July Summer Sounding Board (for League members and friends) Speaker: Dr. Grenita Lathan, Superintendent, Springfield Public Schools Monday, July 17 6 p.m., The Library Center, 4653 S Campbell Ave., Springfield Dr. Grenita Lathan views her role as Chief Advocate for Springfield Public Schools, its students and employees. During the school year that just ended, Dr. Lathan’s work focused on three …
Voter Service chair on KY3: ‘Your vote matters!’
In a television interview, the Voter Service chair of the League of Women Voters of Southwest Missouri explains why local elections like the one coming on Aug. 8 are so important. Joan Gentry, who also serves as an election judge (or poll worker) in Greene County, was asked about the low voter turnout that is typical with local elections. Here’s …
League of Women Voters applauds Supreme Court’s decision affirming voters’ rights
The US Supreme Court has affirmed the role of state court judicial review in a major victory for checks and balances and the constitutional rights of voters. On June 27, the Court rejected a state legislature’s exclusive and independent authority over federal elections and was resolute in not expanding that authority through the dangerous “Independent State Legislature” theory. Read the …
Get ready for April 4 election: View video interviews with Springfield candidates
Candidates for mayor, city council, school board featured in nonpartisan YouTube interviews Springfield voters, here’s your opportunity to discover which candidates match your views and values before Election Day April 4. Watch and listen to brief interviews as candidates field questions on important topics facing Springfield R-12 school board, Springfield city council and mayor. If you missed the audio broadcasts …
Student group produces voter guide to April 4 election
Paws to the Polls, a nonpartisan, student-led initiative focused on voter participation at Missouri State University, has produced a Springfield voter guide for the April 4 election. The guide includes statements from almost all candidates for the mayoral, city council, and school board races. Each position is prefaced by a job description, i.e. “What does City Council do?” The guide …
Election’s coming: What’s on your Springfield ballot?
Election Day is Tuesday, April 4 If you live within Springfield’s city limits and the children in your neighborhood attend Springfield Public Schools, your April 4 ballot will have many choices. Here are some of them: Springfield R-12 School District Director (Board of Education) Candidates (vote for two) Landon McCarter Shurita Thomas-Tate Judy Brunner Chad Rollins City of Springfield Mayor …
WATCH: Informed Voter Coalition interview on KOLR10 Daybreak
League members Lisa Langley and Cara Griffin talk about the Informed Voter Coalition and its candidate interview series for the April 4, 2023 election in Springfield (see related post). KOLR10 Daybreak anchor Jenifer Abreu interviewed the two in mid-March. Langley is leader of the coalition of 11 nonpartisan community organizations, launched by the League of SWMO in 2019. Griffin is …
Which Springfield candidates will get your vote?
Learn about candidates on the April 4 Springfield ballot through interviews hosted by the Informed Voter Coalition, led by the League of Women Voters of Southwest Missouri. These brief interviews will air on KSMU 91.1 FM starting March 21. Video versions will be posted on our LWV website after they air on KSMU, available on demand. Those interviewed are in …
Missouri’s Sunshine Law, explained
Learn how the Sunshine Law ensures government transparency. The Kansas City League of Women Voters hosts three impressive panelists for a virtual program during the nationwide Sunshine Week, March 13-18, 2023. Panelists are: Dave Helling, journalist emeritus, moderator Steve Vockrodt, investigative editor, NPR Midwest Newsroom Max Kautsch, Kautsch Law, LLC; practice focused on First Amendment rights and open government law …