2022, like all election years, was a busy and productive time for the League. Our Voter Service teams were responsible for Candidate Forums, Pros & Cons presentations and the Voter's Edge online resource that helped thousands of voters make decisions about how to cast their ballots. This work, plus voter registration, is at the core of the League's mission and our member and non-member volunteers did us proud.
Building Leadership
Although 2023 is not an election year, it will be an important time to strengthen our leadership infrastructure in preparation for 2024 which promises to be a challenging Presidential Election year. We urgently need more members to step up into leadership roles including chairing Voter Registration and serving on the Board. Please contact me to discuss these opportunities and how a few hours of your time and talents can have a deep impact on our community.
Growing Membership
Our League added 25 new members in 2022! Much of this success can be attributed to the enthusiastic efforts of the Membership Committee but it is also notable that many of our new members do not know anyone in the League and came to us on their own. They are concerned about the increasing number of threats to voting rights and fair elections and, as several commented, "I just want to do something to protect democracy." We welcome them and hope they will quickly become an active part of our organization.
More Together Time
Zoom was a life saver during the pandemic and has proven to be an efficient tool for committee and Board meetings. It's also been effective for Lunch with League, allowing us to have fabulous speakers from out of the area and expand attendance. But people crave in-person events as they become more comfortable with returning to social interaction. We held two in-person social events last year, and plan to offer more in 2023, starting with the annual Program Planning meeting on Feb. 4. It will be a joy to gather together for League business and casual conversations that deepen our commitment to the League and to each other.
Whatever resolutions you might be making for 2023, I hope that increasing your involvement with the League is one of them. We need you.
On behalf of the officers and Board of Directors, we wish you and your family a healthy and hopeful new year!
Diane
Diane McNutt