Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy.
2022 ANNUAL MEETING
VIEW THE RECAP
The League of Women Voters of Licking County held our Annual Meeting on April 28, 2022, which featured a report by President Rita Kipp, election of officers and a presentation by guest speaker Jim Lenner of Neighborhood Strategies.
As the former Village Manager of Johnstown, Jim Lenner now advises local governments on economic development-related issues. His presentation provided additional details on the anticipated impacts the Intel project will likely have on our county and suggest ways that citizens can get involved in the planning processes.
LEADERS IN LOCAL VOTER REGISTRATION
NONPARTISAN ADVOCATES FOR GOOD GOVERNMENT
We believe in the power of women to create a more perfect democracy. The League of Women Voters of Licking County, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
We envision a democracy where every person has the desire, the right, the knowledge, and the confidence to participate.
We work across Licking County to register voters, host nonpartisan candidate forums, and educate voters on issues important to maintaining a vibrant democracy. Learn more about us.
GET UNBIASED VOTING INFORMATION
VOTE 411 IS YOUR ONE-STOP-SHOP FOR BALLOT DETAILS
This award-winning online tool from the League of Women Voters Education Fund allows you to quickly and easily learn what’s on your ballot, find your polling place, confirm registration details and much more.
LEAGUE DONATES HYGIENE BAGS
MLK DAY SERVICE PROJECT SUPPORTS UNHOUSED AND AT-RISK POPULATIONS IN LICKING COUNTY
The League of Women Voters of Licking County collected toiletries and select clothing items to create hygiene bags for Newark Homeless Outreach, which serves unhoused families in the region. Items collected included toothbrushes, toothpaste, soaps and sanitary products along with hats, socks and gloves. The League exceeded our goal of creating 45 bags, collecting supplies for a total of 66 bags. We shared the surplus with other organizations that serve the unhoused including the Center for New Beginnings, a confidential emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence.
REDBIRD BOOKS TO PRISONS
LEAGUE COLLECTS & DONATES BOOKS TO INCARCERATED OHIOANS
In celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the NAACP, in partnership with the League of Women Voters of Licking County, and other allied organizations collected approximately 600 gently used books for Redbird Books for Prisoners, a nonprofit organization that sends books to incarcerated individuals in correctional facilities across Ohio.
A huge thanks to LWV member Emily Vermillion for coordinating both the book and hygiene bag service projects!
SHAPING OUR DEMOCRACY
LEAGUE DEMANDS FAIR DISTRICTS FOR FAIR ELECTIONS
Once every ten years, states draw new maps for congressional and state legislative districts based on population data collected via the U.S. Census. In 2015 and 2018, Ohioans voted overwhelmingly to support changes to the map-making process. These statewide ballot initiatives won in all 88 Ohio counties and by more than 70% of the vote. These reforms created rules that create a bipartisan process for drawing the maps and focuses on keeping communities together.
It is now up to us to hold the mapmakers accountable and abide by the rules we voted to create. The League of Women Voters is part of the Fair Districts Coalition, a non-partisan troup working to create a better and more equitable representational democracy. Learn more and get involved.
FIGHT FOR FAIR MAPS CONTINUES
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF OHIO FILES LAWSUITS CHALLENGING STATE & CONGRESSIONAL MAPS
When public officials–of ANY party– draw legislative district maps to only benefit their political party it hurts our democracy. This practice is called Gerrymandering. Despite new constitutional rules to prohibit this practice, Ohio Governor Mike Dewine recently signed Gov. DeWine signed Senate Bill 258, the gerrymandered congressional four-year map. This is the second Ohio redistricting lawsuit filed this year by the League and other good government organizations. – The first was brought in September, to challenge the state House and Senate Districts, which are also severely gerrymandered. Learn more.
ADVOCATING FOR GREATER GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY
LEAGUE PRESIDENT RECOMMENDS REFORMS TO HEALTH DISTRICT ADVISORY COUNCIL OPERATIONS
In a series of two guest columns in the Newark Advocate, Rita Kipp, President of the League of Women Voters of Licking County, suggested that the county’s District Advisory Committee was not in compliance with Ohio Sunshine Laws. The little-known Advisory Committee is tasked with making appointments to the Board of Health in Licking County.
Part 1: Licking Health oversight has room for Improvement.
Part 2: A better way to organize oversight to the Licking County Health Board.
LEAGUE HOSTS CANDIDATE FORUMS
VIEW RECAPS OF THESE 4 SPECIAL EVENTS
Prior to the November 2, 2021 election, the League of Women Voters of Licking County partnered with the Granville Chamber of Commerce and the Newark Advocate to host a series of candidate forms for local races. Click the links below to view recordings or recaps of each event:
Granville Exempted Village Schools Board of Education candidate forum
Granville Village Council and Granville Township Trustee candidate forum
FAIR MAPS DAY
LWV OF LICKING COUNTY CALLS FOR END TO PARTISAN GERRYMANDERING
On September 21st, a coalition of good government advocates from across the state, including Ohio Environmental Council, Common Cause Ohio, and the Ohio Council of Churches joined the League of Women Voters for Fair Maps Day, a series of events to demand a fair redistricting process and an end to partisan gerrymandering. Close to a dozen members of the Licking County League attended the press conference at the historic Trinity Episcopal Church and rally at the Ohio Statehouse. A delegation also met with Senator Hottinger’s office about the congressional district mapping process. Learn more about the maps passed by the Ohio Redistricting Commission.
OHIO REDISTRICTING COMMISSION HEARINGS HELD AROUND STATE
LWV OF LICKING COUNTY MEMBERS TESTIFY IN ZANESVILLE
The Ohio Redistricting Commission held a series of public hearings about the mapmaking process at college campuses across Ohio the week of August 23rd. More than 20 members of the League of Women Voters of Licking County attended the hearing in Zanesville.
WORKING TO END GERRYMANDERING
THE POSTCARD PROJECT FOR FAIR MAPS
Members of the League of Women Voters of Licking County have written hundreds of postcards to Ohio’s legislative map-makers to urge a transparent map-making process that keeps communities together and reflects the redistricting reforms passed overwhelmingly by voters.
