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Date: 2/11/2022
Subject: Your February Issue of The Voter: The Voice of LWVCO
From: Beth Hendrix



Colorado Voter
• FEBRUARY 2022 

Celebrating Black History Month
February is Black History Month, and the League recognizes the many accomplishments and contributions of Black women in the voting rights movement. LWVUS recently published a compelling blog article that tells us more about these powerful, influential women.

Happy Birthday To The League!
The League of Women Voters of the United States turns 102 years young on Monday, Feb. 14, and we are proud to be part of this amazing legacy.
 
Celebrate LWV's ongoing impact with a virtual rally -- this is one birthday party that you don't want to miss!
 
Taking action with us now will ensure another 100+ years of empowering voters and defending democracy together.

Countering Mis- & Disinformation
Americans, especially in disenfranchised communities, are constantly bombarded with lies and misleading information about our election system, public policies, and government actions. These falsehoods fuel attacks on voting rights and sow distrust in our democratic processes.

False narratives about our democracy continue to spread and require countering with trusted, factual information that does not repeat the falsehoods. Until we address the underlying narrative that is driving these falsehoods, we will continue to see attacks on voting rights and disinformation seeking to sow distrust in our election system and limit voter participation.
How Do We Combat Mis- And Disinformation? 
  • Never quote the bad information. This only helps to spread the bad messages wider, and studies show that repeating bad info -- even to debunk it -- makes people more likely to remember the bad info and not your good info.
  •  Refer to the bad information without repeating it. Say, “Some bad actors are making false claims about the legitimacy of the 2020 election,” rather than, “Rep. XYZ says that thousands of ballots were stuffed at the election office. This isn’t true.”
  • Focus on providing the correct information and, if possible, include trustworthy sources for where to learn more.
  • Inoculation messaging: Think of GOOD information like a vaccine! You want to proactively inoculate against anticipated problematic content before it spreads.
  •  The method of showing “myth” vs. “fact” only spreads the “myth” further. Find ways to call out the bad information without repeating it.
Want to know more about the media's role in presenting information? Visit the Interactive Media Bias Chart, produced by Ad Fontes Media.

LWVCO Is Hiring

 

Are you looking for a meaningful career that supports the vital work of the League through fundraising and donor relations?

 

Join us as our part-time Development Manager! Learn more about this exciting opportunity by reading the job description.

 

Know someone else who might be a good fit? Please encourage them to apply!


Upcoming Events

Civil Discourse Workshop
 
LWVCO is partnering with the Zonta Club of Denver to present a workshop, "Engaging In Civil Discourse Around Polarizing Issues," on Tuesday, Feb. 22 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Led by Dr. Martin Carcasson, Professor of Communication Studies at Colorado State University, this workshop will teach methods and strategies to employ when communicating with others around issues that may impact all of us differently. The hope is that each participant can productively add value to our shared conversations as members of a larger community.
 
Register now to participate in this exciting and relevant workshop!

About The Speaker
Martín Carcasson, Ph.D., is the founder and director of the CSU Center For Public Deliberation. For seven years, ending in January 2021, he served as the chair of the National Coalition For Dialogue & Deliberation.

Feb. 12
10:00 a.m. - Member Coffee: Climate Emergency Update [LWV Boulder County]

 

Feb. 13

2:00 p.m. - Love The League 2022 [LWV Pikes Peak Region]

 

Feb. 14

9:00 a.m. - Birthday Action Virtual Rally [LWVUS]

12:00 p.m. - Guest Speaker: Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition [LWV Chaffee County]

12:00 p.m. - Making TANF Work Better For Colorado Families [Colorado Social Legislation Committee] *NOTE: This is the CSLC Zoom link; registration is not required

 

Feb. 15

5:30 p.m. - Program Briefing: Commerce City Oil Refinery & Air Quality [LWV Denver]

 

Feb. 16

10:00 a.m. - Learn With The League: Update On Rocky Mountain National Park [LWV Estes Park]

1:00 p.m. - Community Forum: Fighting For Voting Rights - Then & Now [LWV Santa Barbara]

7:00 p.m. - Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Loveland Public Library [LWV Larimer County]

 

Feb. 17

5:30 p.m. - The Constitution Series: Critical Race Theory [LWV Pueblo]

 
Feb. 22
12:00 p.m. - Talk With County Commissioners [LWV Chaffee County]

3:00 p.m. - Monthly Community Call [LWVUS]

 

Feb. 23

12:00 p.m. - Election Process, Security & Precinct Changes [LWV Uncompahgre Valley]

 
Feb. 24
11:00 a.m. - Great Decisions Discussion Group: Climate Change [LWV Arapahoe & Douglas Counties]

 

Feb. 26

8:30 a.m. - Bold Women. Change History. Symposium [History Colorado]

1:00 p.m. - New Member Welcome Event [LWV Jefferson County]
 
Feb. 28
10:00 a.m. - Book Discussion Club: "Dark Money" [LWV Arapahoe & Douglas Counties]
 
Mar. 1
 

NOTE: All times are Mountain. Are any events missing from this list? Please notify communications@lwvcolorado.org to be included in our next email. Thank you!


General Resources

House Bill 22-1091, which would enable the publication of Colorado's high-court opinions in a free, searchable online format, passed the House Judiciary Committee this week. The bill would require the state judicial department to make all opinions by the state Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, going all the way back to the time of statehood, available by March 1, 2024. Current state law only requires print publication, so this project would make research easier for those who can't afford subscriptions to legal journal databases. The measure will now be considered by the House Appropriations Committee. Read more.

 

Have you seen the new quarters yet? The coins will feature iconic women like poet and activist Maya Angelou and suffragist and politician Nina Otero-Warren. The U.S. Mint will produce these special quarters through 2025.

 

The legal battle over reproductive health has been making headlines, and safeguarding these rights is an important part of the League's positions. Here are some actions that LWV has taken across the country to protect these choices for women everywhere. Looking for a way to support LWVCO's advocacy at the state level? We know this issue will be a focal point of the current legislative session, so we are proactively building a group of supporters to form a Reproductive Rights Task Force. Sign up now to be contacted with more details as they become available!


Around The State

A New Day In Federal Heights
 
The city of Federal Heights just made Colorado history. Its current City Council is the first in the state to be entirely comprised of women.
 
Though similar all-female councils exist in cities across the country, such compositions are still rare. Political analysts have noted the opportunities that this configuration can represent not only for Federal Heights but also other municipalities when tackling a variety of issues.
 
Read more coverage about this exciting topic!

Special District Election Deadline
 
Are you interested in running for a seat on your special district board? The deadline for filing to run is Friday, Feb. 25. Special district elections will be held on Tuesday, May 3.

All special districts -- including water, sanitation, fire protection, parks and recreation, and metropolitan districts -- are required to conduct elections to fill their boards. Board members are normally elected for a period of four years.
 
It is especially important to run for boards in metro districts that are overseen by developers. Conflicts of interest are created when developers and/or their relatives or employees make up the board.

A sample form (SD-7) is posted on the Department of Local Affairs website. Open the link for Election Preparation Documents, then open form SD-7. Completed forms must be submitted to the designated election official by 5 p.m. on February 25. 

Discovering the designated election official for your board may not be easy, so you can call the special district or check its website. In addition, the self-nomination form must be signed by the candidate and must also be signed and witnessed by any eligible Colorado elector. Other information on the form must also be handwritten in ink by the candidate and/or witness. Some forms have reportedly been rejected for typing the requested information.


Donor Recognition

We could not perform the vital work of empowering voters and defending democracy without the generous contributions of our members and the public. Please visit our website for a list of our most recent donors. Thank you all for your support!


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