MONTGOMERY VOTER. Promoting political responsibility through informed and active participation in government. 2017/18 No.

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1 MONTGOMERY VOTER L E A G U E O F W O M E N V O T E R S OF M O N T G O M E R Y C O U N T Y, M D Promoting political responsibility through informed and active participation in government 2017/18 No. 9 May 2018 Trending Topics Focuses on Legislative Results in Annapolis & More The 2018 Maryland General Assembly was a busy one. The May 21 Trending Topics, A Legislative Wrap Up, will be at the Silver Spring Library from 6:45 to 8:30 pm. Erin Prangley from the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Maryland and Lois Hybl of the Maryland League will be the speakers. As an added bonus, Jackie Coolidge, chair of the Volunteer Lobby Corps for LWVUS will speak on lobbying in general and at the US congress. During the General Assembly in 2018, LWVMD submitted testimony on over 60 bills and published six issues of Report from State Circle, in addition to issuing action alerts and news bulletins. The LWVMD legislative priorities for 2018 are: Making Democracy Work (including redistricting reform), Protecting the Environment, and Promoting Social and Economic Justice. The Lobby Corp Team of LWVUS is League members, who visit select Members of Congress once a month to lobby on the priority issues of LWVUS. The League has been know for its active lobbying efforts from the beginning of its almost 100-year history. Chris Hager Creating a Hunger-Free Montgomery County May Discussion Groups Even in Montgomery County, Maryland, one of the wealthiest, best educated, and healthiest counties in the U.S., some residents are struggling to avoid hunger. According to Feeding American, a national non-profit, about 70,780 people (including 33,000 children) living in the county in 2016 were faced with a shortage of nutritious, affordable, and accessible food. Included in the hunger statistics are seniors, children, the foreign born, people with disabilities, and residents below the Self-Sufficiency Standard. Although the problem of hunger isn t simple, it is solvable. Montgomery County s 2017 Food Security Plan: What we know now and what we can do is a 5-Year strategic plan aimed at increasing food security by 22% at the end of Year 3 of the Plan. Come join a Discussion Group to hear how the County is working to make all residents food secure. Learn who the large and small non-profit food assistance providers are and how federal and local government programs provide food assistance. Discussion Groups will respond to one consensus-seeking question. If you are unable to attend a discussion group but would like to have a voice, read the Fact Sheet and review the consensus question. Send your response to the MC League Office via to lwvmc@erols.com or mail to LWVMC office. Please, no phone calls. Marcia Kingman Help Distribute Voters Guide at Giant. Contact Karen Logsdon. kklogsdon@gmail.com Tel: (301) lwvmc@erols.com Web: lwvmocomd.org Like us: Follow us:

2 President Nancy Bliss Program VP Chris Hager Action VPs Adrienne McBride Linda Silversmith VP, Discussion Group Coordinator Kathleen Krause Secretary Judy Morenoff Treasurer Brigitta Mullican COMMITTEES Agriculture Margaret Chasson Civic Engagement Zaida Arguedas Communications Carol Blackburn County 101 Study Cathleen Barnes Economic Development Study Margaret Chasson Education Maxine Lewack LWVMC OFFICERS & COMMITTEES Fundraising Diane Hibino Health & Human Services Chris Hager Housing, Historic Preservation Melpi Jeffries Sally Roman International Relations Judy Whiton Land Use / Transportation Bee Ditzler bditzle@yahoo.com Making Democracy Work Mary Lanigan malanigan1@comcast.net Membership Marcia Bond marciadbond@gmail.com Marcia Kingman marcia.kingman@verizon.net Natural Resources Linda Silversmith linsil@usermail.com Network for Children Carol Gross carolwgma@gmail.com Newsletter Editor Linna Barnes linnabarnes@gmail.com Speakers Bureau Carla Satinsky The Montgomery Voter is published by the League of Women Voters of Montgomery County, MD, Inc. - Citizen Education Fund. President s Letter Loyalty to petrified opinions never yet broke a chain or freed a human soul in this world and never will. - Mark Twain Hi Everyone, Good news! The LWVUS board voted to waive Student PMP at the national level through January LWVUS recognizes that growth in the organization is needed at every level. Increasing the membership for the next generation is vital. What does this mean for LWVMC? Currently the League has 5 student members paying a reduced rate. The board members at the June meeting will discuss whether to waive the student dues. Please give us your input! Before we head into the lazy days of summer, certainly a misnomer this year with the primary election being held on June 26 th, make sure to register for the June 2 nd annual meeting. Check the registration form flyer in this issue for details. My letter also will be the last call for delegates to the LWVUS convention, June 28-July 1, in Chicago. Space is available, but do not delay to inform me. Trying something new can be challenging, but the April gun control discussion group meetings proved to be a big success. Topics for future discussion group meetings are most welcome. The May discussion group topic will be consensus on food security in Montgomery County. Plan to attend! Be sure to attend the Trending Topics meeting at the Silver Spring library on Monday, May 21 st, for an informative wrap up of the Maryland General Assembly session. Details are in the flyer. Enjoy the beautiful spring! Nancy Bliss WELCOME NEW MEMBERS We look forward to meeting you. Please join us at a May Discussion Group, Committee meeting or the Annual Meeting. IN MEMORIAM LWVMC received a thoughtful donation In Memory of Jonney Lawrence, who was an office manager for LWVMC many years ago. Bethesda Brinklow Chevy Chase North Potomac Rockville Silver Spring Silver Spring Silver Spring Sarah Killory Mimi Hassanein Chandler Tagliabue Laura Riese Meagan Sheppard Margie Epstein Sue Docktor Jane Myers 2

3 MAY 2018 EVENTS CALENDAR All meetings are open to the public. LWVMC Office & Montgomery County libraries are handicap-accessible. KEY: M = Monday, Tu = Tuesday, W = Wednesday, Th = Thursday, F = Friday, Sa = Saturday, Su = Sunday a = am, n = noon, p = pm or midnight DATE & TIME EVENT LOCATION 2, W, 9:45a LWVMC May Board Meeting LWVMC Office 2, W, 12:30p Discussion Group Council LWVMC Office 4, F, 10a Dry Run for Food Security Discussion Groups LWVMC Office 5, Sa LWVNCA Annual Convention Clyde s at Gallery Place, DC 6, 8-10,14,21 Discussion Groups: Food Security See Page 4 11, F, 8a-3p Affordable Housing Conference Bethesda Conference Center 12, Sa VOTE411 goes live 15, Tu, 6:45a-8:45p LWVMD Spring Fundraiser Tour Legendary Ladies of the Chesapeake 21, M, 6:45p Trending Topics: Legislative Update Silver Springs Library, Room 2 28, M Memorial Day LWVMC Office Closed COMMITTEE MEETINGS (Contact chairperson(s) listed on p2 for more information and to confirm date.) 4, F, 10a Agriculture LWVMC Office, Dry Run for DG 16, W, 6:30p Communications LWVMC Office County 101 Study Economic Development Education No Meeting No Meeting Contact Maxine Lewack 7, M, 1p HHS / Substance Use & Abuse Study LWVMC Office Housing Contact Melpi Jefferies 24, Th, 1:30p International Relations 846 New Mark Espl., Rockville Land Use & Transportation No Meeting 1, T, 7p Making Democracy Work LWVMC Office 21, M, 10a Membership LWVMC Office Natural Resources COMING IN JUNE AND JULY Contact Linda Silversmith June 2, Sa, 10a LWVMC Annual Meeting and Lunch Leisure World 2, Sa, 6:45p Big Train Baseball, LWVMC Nonprofit of the Night Shirley Povich Field 6, W, 9:45a LWVMC May Board Meeting LWVMC Office 6, W, 12:30p Delegates to LWVUS Convention Meeting LWVMC Office 13, W, 9:30-3 Incoming/Outgoing Board Retreat Hallowood 14-21, Th-Th, 10-8 Primary Election Early Voting 26, Tu, 7a-8p Gubernatorial Primary Election 28-July1, Th-Su LWVUS Convention 2018 Chicago July 4, W Independence Day -LWVMC & LWVMD Offices Closed 9, M Voter Registration Reopens 3

4 MAY 2018 DISCUSSION GROUPS: Food Security in Montgomery Co. Consensus All meetings are open to the public. Meetings held at the LWVMC office, Lakelands Clubhouse, and Riderwood are handicap-accessible. SUNDAY, MAY 6 2:00 PM UPCOUNTY / WEEKEND Lakelands Clubhouse 960 Main Street, Gaithersburg Contact: Carol Blackburn, TUESDAY, MAY 8 7:30 PM TUESDAY PM Strand Dr., Apt. 302, N. Bethesda Contact: Carol Gross, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9 9:30 AM BETHESDA/POTOMAC 9608 Hawick Lane, Kensington Contact: Margaret Chasson, :15 AM ROSSMOOR/LEISURE WORLD Leisure World Clubhouse 1, Silver Spring Contact: Maxine Lewack, Lunch and Annual Meeting! Be sure to attend the LWVMC Annual Meeting and Luncheon, Saturday, June 2 nd. Join us to elect new LWVMC officers and board members, adopt a new budget, choose new studies, and salute our 50 year members. We will talk about our accomplishments of the past year and set our sights for new League opportunities for 2018/19. Your vote counts! The event will take place at Leisure World Club House I in the Maryland Room, 3701 Rossmoor Blvd, just off Georgia Avenue. Registration opens at 9:30 AM with the program commencing at 10:00 AM. Coffee and tea will be provided in the morning and a buffet lunch will be served at Noon. The cost is all-inclusive with lunch at $ 25.00, or if you plan to attend only the meeting, it is $ Please bring your Member Handbook. Annual Meeting Workbooks are due to be ed out to the membership at the beginning of May, for your meeting preparation. Please note that there is no need to print out the Workbook, as print copies will be supplied at the Annual Meeting. If you would like a print copy before the meeting, contact the LWVMC Office. Members we don t have an address for will be mailed a print copy. If you have not received your Annual Meeting Workbook via or postal mail by mid-may, please contact the LWVMC Office. Please see the flyer for more details and register with the tear-off form. - Nancy Bliss and Cindy Snow THURSDAY, MAY 10 9:30 PM SILVER SPRING 7805 Hancock Ave, Takoma Park Contact: Hannah Baldwin, MONDAY, MAY 14 2:00 PM ROCKVILLE PM LWVMC Office Contact: Mary Lanigan, MONDAY, MAY 21 3:00 PM RIDERWOOD Town Center Classroom 1 Riderwood, Silver Spring Contact: Ruth Sachs LWVMC Awards History Day Prize Kathy Krause and Cathleen Barnes served as judges for the League Prize awarded during Montgomery County s History Day competition. Due to the high quality of this year s projects, they awarded the League prize to two projects a website in the Senior Division (high school) called, Quotas & Quibbles: A Series of Restrictive Immigration Acts of 20 th Century and a paper in the Junior Division (middle school) entitled, How the Conflict Over Chemicals Led to the Superfund Compromise. Both projects met the League s criteria: 1. Knowledge of democratic processes guaranteed by the Constitution, 2. Actions that resulted in positive change for our country 3. The role of citizens in the democratic process.

5 LWVMC NEWS AND MEMBERS Sunday at the Movies A Success! Our 2018 Sunday at the Movies Fundraiser was a big success. The Arts Barn was nearly full, the program was informative and inspiring and the delicious refreshments kept hunger at bay as we admired the fabulous raffle-prize food-basket on stage. We watched the The Hand That Feeds which follows a group of Hispanic deli workers in NYC who decide to unionize in order to improve their working conditions. From the genesis of the idea to the labor actions and setbacks, the workers feelings of uncertainty, trepidation, hopes and disappointments were shared with the audience and the ultimate resolution was a resounding success. Two short videos followed. Charles Krauthammer described his concept of a grand compromise to resolve the impasse on immigration policy. He proposes a twopronged approach, involving radical sovereignty and radical legalization. All immigrants presently in the country would be given legal status, but our borders would be controlled to stop all visa-less entry and a strong visa tracking system would be implemented. The Fabric of America was developed by county students from the Gandhi Youth Brigade who provided a pastiche of images and quotes about the immigrant experience. The excellent panel consisted of Mimi Hassanein, who migrated from Egypt in the 1970s, became a community activist, and is now in the county s Office of Community Partnerships; Laura Munoz Lopez, a 2016 college graduate who works on immigration policy as well as helps undocumented students pursue higher education and DACA status; and Chief of Police J. Thomas Manger who was uniquely qualified to answer audience questions about sanctuary cities and ICE relations with the county Dept. of Corrections. Our moderator again was Donald Mooers, himself an attorney who practices immigration and nationality law. Over 70 people attended and we raised over $12,000 towards Voters Services activities for this election year. Thanks to the fundraising committee and all who worked at Sunday at the Movies this year! And special thanks to our many donors, a list of whom can be found at lwvmoco.org. - Diane Hibino & Yoke San Reynolds Mimi Hassanein s new hijab MEMBER SPOTLIGHT NAME: Meagan Sheppard FIRST HOMETOWN: Brockton, MA FAVORITE HOMETOWN: Massachusetts will always be home (I ve had several!). LEISURE OBSESSION: Reading (anything & everything); being outside; sampling new local craft beers with my fiancée; traveling and spending time with family & friends WHAT I M GLAD I M GOOD AT: Analytical thinking & seeing the big picture. A problem isn t just a problem, often you need to get to the why behind the what in order to solve it. SECRET AMBITION: To publish my own nonfiction book. Someday! LEAGUE-SINCE WHEN, WHERE, WHY? I ve been volunteering with Montgomery County League since October 2017; this is the first League I ve been involved with. LEAGUE-WHY NOW? I have always been interested in voting and messaging its importance in an informal way (with friends and family). However, since the 2016 election and the realization that turnout is low and there are active voter suppression measures being taken by some states, I realized I needed to get involved with an organization that takes active measures to combat those problems. Since October, I have been editing the monthly Fact Sheets for the Montgomery County League. For the last two months, I have been coming into the office to run membership queries and assist with data entry and updates. 5

6 LWVMC NEWS US Supreme Court Hears MD Gerrymandering Case in April Ten members of LWVMC joined a rally at the Supreme Court on March 28 in support of fair and non-partisan redistricting. The rally was held on the same day the court heard oral arguments in the Maryland redistricting case Benisek v. Lamone. The case challenges Maryland s 2011 map for Maryland CD 6 that advocates argue was unconstitutionally gerrymandered. The rally was organized by the Tame the Gerrymander. Activists portraying the eight distorted districts in Maryland called on the Court to act. Activists from Virginia advocating for fair maps also joined the rally. A decision is expected in June. Efforts to advance redistricting reform bills in the Maryland legislature failed again this year. For the third year in a row, the Governor s proposal to establish a non-partisan commission to draw the boundaries, failed to get out of committee. If redistricting reform is important to you, find out more about the Tame the Gerrymander campaign and what you can do to help at Or contact Steve Daubresse of LWVMC at s.daubresse@outlook.com LWVMC members demonstrate at SCOTUS Big Train Baseball LWVMC will be participating once again in Big Train Baseball s Nonprofits of the Night, held at Shirley Povich Field in Cabin John Regional Park. Our organization will be introduced on an insert in the game night's program, and by an LWVMC member on the field before the game, with a ceremonial first pitch at 6:50. We will also have a table at the entrance to register voters and hand out our Voters' Guide. Each nonprofit receives 100 free tickets to the game. LWVMC s evening for Nonprofit of the Night is Saturday, June 2. Game starts at 7pm. Contact the League office to get your free tickets. Girl Scouts Visit LWVMC to Work on Behind the Ballot Badge Girl Scout Troup 4806 sales cookies to support their work Montgomery County Senior Girl Scout Troup 4806, which has been a troop for nine years, called on the League for help in earning the Behind the Ballot badge last month. The badge encourages the scouts to explore the importance of voting and to find out about the electoral process. League members Diane Hibino and Marcia Kingman enthusiastically responded to the opportunity to engage the scouts in some hands-on voter registration and mock voting. The Troop members who came for the visit are ninth graders from Richard Montgomery and Wootton High Schools who have committed to continuing in Scouts through high school and to working on their gold awards The Scouts delighted us with their wise questions and comments and their optimism about their future roles in civic affairs. It s worth noting that Girl Scout history parallels League history: the Girl Scouts recently celebrated 100 years of existence while the League is looking forward to 100 years in 2020; and the Girl Scouts and the League were both begun to open a larger world to women. When the founder of the Girl Scouts described her vision for the scouts, she said she wanted to blaze trails and redefine what was possible for girls everywhere; the Scouts would share a sense of adventure and a belief that they could do anything. And they would offer a helping hand to those in need and work together to improve their corner of the world. Not so different from what League members are committed to. - Marcia Kingman 6

7 LWVMD AND LWVUS NEWS EXCERPTS FROM LWVUS UPDATE EXCERPTS FROM THE LWVMD STATE BOARD LETTER - for full text go to lwvmd.org The League's Future League members find ourselves in an interesting position. We are witnessing many of the social and environmental laws that LWV and other organizations fought so hard for being eroded. The League is experiencing some growth in membership from people who are interested in correcting this trend, but in many cases, the "old League" is not meeting their needs. Instead we see numerous organizations popping up that seem to be usurping our agenda. What is the answer? For over a year LWVUS has been holding stakeholder meetings and using outside consulting firms to guide us through the process. There has been input from local League leaders, LWVUS Council of 2017, and several focus groups as well as analysis of similar outside organizations. The results to date are summarized in a document called the LWV Transformation Roadmap. The five main conclusions include: 1. We are not clear about our strategic focus; 2. The local, State and national organizations sometimes go in different directions; 3. The way we are structured is an impediment to organizational effectiveness and efficiency; 4. We have a culture that has failed to adapt to current trends in volunteerism and embrace diverse populations; and 5. We have significant deficits in organizational capacity, specifically staffing, communications, technology and fundraising. Each one of these is addressed in the "Road Map." The LWVMD Board has decided to devote most of State Council on June 9 in Harford County to a discussion of the points raised in this publication. The Roadmap is a work in progress. Your feedback is welcome and necessary if we are going to strengthen the League. This is our future. 7 League Submits Comments on Voting Rights The League submitted comments to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights as part of its ongoing assessment of federal enforcement of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) outlining the reasons the VRA is still needed today through the lens of the League's work to educate and assist voters. It also discusses efforts in states across the country to disenfranchise voters which include efforts to implement voter photo ID requirements, roll back early voting hours and eliminate pro-voter reforms like pre-registration and same day registration. Census Announces Question on Citizenship The U.S. Census is proposing a question that asks the citizenship status on the 2020 Census. The League called the addition of the question a step that would undermine the rights of eligible voters and threaten a process vital to our democracy. Letter Sent on Need to Reduce Gun Violence The League sent a letter to the U.S. Senate outlining the policies needed to curb gun violence. The League believes it is time for Congress to adopt legislation that will close the gun show loophole, increase penalties for straw purchases of guns, ban assault weapons, place limits on high capacity ammunition magazine size, and fund research and reporting on gun violence in America. Members of the LWVUS Lobby Corps visited with Senate offices regarding this important issue. League Partners on U.S. Clean Energy Progress Map The League joined the Environmental Defense Fund and other organizations to launch and promote the U.S. Clean Energy Progress Map. The Map shows the economic impact of clean energy growth across the country. The map is a non-partisan, free-to-use public resource that captures investments and jobs in the U.S. wind, solar and energy efficiency industries LWVMD Convention to Be in MoCo The State Board voted this month to hold the 2019 State Convention at the Marriott Courtyard at Rio in beautiful Gaithersburg, Maryland. We re looking forward to planning a great Convention. Note: The Montgomery County League will be hosting the 2019 Convention. When it is time we will need all volunteer hands on deck. Save the date, June 7-9, 2019.

8 SAVE-THE-DATE PRIMARY ELECTION EAST COUNTY COUNTY EXECUTIVE CANDIDATES FORUM Contested Candidates Roger Berliner (Confirmed) David Blair (Confirmed) Marc Elrich (Confirmed) Bill Frick (Invited) Rose Krasnow (Confirmed) George Leventhal (Confirmed) Forum Partners Greater Colesville Citizens Association Tamarack Triangle Civic Association League of Women Voters of Montgomery County National Council of Negro Women Montgomery County Section Stonegate Citizens Association Fairland Estates Civic Association District 14 Democratic Club Calverton Citizens Association Good Hope Estates Civic Association Hillandale Citizens Association Montgomery County Council of PTAs Primary Election - June 26, 2018 Early Voting for the Primary Election - Thursday, June 14, 2018 through Thursday, June 21, 2018 from 10 am until 8 pm at the Marilyn Praisner Recreation Center Hosted by: Coalition of East County Citizens, (eastcountycitizens@verizon.net)

9 League of Women Voters of Montgomery County TRENDING TOPICS MARYLAND LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Guest Speakers: What were the League s priority issues in this year s legislative session? What are the priority issues of other non-partisan organizations working to provide a voice for women and families? How do they work with the League? How does the League advocate in Maryland and the U.S. Congress for our issues? Erin Prangley, Vice President Public Policy, American Association of University Women (AAUW) - Maryland Lois Hybl, Action Vice President, LWV of Maryland Jackie Coolidge, Lobby Corps Team for LWVUS Monday, May 21, 2018, 6:45-8:30 PM S I L V E R S P R I N G L I B R A R Y 900 Wayne Avenue Silver Spring, MD Room 2 Free. Public always welcome. LWVMC is a nonpartisan organization that advocates on public policy and provides citizen education. It does not support or oppose any political party or candidate. Campaigning is not permitted. lwvmc@erols.com Website: lwvmocomd.org Tel:

10 2018 ANNUAL MEETING and LUNCHEON Saturday, June 2, 2018 Registration opens 9:30 am, Meeting 10:00 am to 1:30 pm JOIN US for the LWVMC ANNUAL MEETING! Leisure World - Clubhouse I in the Maryland Room 3700 Rossmoor Blvd, Silver Spring, MD Directions to Annual Meeting From Georgia Ave Entrance at Rossmoor Blvd (There is a large globe at the Georgia entrance.) At the Gate House identify yourself to the guard as a League of Women Voters visitor. After the gate house, go to the stop sign. From here, if you go straight, you will get to the handicapped drop off area. There is no parking there. For the parking lot, you make a left at the stop sign and an immediate right into the parking lot. Continue towards the back of the parking lot, the Clubhouse is at the back. The first building you pass is the administration building. Registration, 9:30 AM: coffee & hot tea Cold Luncheon Buffet, 12:00 noon Price: $25.00 Register online at Or Please return this reservation form to the League office: Parklawn Drive, Suite 105, Rockville, MD / Phone: / lwvmc@erols.com RESERVATION DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, MAY 25, 2018 *********************************************************************************************** 2018 ANNUAL MEETING RESERVATION ( ) I will come for the Annual Meeting AND Lunch ($25.00) I understand that my reservation is non-refundable. ( ) I will come for the Annual Meeting ONLY ($5.00) ( ) I need a Member Handbook TOTAL ENCLOSED: $ Name(s): Phone Number: Make your check payable to LWVMC and please enclose with registration.

11 LOOK FOR THESE INSERTS INSIDE YOUR VOTER: Fact Sheet: Food Security in Montgomery County Flyers: LWVMC Annual Meeting Registration Form County Executive Candidates Forum May Trending Topics Legislative Update Be Sure to Thank Our Calendar Outlets! LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD, INC Parklawn Dr, Suite 105 Rockville, MD ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Non-Profit Org. US Postage PAID Suburban MD Permit #77 MAY 2018 Issue 2017/18 No. 9 SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR SEPTEMBER ISSUE: Thursday, AUG. 9 news@lwvmocomd.org Stay Connected to LWVMC! Call to check office hours facebook.com/mont.lwvmd.org twitter.com/mocomdlwv lwvmc@erols.com lwvmocomd.org Donate today online JOIN HERE! JOIN NOW! HERE S WHY The women and men of the League of Women Voters of Montgomery County promote good government through nonpartisan, grassroots volunteer work. We Examine Issues Educate Citizens Register Voters Participate in Advocacy Membership includes affiliation with the League of Women Voters of Maryland and the League of Women Voters of the United States. LWV MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD Parklawn Dr, Suite 105, Rockville, MD NAME ADDRESS CITY, STATE, ZIP TEL (H) ANNUAL DUES Regular Membership $ nd member, same house $32.50 Student Membership $20.00 Optional Contribution (Non-deductible) TOTAL Please make your check payable to: LWVMC Or use credit card at: lwvmocomd.org