LWV OPRF October 12 Week in Preview
Tomorrow: October Second Tuesday
Join us tomorrow, October 13, 9:30 - 11:00am, for "Keep Calm and Vote! Exercising Your Right to Vote in 2020." Hear our own Peggy Kell on safe voting practices, ask your questions about the 2020 election, and more. The flyer is here; to attend, sign up here. Hope to see you and invite a friend! The link will be sent out at 5pm Monday, but we'll check again for any late registrants after that.
The Color Tax: Origins of the Modern Day Racial Wealth Gap
Also on Tuesday, October 13, 12:00 - 2:00 pm, the Adlai Stevenson Center on Democracy in collaboration with the Southside Film Festival and the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity at Duke University will preview The Color Tax, a 37-minute documentary that unpacks the largely hidden story of contract peddling in Chicago, how it worked, why it was allowed, and what happened when black families organized to fight back. Natalie Moore of WBEZ will moderate the panel discussion following. You can attend by registering here.
Election Information
1.Here is a list of Cook County Drop Box locations for your Vote By Mail ballot. This list may be updated in the coming days.
2.Do you need a ride to the polls on November 3, Election Day? Lyft is giving discount rides to voters who want to vote or drop off their mail ballots. Use the code VOTE2020 to get the discount.
3.LWV Tallahassee is selling some voting t-shirts. They come with two designs and the price is $19.99. Go here to see the designs and purchase a shirt.
Be a Fair Tax Advocate
The campaign to pass the Fair Tax constitutional amendment is drawing to a close, and we need everyone's help to reach the finish line successfully! Now more than ever it's time to modernize our tax system by making possible a graduated income tax, a position the Illinois LWV has supported for 5o years. Talk to your family, friends and neighbors about this important step to make Illinois a fairer and better place to live for everyone. Key points: 
  • The Fair Tax will provide funding for education, healthcare, and job creation.
  • People who earn less than $250,000 will pay the same or less in taxes.
  • Retirement income will NOT be taxed. 
  • The majority of small businesses will get tax relief. 
Need more information? Check out the LWV IL's Advocacy Toolkit. Want it live? Attend "Fair Tax Facts" on Wednesday, October 14, 7-8pm, presented by the LWV OPRF Fair Tax Outreach Group and sponsored by the River Forest Library. Register here.
Criminal Justice Consensus Study
The Criminal Justice Committee recently reached consensus on Section #3: Gender-Responsive Approach for All Offenders. They unanimously answered "YES" to the question: "Should a Gender Responsive Approach be used for all offenders with the goal of equitable and appropriate treatment?" 
Sections 1 through 7 will be discussed at our virtual Membership Wide Consensus Meeting on October 29 at 6:30 p.m. This will be the first of 2 meetings we will hold to provide short presentations, answer questions and ultimately reach consensus on all 14 sections. We urge everyone to attend and to submit any questions you may have to Beverly Graham. To attend the Zoom meeting, please register here. A new matrix summary of the study questions with Pro and Con postings is here. You can also refer back to the complete study materials here.
Sister, Sister
LWV US October 8