In this newsletter:
President's Message
Special Message from LWVC Presidents
Welcome New Members
Unite & Rise for Voting Rights
Our Work - Advocacy & Action
LWVNCSD Annual Meeting Info / Recap
2026 LWV Convention Report
Upcoming and Community Events
ICYMI / Useful Information
| Dear ~~first_name~~,
A quick note before we dive in: our Webmaster Susan Connell is on vacation, so this issue of The Voter is laid out in ClubExpress instead of the usual professional and polished Adobe PDF that Susan Connell would have produced. The Voter this month may be missing her professional touch, but it's packed with the same essential League news you count on.
As I write this, we're just days away from Unite & Rise for Voting Rights on August 8 — a LWV national day of action marking the anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and a chance for our League to put our convictions into practice. Whether you join us for postcard writing, contribute a block to our fabric panel with the Resistance Quilters, or simply share one of the Voting Rights flyers in this issue with a neighbor – every action adds up.
It feels fitting that this moment follows so closely on the heels of the LWVUS National Convention this past June, where I joined fellow board member Rachel Heussenstamm. The Convention theme this year was "UNITE & RISE." There, delegates reviewed and adopted the 2026–2028 Program, "Defending a Democracy Under Siege," which sets out six priority areas: Voting Rights, Protecting Elections, Redistricting, Immigration, Individual Rights, and the Presidency. These priorities all point to the same simple truth: democracy only works when people vote. As we head toward November, Empowering Voters to make their voices heard at the ballot box remains at the heart of everything we do.
Which brings me to the theme of this newsletter: volunteerism. We need all hands on deck this fall!
Join me in warmly welcoming our new members! Your energy is arriving at a busy and consequential time — our Voter Service committees are gearing up for the election season ahead, and there's a place for you in that work wherever you're ready to jump in.
This is also a moment of transition for our board. Following our June 6 Annual Meeting, we welcomed a new slate of officers and directors, and I'm grateful to each of them for stepping into service.
Speaking of volunteers stepping up: a huge thank you to our intrepid new The Voter editors, Anne Omsted and Kris Stewart, who jumped onto the editorial team and pulled together their very first issue of The Voter at record speed. Producing a newsletter this full is no small feat, and we're so grateful for their energy and dedication.
If you've been looking for a way to get more involved, this newsletter is full of entry points — from Pros and Cons presentations to Candidate Forum roles to our three local Units' growing calendars! I hope you'll find your place among them.
Thank you, as always, for all the work you do to strengthen democracy here in North County San Diego.
In solidarity,
|  | Marian Vega Clancy
President | | |
Special Message from LWVC Presidents | Hello everyone!
Use the flyers in this Voter (download using the links below) about the California Voting Rights Act of 2026 for distribution now and on Aug 8 on LWV’s national day of action Unite & Rise for Voting Rights! The LWVC is actively advocating for the CA 2026 Voting Rights Act with urgency, particularly following the Callais decision that is threatening and devastating the ability of voters of color to secure political representation at the local, state, and national levels.
Advocating for the CA Voting Rights Act of 2026 by contacting our assembly members and educating the community are powerful ways to take action. As LWVC members, we must bolster the multi-racial coalition effort to ensure needed voting rights protections are enshrined in state law.
Let's continue to campaign in California to fight voter suppression, discrimination before it occurs, vote dilution, for the ability to go to court to enforce voting rights, and to demand that our courts interpret laws to support those rights.
Thank you!
In community,
Lorrel and Kandea
|  |  |  | We are 244 strong and growing! | Blair D - Oceanside
Christine H - Carlsbad
Lonnie K - Poway
Cindy K - Escondido
| | Harriet L - Vista
Carol M - Fallbrook
Shelby R - Oceanside | | | Unite & Rise for Voting Rights |  | Join the League and our partners for "Unite & Rise for Voting Rights," a nationwide day of civic action marking the anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
LWVNCSD is partnering with the Resistance Quilters of North San Diego and Palomar Unitarian Universalist Fellowship to host a postcard-writing session, and — in solidarity with United We Stitch, a nationwide community art project — a fabric panel workshop. Together we'll create squares depicting the future of the American Democracy we envision.
This is a day to put our hopes for a more perfect union into action, side by side with our neighbors. It's a chance to lift our spirits and unite around a shared goal: standing together to defend democracy.
Location: Palomar Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 1600 Buena Vista Dr, Vista, CA 92081
Come ready to write to get out the vote this election season, or to cut, sew, paste and draw. Your fabric square will become part of a series of panel measuring 5 feet wide by 3 feet tall (the dimensions of a household-size U.S. flag). We're currently seeking a venue to display the finished panels.
Families welcome. Open to the Public. Come join us! | | Voter Service Team Gearing up for 2026 Presidential Election | | |
Pros and Cons Committee
by Mandy Butler
With 14 state propositions on the ballot, the Pros and Cons Committee is gearing up for a busy and exciting November election season!
Mandy Butler is partnering with Sheila Tolle from the San Diego League to develop the presentation that will be used for both in-person and Zoom pros and cons talks. We'll start giving talks September 26th, and Christine Dicken has already scheduled more than 10 presentations for local organizations.
There's room for more, so if you know of a group that would like a presentation, you'll find a link to the request form here.
Meanwhile, Mary Thompson and Carol Parker are hard at work analyzing local county and city measures for publication on VOTE411, helping ensure North County voters have the reliable, nonpartisan information they need to make informed decisions.
Candidate Forums Committee
by Susan Kolbara
Candidate Forums are a great American tradition that provide citizens an opportunity to directly hear from candidates and participate in the democratic process. Hearing their positions and priorities beyond soundbites and carefully curated social media posts, and seeing how they respond to tough questions offers insights that constituents rarely get the chance to experience.
Currently, we are planning 4 candidate forums prior to the November election: the 48th Congressional District, San Diego Board of Supervisors District 5, Encinitas Mayor and City Council and Vista Mayor and City Council. As details are finalized, they will be posted on the League calendar.
We have several roles available on the Candidate Forums team: moderator, time-keeper, question-sorter and greeter. We provide training and role-playing practice sessions.
If you would like to join the Candidate Forums team, email us at candidateforums@lwvncsd.org. We hope to hear from you!
Calling all volunteers!
By Mandy Butler
The November election is approaching, and we need volunteers for our Voter Services efforts. Please email the associated coordinator if you are interested in joining one of the following committees:
Pros and Cons –
Learn about the propositions that will appear on the November ballot and then share that information by delivering a prepared Powerpoint presentation to community organizations. Demand is high and we need presenters! Training will begin in August.
Contact Mandy Butler at prosandcons@lwvncsd.org
Candidate forums –
Volunteers needed for this very rewarding activity! These forums for North County races allow voters to hear candidates answer questions in an impartial format. There are a variety of roles from moderator, timekeeper, greeter or question sorter.
Volunteer Training - contact candidateforums@lwvncsd.org
August 6 10:00 zoom meeting for new volunteers.
August 18 11:30 - 1:00 in-person training at Leucadia WasteWater District
Contact Kathy Nahman and Susan Kobara at candidateforums@lwvncsd.org
Voter Outreach and Engagement -
Volunteer for these fun community events. Answer questions about elections, play trivia games, hand out prizes and register voters. 30-minute training required via Zoom recording.
Contact Marcia Wylie marcia.wylie@lwvncsd.org
Youth Voter Initiative (YVI) –
Part of the Voter Outreach Committee, YVI focuses on youth voter turnout and civic engagement. Volunteer to give presentations and register young voters at local high schools and colleges. Many events at local colleges are already planned as well as voting rights presentations for formerly incarcerated college students and ballot parties for first time voters. Mentors needed to train and work with student ambassadors as they create voter registration and civic engagement events for their peers. We love our volunteers!
Contact Jill Cooper at youthvoterinitiative@lwvncsd.org
Looking forward to working with you!
| |
Youth Voter Initiative (YVI) Committee Awarded a Grant
By Marcia Wylie and Jill Cooper
We were delighted to receive a grant from the League of Women Voters Education Fund to support the implementation of our pilot Student Voting Ambassador (SVA) Program! We’ll use the $750 grant and League toolkit resources as we roll out the SVA program at 3 North County high schools over the 2026 - 2027 school year. Our hard-working YVI SVA development team has worked on this project over the past year, with the goal of creating sustained, student-led civic engagement and making participation in democracy relevant, accessible, and meaningful. | | | Research consistently shows that young people are more likely to become interested in civic affairs like registering to vote, voting, and advocating for their communities when encouraged by their peers. In September we will recruit and train high school students to serve as peer leaders who promote civic engagement at their schools. Working with League mentors, faculty advisors, and student organizations, Student Voting Ambassadors will design and lead creative activities such as voter education and registration events, classroom presentations, poster design contests, and interactive games. Grant funding and League resources will benefit and strengthen the SVA project.
By empowering students to lead these efforts, we create opportunities for civic learning that resonate with their classmates while developing the ambassadors’ own leadership, communication, and organizational skills. We anticipate that our SVAs will highlight their work on college or job applications. The program also expands our existing relationships between high schools and the LWVNCSD, as it provides students with access to trusted, nonpartisan information about elections, voting, and civic responsibility.
| Interest Groups and Unit Meetings
| | Climate Interest Group
Tour of the Cardiff Living Shoreline
After a lovely lunch at Las Olas, the LWVNCSD Climate Interest Group toured the Cardiff Living Dunes with Todd Mierau, Encinitas Coastal Zone Program Administrator. (April 8, 2024).
Read more about the Cardiff Living Dunes and the field trip HERE.
| | | Water Interest Group
On Tuesday, 8/4/2026, 3:00 PM, we will have as our speaker Meena Westford, Deputy Manager, Imported Water, at the San Diego County Water Authority. She will be telling us about what is happening with the Colorado River (our out-of-state imported water source) and our water from the State Water Project (our in-state imported water source, via the Metropolitan Water District).
| | |
And we will have our usual updates on what is happening with our local water supply, the Tijuana River Valley ongoing disaster, health/climate change and state legislation related to water.
Any questions? Call Anne Omsted, co-chair, at 760-334-1659. Zoom link in Calendar.
Water Spotlight August 2026 - Water equity in California is grounded in the principle that all people have the right to safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water for human consumption, cooking and sanitary purposes regardless of income, race, geography, or other factors. How California is working on actually helping individuals and families is detailed in this article.
Water Spotlight AUG 2026
| Inland Unit
(San Marcos–Escondido–Fallbrook–Valley Center–Poway)
By Barb Sulier
INLAND UNIT is starting our second year with a bang! We are gearing up for our first meeting, August 28, 2026 – more information below. Interested in joining us – check out the LWVNCSD calendar – we meet the second Thursday of the month starting with our September 10 meeting. Our calendar for August through December 2026 focuses on community and civic engagement, recycling and sustainability, and spreading the word on LWVNCSD at the Escondido Street Fair. We’ll also be joining up with Voter Services for this election cycle.
Inland Unit Meeting: Universidad Popular – Community Education, Health, and Civic Engagement in North County
Friday, August 28, 2026 1:00-3:00PM
San Marcos Community Center Dining Room
3 Civic Center Drive, San Marcos, CA. 92069
Registration recommended.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/universdad-popular-is-featured-speaker-at-league-of-women-voters-meeting-tickets-1993210604574?aff=oddtdtcreator
The LWVNSCD Inland Unit welcomes all members to its August meeting, featuring a presentation by Universidad Popular, a community-based organization dedicated to promoting health, education, and civic participation across North County San Diego.
Universidad Popular brings together community leaders and educators to develop programs that are culturally and linguistically responsive, data-driven, and rooted in social justice. Representatives will share an overview of the organization’s wide array of partnership, and advocacy efforts at the local and state level. The presentation will highlight the principles of popular education that guide their work and export the many volunteer opportunities available to community members who wish to get involved.
While this is an Inland Unit meeting, the topic is of broad interest, and all LWVNCSD members are encouraged to attend. Please print and use the attached flyer to invite family and friends.
|  | 2026 LWVNCSD Annual Meeting Recap | LWVNCSD elects Board of Directors for 2026 - 2027
At our annual meeting on June 6, we celebrated the accomplishments of the past fiscal year with a slide show of some of the highlights. Our speaker Cipriano Vargas Director of Organizing to County Supervisor Terra Lawson Remer and a Trustee on the Vista Unified School District school board gave a hugely informative presentation about the activities of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors and some of their priorities, then took questions which was in truly League fashion, “lively discussion!”. During the business meeting that followed we approved the new fiscal year budget, our local League Program, as well as the Carlsbad Unit, Oceanside-Visa Unit, and Inland Unit Programs for the coming year, and elected the coming year’s slate of officers.
We look forward to a busy, productive and rewarding year as together we Empower Voters and Defend Democracy!
LWVNCSD Board
Marian Vega Clancy, President (2025-2027)
Cathy Greene, First Vice President, Advocacy (2026-2027)
Mona Pastor, Second Vice President, Program (2026-2028)
Carol Parker, Secretary (2025-2027)
Ginny Hallner, Treasurer (2026-2028)
Barb Sulier and Kathy Ross, Co-Directors, Events (2026-2028)
Rachel Heussenstamm, Director, Natural Resources (2025-2027)
Susan Connell, Director, Website (2025-2027)
Vanessa Forsythe, Director-at-large (2026-2028)
Claire LeBuffe, Director-at-large (2026-2028)
Off-Board Committee Chairs
Chris Harris, Chair, Membership
Connie Ulrich, Chair, Observers
Mary Thompson, Chair, San Diego Leagues’ Joint Housing & Homelessness Interest Group
Anne Omsted, Chair, San Diego Leagues’ Joint Water Interest Group
Carol Jensen, Chair, Book Club
Kris Stewart and Anne Omsted, Co-Editors, Voter Newsletter
Open, Voter Services, Chair (can be a Board Position)
Susan Kobara and Kathy Nahman, Co-Chairs, Candidate Forums
Mandy Butler and Christine Dicken, Co-Chairs, Pros & Cons
Marcia Wylie, Carol Jensen, and Jill Cooper, Co-Chairs, Youth Voter Initiative
Open, Chair, Voter Outreach, Registration, and Education (VORE)
Julie Ann Sih of LWV San Diego, Chair, Vote411
Connie Ulrich, Chair, Carlsbad Unit
Marsha Johansen, Chair, Oceanside Unit
Barb Sulier, Chair, Inland Unit (San Marcos, Escondido, Fallbrook)
2026-2027 Budget Committee: Claire LeBuffe and Vic White and Rachel Heussenstamm, and the Treasurer is a standing member of the committee.
Nominating Committee for 2026-2027: Chris Harris, Beth Urich, and Jill Gambiaccini, Rachel Heussenstamm and Kathy Ross
Thank you to all who have committed to serving our League and our community! We can’t do it without you.
Find the annual meeting minutes on the members resource page of our website or by clicking here:
|  | 2026 LWV Convention Report | LWVNCSD Headed to Columbus, Ohio
LWVNCSD was proud to attend the 57th League of Women Voters of the United States National Convention, held in Columbus, Ohio, June 24–28, 2026. President Marian Vega Clancy and Natural Resources Director Rachel Heussenstamm traveled to Columbus to represent our chapter in person, while VP of Program Mona Pastor joined the proceedings virtually on our behalf, and Observer Chair and Carlsbad Unit Chair Connie Ulrich attended as an Observer. We were joined by representatives from our sister League in San Diego as well as a large contingent representing California. Together, we took part in a gathering of League members from across the country who came together to learn, deliberate, and set the organization’s direction for the coming biennium. Convention drew 1,073 registered delegates in total, counting both those on-site and those following the plenary sessions remotely.
UNITE & RISE: Three Themes That Ran Through Convention
The opening plenary, “Rooted in Care, Rising in Power,” set the tone for the week with the theme UNITE & RISE — echoed in a new League logo featuring three raised fists. Speakers were candid that while the League remains non-partisan, it is political, and encouraged State and Local Leagues to use every organizational tool available to advocate and litigate on League positions.
A second thread ran through a session on conflict resolution, built on the message “Be Bold.” Presenters named the common triggers of conflict — miscommunication, differing values, generational divides, political tension, and power dynamics — and offered a simple framework for working through them: slow down, name what’s happening without judgment, ask rather than assume, acknowledge impact before defending intent, and choose the right time and setting to talk. The core reminder: conflict avoidance does real harm, and differences aren’t a sign that something is broken.
The third theme tied Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion directly to that work on advocacy and conflict resolution, with an emphasis on equity-centered decision-making across budgets, services, and language — a responsibility speakers framed as shared by every member, not just League leadership.
Program and Governance
Delegates reviewed and adopted the 2026–2028 Program, “Defending a Democracy Under Siege,” which sets out six priority areas: Voting Rights, Protecting Elections, Redistricting, Immigration, Individual Rights, and the Presidency.
Two new positions were approved on immigrant rights and religious freedom.
Delegates also adopted six resolutions reaffirming the League’s commitment to urgent matters of public policy:
- The value of a non-partisan civil service to democracy
- Statehood for the District of Columbia
- A constitutional crisis that requires holding Congress accountable for protecting the rule of law, defending the Constitution, and ending executive overreach
- Establishing the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact as an interim measure for eliminating the Electoral College
- Oversight, transparency, and accountability to protect individual privacy and constitutional rights from surveillance technologies
- Human trafficking as a violation of human dignity
Business unfolded over three days of plenary sessions:
- Friday, June 26: Delegates debated and adopted the 2026–2028 National Program, along with recommended concurrences on immigrant rights — including Washington State’s concurrence — and New York’s update to the National Privatization position, both adopted for consideration the following day. Two proposals, a Racial Equity in Education concurrence and a Study of the Money System, did not move forward, having not cleared the Program Planning Committee’s process ahead of Convention.
- Saturday, June 27: Delegates approved the six resolutions above, plus the new position on religious freedom, which passed narrowly after a floor debate over quorum — the parliamentarian’s initial ruling that two-thirds of registered delegates was required was overturned in favor of two-thirds of those voting, a moment several delegates described as democracy in action. The privatization concurrence was not adopted.
- Sunday, June 28: Delegates approved the Credentials Committee report and adopted the bylaws, recognized the outgoing 2024–2026 Board of Directors, and heard from incoming LWVUS President Sania Irwin.
Workshops and Learning
Beyond the business of Convention, our delegation had the chance to attend workshops and plenary sessions covering a wide range of topics, including:
- Engaging young voters
- Engaging Latino voters
- Get out the vote strategies
- Implementing and making the most of the Observer Corps
- Using mapping tools to target local outreach efforts
- National Climate Interest Group
Delegates also participated in floor debate and voting on resolutions and concurrences brought forward by state and local Leagues.
Reflections
We each came away energized by the scale and commitment of the League’s national network. Meeting with members from Leagues across the country offered fresh ideas and practical resources our chapter can put to use here in North County San Diego, and reaffirmed the importance of the work we do locally in support of voters.
Convention closed with a transition in national leadership and a renewed call for every League to engage its community, expand voter participation, and defend democracy at every level.
Looking ahead:
LWV California Convention – Spring 2027 in Anaheim, CA
LWVUS Convention – June 24–27, 2028 in Washington, DC
|  | Convention Resolution Highlight: Constitutional Crisis and the Balance of Powers
The League of Women Voters of Illinois submitted a resolution in support of continued mobilization to hold Congress accountable:
Therefore, be it resolved that the League of Women Voters, in a public and visible manner through national mobilization, reaffirm its declaration of a constitutional crisis as well as its efforts to hold Congress accountable for protecting the rule of law, defending the Constitution, and ending executive overreach.
This resolution passed and a grassroots coalition of League members from all of the country are currently working on how to bring this resolution to life before September and are looking for volunteers to help in the early planning process. Email Rachel to learn more natural.resources@lwvncsd.org.
| Upcoming & Community Events
| For a full listing and details of all upcoming unit meetings, committee meetings and events,
| | 2nd Annual Heat and Human Health Summit
August 16th - 17th
Hosted by UCSD School of Medicine & Kaiser Permanente, this Heat and Human Health Summit is an outgrowth of work done by Mary Lou Lindegren, co-chair of the SEAC committee of LWVSD and members of our Water Committee. If you are connected with medical, public health fields or have an interest in the impact of climate change on humans, this event will be of special interest to you.
| | | For a full listing and details of all upcoming unit meetings, committee meetings and events,
| | Save the Date: San Diego Climate Week
October 1–8, 2026
www.sdclimateweek.com
By Rachel Heussenstamm
We will be hosting TBD events in conjunction with San Diego Climate Week. The theme for our events will be around voting and the environment to support the League's voter turnout goals before the November election. Email Rachel to learn more: natural.resources@lwvncsd.org.
| | | ICYMI* and Useful Information
| *In Case You Missed It (ICYMI), you can view recordings of our recent meetings, including our Annual Meeting, on our YouTube channel:
| THE CALIFORNIA LEAGUE
For full discussion of the latest work of LWV OF CALIFORNIA , see lwvc.org/news
THE NATIONAL LEAGUE
For the latest work of LWVUS, see www.lwv.org/library/newsroom.
LWVNCSD WEBSITE - Your local League
ttps://www.lwvncsd.org/
Check out the News & Events section, listed at the top of the opening page.
Here you will find videos of our own in-person and Zoom meetings, Interest Group meetings, webinars we helped to present, photos from events, and a wealth of information. | It takes a Village
Thank you to the following contributors to this issue of The Voter. We can't do it without you! | | Barb Sulier
Mandy Butler
Jill Cooper
Marian Vega Clancy
Susan Connell
Kathy Ross
| Chris Harris
Anne Omsted
Marcia Wylie
Rachel Heussenstamm
Susan Kobara
Kris Stewart | | | Help make the work we do in the community possible by becoming a member or by making a one-time or monthly contribution today.
| | P.O. Box 131272 | Carlsbad, CA. 92013 | 760-736-1608 | lwvncsd.org | | The League of Women Voters of North County San Diego is a 501(c)(3) organization under the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions are tax-deductible to the full extent permissible under law. Our federal tax ID is 95-3389795
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