The LWVD Newsletter
September 2025 |
LWVD will join with Colorado Social Legislation Committee to welcome a panel of speakers to address how the combined loss of federal funding, Colorado’s budget deficit, and Denver’s fiscal belt tightening will affect our residents.
You have probably heard or read various news items about this fiscal triple whammy that is going to impact a number of programs serving our city and state, and in particular vulnerable populations. We will bring together representatives from five organizations with expertise in this area:
We have asked the panelists to focus in particular on food insecurity, medical and behavioral health, the non-profit service sector, and the budgetary impacts of federal policy changes, including administrative costs, staffing and state and local revenue. In addition to large urban centers, the panelists have been asked to tell us about the ways in which resources in small towns and rural areas of Colorado will be under pressure.
We have urged them, along with the dire, scary information, to provide some rays of hope by identifying efforts that are being made to counteract the negative impacts on our residents.
The Kick-Off/Forum will be held at Montview Blvd Presbyterian Church on Tuesday, September 16. Please note that we are asking attendees to arrive by 5:00 p.m. to grab snacks and beverages. We want to have a “hard start” at 5:30 to accommodate all the panelists and an ample Q&A. As with all of League’s events, non-members are welcome. Bring a friend!
Register Now
Susan Stark, Co-Director of Program
| Join Us Monday!
Colorado 50501 is coordinating a LABOR DAY RALLY AND ACTIVIST FAIR on Monday, September 1 at the Colorado State Capitol and Veterans Memorial Park (200 East Colfax, Denver CO).
League of Women Voters Denver will have a table and our Voter Service circulators will register people to vote. This is another way to Unite & Rise and engage and mobilize 8.5 million voters to protect and preserve our democracy.
Join the protest and then stop by the table to say hello! | Voter Service In Action
What’s on the Denver Ballot?
The 2025 Coordinated Election on Tuesday, November 4 is right around the corner! Special thanks to Diane Young and her team of researchers who are currently studying the Denver ballot measures in preparation for our ever-popular Ballot Issues Booklet. For those who live in Denver, our ballot will include the following:
- Reverse ban on sale of flavored tobacco products
- Change name of Department of Excises and Licenses to Department of Licenses and Consumer Protection
- Change election method for at-large city council members
- Extend bond capacity via five separate ballot measures including: transportation and mobility, city infrastructure, parks and recreation, housing and shelter, and health and human services.
As of now, there are also two statewide ballot measures certified for the ballot. The state legislature referred two measures - one on tax revenue and one on funding for the Healthy School Meals for All program created by voter approval in 2022 (Source: ballotpedia.org). Look for more information on these from LWVCO in the coming weeks.
For more than 20 years, LWVD has been part of a consortium called Denver Decides that provides candidate forums for our community. An important member of the consortium is Denver's Channel 8. They have faced increasing demands on their budget and have not yet been able to commit to programming this year. We are looking at alternatives and will let you know in Weekly Updates what we are able to provide this year.
In addition to the Denver ballot issues, four Denver Public School Board seats are up for election - Director Districts 2, 3, 4 and an At-Large seat. Potential candidates have until August 29 to submit petitions to get on the ballot, so the candidates are not yet set. For a current list of Denver Public Schools Board candidates see: Candidate and Initiative Tracking - City and County of Denver
Ballots will be mailed on October 10. LWV Denver is hosting a briefing on October 14 at 5:30 p.m. at Montview Blvd. Presbyterian Church to review the Denver ballot measures.
Collaborating with the Denver Indian Center
We continue to build a relationship with the Denver Indian Center, which is located in southwest Denver and is a cultural gathering center for the American Indian and Alaska Native community. We’ll be registering voters at an upcoming community event. In early October, LWV member Sam Robinson will make a presentation to middle and high school students at the Center, focusing on some basic civics information, the importance of voting, and a mock election exercise. We will also work with younger kids on basic civic engagement ideas, a simple voting exercise, and perhaps an art project. If you’d like to help out, please contact Lisa Haddox at lisa.m.haddox@gmail.com or Mariam Bouricius at mttejeda@gmail.com.
Voter Registration
Fall voter registration is ramping up with some high school back-to-school nights, the annual Anschutz Block Party, and some senior living facilities. If you would like to take virtual Circulator training (September 2 or 9, at 8:30 p.m.) to assist with registration or have an idea for a registration event, please contact Lisa or Mariam, at the email addresses noted above.
Thanks to Audrey Diamontopoulos (see photo) and the other Circulators who represented LWV at 5280 HoopKingz Basketball Tournament and Community Event in early August!
| What does it mean to be Nonpartisan?
LWV is nonpartisan.
That means we don't support or oppose political parties or candidates. Nonpartisanship is not just a policy — it’s a bedrock principle that defines who we are at the League of Women Voters.
But we do advocate.
We take strong positions on voting rights, fair elections, and other core democracy issues.
Nonpartisan does not equal Neutral
We show up, speak out, and fight back based on our values, not politics.
Why does nonpartisanship matter, especially now?
Because:
- Disinformation and division are eroding trust in our democracy.
- Voters deserve facts, not partisan spin.
- Defending voting rights should never be a partisan issues.
- Being nonpartisan helps us build trust across communities and stay a reliable voice for all voters.
For over 100 years, the League has held power accountable without taking partisan sides.
That's what real democracy looks like.
Excerpted from a LWVUS social media post | It's Time to Read This Again!
Colorado’s voting system is considered an election gold standard and exemplifies the League mission of empowering voters and defending democracy.
It is a product of evolving improvements, as elected county clerks, the elected Secretary of State, and other stakeholders seek additional means to provide accessibility, security, accuracy and transparency.
This document provides a general overview of Colorado’s election system with the purpose of supporting League members nationwide in advocating for election reforms and legislation enabling the mail delivery of ballots to all registered voters. | Why is LWV Denver Reigniting Its Observer Corps?
Government transparency is one of our core principles and a vital part of our mission. Our efforts in this area reinforce our reputation of fairness, nonpartisanship, and trust.
Decisions that determine how our schools will be run, where district lines will be drawn, and at what level community safety programs will be funded are vital to our well-being. These kinds of decisions need to be made with public input and oversight. One important way to ensure this is to observe government meetings.
An Observer Corps is a structured way for individuals to exercise their right to know and provide a valuable service to both the League and the community. Observer Corps helps ensure that communities and individuals are aware of the decisions that impact their lives and it promotes government transparency and accountability. Observers keep elected and appointed officials on notice – someone is watching what decisions are being made and how they are being made.
 Sound like something you'd be interested in? As an observer you will attend governmental meetings, take notes of what happens at the meeting, and report back to the League. It can be as easy as joining a meeting on-line! Observers do not “act” on issues in these meetings. Unless serving as a designated spokesperson for the League, observers do not provide commentary or testimony on issues on behalf of the League.
As Denver League begins to restart its Observers Corps, we need to determine:
- What governmental bodies, agencies, or offices will it monitor;
- What types of information will observers be monitoring; and
- What will be done with the information collected?
Sound like something you'd be interested in? Want to help in the formation of this important activity? Contact me at fairhillso@msn.com.
Sarah O. McCarthy, Co-Director of Program
| Keep Track of Your Volunteer Hours!
Holley Murphy, LWVD member and LWVUS staff member, created a form that any member can use to record volunteer time. LWVUS needs this information and it is also important for us when applying for grants. Please use the form to enter any hours you spend at any cadence you'd like. Maybe once a month or after every event?
Volunteer Hours Form
| Welcome New and Returning Members
Susan Bernard-Gross, 80224-1534, sebernard58@gmail.com
Susan Cunningham, 80211, suepilot.sc@gmail.com
Robert Davidson, 80231, rsdavidson1@gmail.com
Danae Edmonds, 80218, danaeaedmonds@gmail.com
Brooke Grohs, 80204, blombard@gmail.com
Kathy Howell, 80206, kahowell5@yahoo.com
Janine King, 80031, jking@fiu.edu
Marjorie Kraus, 80220, margie.b.kraus@gmail.com
Connie Robertson, 80224, c@communicatewhatmatters.com
Shellie Specter, 80231, 6seashell@gmail.com
Sandy Thurmond, 80231, sandy.thurmond@comcast.net
Susan Weinstein, 80207, suewein1942@gmail.com
Stuart Zeiger, 80220, stu.zeiger@gmail.com | Membership Roster
Just a reminder that a full member roster is always available on our website. An updated downloadable/printable Membership Roster will be ready in September! Here are a couple of options for finding members and the complete Roster.
- To find contact information for a particular member, log in to our website as a member and then select Member Lookup on the menu bar. You can search by name, address, or the distance away from a zip code (to find members in your neighborhood).
- To look at or print the full Roster in a pdf format, again log in to our website as a member and then select Resources/Documents on the menu bar. On the Document Library page, under Document Folders, select Member Directory. You will then be able to download the "Roster 2025-2026." Please note that this Roster will not be available for download until the middle of September.
- Call the office if you are having difficulties or if you want to come in to the office to pick up a printed version of the roster.
| LWV Denver Units
A great place for meaningful conversations
Units are small groups who meet after briefings to discuss the topic further and whatever else is on the minds of the attendees. Joining a Unit is a great way to start getting involved with League!
Cheesman Unit
Meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month
Will meet September 30, at 9:30 a.m. at Bobbie Heisterkamp's home (Note: this is the fifth Tuesday for this month only)
Leader: Bobbie Heisterkamp (303-333-6818)
Cherrington Unit
Meets the Thursday after the briefing
Will meet Thursday, September 18 at 1:00 p.m., location to be determined
Leader: Peg Oldham (720-220-3988)
Highland/Woodbury
Meets the third Wednesday of each month
Will meet Wednesday, September 17 at 1:00 pm at Sassafras American Eatery, 32nd and Perry
Contact Sally Augden (303-455-5800) or Joan Friend (303-596-1022) for more details
Observatory
Will meet Tuesday, September 23, 4:00 p.m. at the University Hills Library
Leader: Diane Young (303-886-3365)
| VOTER Articles Welcome!
We welcome articles from all members. We traditionally publish the VOTER on the fourth Thursday and the deadline to submit articles is the Friday before.
| VOTER |
Article Deadline |
Voter Publication Date |
| October |
Friday, September 19 |
Thursday, September 25 |
| November |
Friday, October 17 |
Thursday, October 23 |
Please send your articles or ideas about articles to pzelarney@yahoo.com. | Please Renew Your Membership or
Become a Member Today
If you received this email VOTER and are not a member, please consider joining us. If it's time to renew your membership, you can do it online through the button below. Members, please consider forwarding this VOTER and encourage your friends and neighbors to join!
Join or Renew Here
| Rather Read the VOTER on Paper?
Click this link for a printable pdf version of the newsletter:
Printable LWVD VOTER | | 1980 Dahlia Street, Denver, CO 80220
303-321-7571 | | | |