Recap: Our Inaugural Member Social Salon
by Cathia Friou
WIF’s first salon experience on 9/24 was a booming success! After an informative presentation by the League of Women Voters, the evening turned into a robust discussion with comments and questions from the women who gathered. Mary Condon and Sara Baysinger of the non-partisan LWV spoke about the importance of voter access, voter turnout, and preventing voter suppression, among other things. With a mission of empowering voters and defending democracy, the LWV envision a democracy where “every person has the desire, the right, the knowledge, and the confidence to participate.” And while they are firmly non-partisan (they neither endorse nor oppose political parties or candidates), they do hold certain policy beliefs. One is that “every US resident should have access to affordable, quality health care, including birth control and the privacy to make reproductive choices.”
The LWV of Charlotte-Mecklenburg engages voters and safeguards elections through:
- Voter registration drives on college campuses, new citizens ceremonies, at festivals, museums, events, farmers’ markets, transitional housing sites, senior centers, and more.
- Voter education about crucial voting dates and deadlines, new voting laws including the Voter ID statute, and resources including VOTE411.org (non-partisan voter guide).
- An annual, open-to-the-public Civics 101 program covering the county board of elections, city and county government, school board, local judiciary, and the media.
- County Board of Elections monitoring
- Candidate forums and Co-sponsorship with the NC Trusted Elections Tour
Early voting, often one of the most convenient ways to vote, starts October 17th and runs through November 2nd. For early voting sites, click here. Every vote counts, and it can be closer than you think. In 2002, for example, the difference in the Charlotte City Council District 06 race was a mere 314 votes. All voting requires a copy of your driver’s license or a passport. It can be up to one year expired and your address need not be current. (Note that all absentee ballots require a copy of your driver’s license and more info about voting by mail can be found here.) We learned that while almost half of the states allow same day registration, NC is not on that list. So be sure that you and your family/friends register ahead of the October 11th deadline. If you are interested in working the polls, either for early voting or on election day, click here for more information. And if you want to learn more about the LWV or have an interest in joining the local league, click here.
Feedback about our first salon-style format was overwhelmingly positive. In keeping with the authentic salon vibe, we were at our full capacity of 25 (and even able to accommodate some folks from the waiting list). Many thanks to Mary Stokes for opening her home to host the evening, and to the others who volunteered their homes for future salons. Be on the lookout for our next salon event in January. Better than a blowout – WIF Salons are here to stay!
