League of Women Voters of the US in support of mail-in ballots and voting machines..

Dr. Glenda Overstreet Vaughn, President, stated, “At a time when democracy should be valued and promoted,  the need is present to defend democracy due to ongoing initiatives that attempt to diminish citizens’ basic voting rights.”  Senate Bill 4 changes the voted mail ballot deadline date, effective March 2026, to have voted mail ballots to the county election office by 7 pm on Election Day. “This significantly reduces the flexibility of receiving voted ballots within a reasonable timeline to accommodate the mail handling process without providing residents’ fair and due process for ineffective mail handling.

“Under our Constitution and system of laws, elections are primarily a state function with little federal involvement,” said Paul Post, Vice President of the Board of Directors. “Also, as a Shawnee County election worker since 2018, I can attest to the security and safety of voting on the available machines in Shawnee County.”

“Our legislators are elected to ensure that our rights are protected, not diminished.  We must safeguard the process to move forward and not backward.  To give extended time for voted mail in ballots presumedly in an effort to accommodate mail inefficiency and then change the rule of law without addressing mail inefficiency doesn’t seem to be an efficient resolve to the issue at hand, it is simply reverting back to an old problem,” said Dr. Overstreet-Vaughn.

Membership Renewal: Changes and Instructions

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Beginning in February 2025, joining and renewing membership with the League became a standardized nationwide process regardless of which local or state League a member is part of. Below is information about the renewal period, how to join/renew through the LWV Member Portal, and how to join/renew offline.

Renewal Period

Reminding a member to renew is now a collaborative process between the Membership Portal and the local League.   Members will be reminded to renew their membership several times.

  1. All members will receive a renewal reminder email 60 days before their expiration date (for most of LWVTSC’s members the expiration date is December 31). 
  2. Members who do not renew in response to that first email will receive a second renewal reminder email 30 days before their expiration date.
  3. After the second email, LWVTSC will reach out with a reminder to the members who have not renewed. That reminder may be via email or phone call as in the past. 
  4. If the member does not renew before their expiration date, they will receive another reminder email from LWVUS on their expiration date.  Those members also will be contacted by LWVTSC.
  5. Unrenewed members will receive a final reminder email 45 days after their expiration date.

During a 60-day grace period after a member’s expiration date they are still considered an active member. After 60 days, they will be considered inactive. (For most LWVTSC members, those who have not renewed by March 1, 2026, will be placed in inactive status.)  Their member data will be preserved in the Membership Portal. LWVTSC may continue to contact recently inactive members to encourage them to re-join.

Joining/Renewing Online

Members are encouraged to join and renew online. This video gives a step-by-step overview of the online join/renew form. (It’s very fast though.) The process of renewing is similar to that of joining, except that for renewing members some of the fields on the renewal form will be pre-filled with information LWV already has about a member. LWVTSC has added a link to the online join/renew portal on its website.   Note that current members can access the Membership Portal via links sent in the renewal reminder emails and also by using the link on the LWVTSC website. When loggin in to the Portal, use the email address where your renewal reminder and the Voter are delivered.  The form should be almost entirely filled out for renewing members, but one thing to be careful of–towards the bottom of the form be sure the “League” box specifies LWV of Topeka-Shawnee County.

Annual Dues Have Become More Flexible

In the past, the local leagues had the ability to set their own dues.  However, this year the US League assumed that responsibility and has adopted a “Pay what you can” model.  The recommended dues are $75, but you can choose to pay any amount, $20 or over. When you get to the “Dues” box, there is a drop down list with varying amounts (all $75 or over).  If you choose to pay less than $75, select the last one in the list “Choose your own amount (Minimum $20)” and enter the amount you’d like to pay in the “Dues Amount” box.

Adding a Second Member During Online Renewal

The new membership structure does not include ‘household’ memberships.  Each member is individual.  However, when a member joins or renews, they can also join or renew on behalf of a second member. Some important things to note about this process:

  • The member can specify if the second member lives in a household with them or not. This function can be used for gift memberships, in addition to replacing what was formerly household membership.
  • When the member chooses their dues amount, it will be the amount for each member, that is, the dues amount selected will be doubled. (Remember that while the recommended dues are $75, any amount over $20 per member may be paid.)
  • Each member is identified in the LWV member data by their unique email address, so each member’s email addresses must match the one already associated with that member. For members who share an Gmail inbox, the email address for the second individual can be appended with a + to function as a distinct username. As an example, the email address SuzySmith @ gmail.com could be used in the LWV database for Suzy’s daughter if altered to: SuzySmith+herdaughter @ gmail.com.  For instructions on how to do this, see this Gmail blog.

Joining/Renewing Offline

If you want to join or renew offline, you may send your check payable to “LWV” for the amount of dues you wish to pay along with a completed copy of the ‘Join Form’ to:

LWVTSC 

PO Box 67251

Topeka, KS  66667

 

Do not include a ‘sustainer’ donation in your dues check.  Any amount in a dues check will be split among the local, state, and national leagues.  A separate donation check or online donation from our website is always gratefully accepted.

LWVTSC 

PO Box 67251

Topeka, KS  66667

For additional information about joining and renewing see the LWVTSC website.