Save the Date! Join us on Tuesday, November 10, for our not-to-be missed Second Tuesday discussion on the election. The election was our topic in November, 2016, and we'll repeat the opportunity this year, with much to examine and discuss. Sign up here to register, and the Zoom ink will be sent to you prior to the event.

If you missed Ann Courter's Fair Tax presentation at the River Forest Public Library last week, you can view it here on the library's YouTube channel. It's only 30 minutes long with a lively discussion following. Key facts for everybody!

Early voting begins today and will last till November 2. Things to know about this election:

1.You can vote at any Cook County early voting site. Here is a list of those early voting sites. Grace period registration is available during early voting.

2.You can drop your mail ballot in a secure drop box at any early voting site. This secure drop box is emptied daily.

3.Did you request a mail ballot and haven't received it yet? You can track where your ballot is here.

4.Did you request a mail ballot but now want to vote in person? Make sure you bring that mail ballot with you when you vote in person.

5.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.

Our Criminal Justice Committee recently reviewed and reached consensus on Section 4: Data Collection and Transparency, and Section 5: Criminal Justice Coordinating Councils, answering “YES” to all related questions. They previously reached consensus on Section 7: Pre-Trial Procedures. This week they will be discussing Section 6: Policing. 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. 

The committee has scheduled a member-wide meeting on Thursday, October 29 from 6:30–8:00pm where we will provide short presentations on the first 7 sections of the study and answer questions. Please register here. We look forward to seeing you all then. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact Beverly Graham.

The 2020 Decennial census appears to be ending as the Census Bureau announced on October 13, 2020 that “well over 99.9%” of housing units had been counted. Total results of the census by state can be accessed here.  Several groups including the League of Women Voters had sued the administration arguing that suspending the count would lead to an undercount of minority groups and urban areas. You can read about the suit here.

The LWV OPRF Board and the Great Decisions Committee have decided against holding any Great Decisions discussion groups in 2021. If the Foreign Policy Association does send out any links to online videos about topics, we will share that information with our members in the future.

LWV IL October Newsletter

LWV Upper Mississippi River Region October Newsletter