Board Meetings are generally held using Zoom on the second Wednesday of the month. All members are welcome. Please email us for a Zoom invitation if you would like to attend. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LWV of Alaska Board Meeting
January 20, 2025 5:45 PM
Zoom
All members are welcome. Email alaskalwv@alaskalwv.org for information
SAVE the DATE
More information soon
Let's Talk about Digital Threats to Democracy
January 29, 2025
1:00 PM Alaska Time
Join the LWV of Maine, Alaska and Colorado for another in this timely and informative series.
Michael Tomasky, Editor of The New Republic, will discuss the changes in journalism and the dangers this poses to a shared reality and true democracy.
2024
2025
The LWV of Tanana Valley, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and KUAC FM hosted a candidate forum for Senate Districts P and R, and House Districts 31 -36.
Originally planned for the Noel Wien Public Library auditorium and live broadcast by KUAC FM, bad weather and terrible road conditions caused the library to be closed. LWVTV and the candidates pivoted to a radio, live broadcast only format. Girl Scout Troop 187 was scheduled to be a major collaborator with the forum but with the closure of the library their in-person participation was not possible. Questions from the Girl Scouts and Kids Voting were included during the question period.
A recording of the forum can be found here at KUAC FM 89.9.
The LWV of Tanana Valley, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and KUAC FM hosted a candidate forum for borough mayor, borough assembly, borough school district, Fairbanks City Council and North Pole mayor.
The Fair celebrated its 100th anniversary and the LWVTV staffed a booth in the Borealis Building for the whole, darn thing. Although our location was a little out of the way this time we had many visitors, offered voter registration, helped with address changes and polling locations, information on absentee voting, had a quiz for kids to win some jelly beans and our strawpoll opportunity for anyone who came by.
Our annual straw poll saw nearly 500 fair visitors cast a ballot. As always, we encouraged voters to cast their ballot on all three 2024 elections: the Primary on August 20, the Borough on October 1 and the General on November 5. Posters had all the important dates and information.
LWVTV was there for the whole thing offering our usual voter information, voter registration, and encouraging people to vote.
There were vendors with various goods, services, and information, a variety of food trucks to satisfy every appetite, and on-stage entertainment from some of Fairbanks’ most talented music and dance groups.
League friends and family gathered around a hot grill to enjoy conversation and a summer day.
Mary and Ramon Galvan did all the organizing and the rest of us brought side dishes to share. Summer is a busy time but make sure to mark yor calendar for next year's fun event.
We were there with lots of other people! On a gorgeous, hot summer day we staffed a booth and did our usual work of registering voters, helping them change addresses and find their polling locations. Folks asked about ranked choice voting, the upcoming elections and our forums.
LWVTV continued our support honoring Juneteenth. We staffed a booth at the celebration and offered voter registration, address updating, how ranked-choice voting works and other voter information.
On June 19, 1865, nearly two years after President Abraham Lincoln emancipated enslaved Africans in America, Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas with news of freedom. More than 250,000 African Americans embraced freedom by executive decree in what became known as Juneteenth or Freedom Day. With the principles of self-determination, citizenship, and democracy magnifying their hopes and dreams, those Texans held fast to the promise of true liberty for all.
Visit the National Museum of African American History & Culture to learn more.
All League members were invited to attend the LWVTV Annual Meeting and to celebrate 104 years of our national organization and the 60th anniversary of our local chapter this year. Our annual meeting is where we look back at our past year, elect officers and board members, approve our budget, and launch into a new year of voter education and civic engagement activities. We once again started our meeting with a delicious potluck and a fascinating speaker discussing human rights issues.
"Shall the Fairbanks North Star Borough be authorized to increase its maximum
allowable tax revenue for areawide taxes by $10,000,000 to fund education? "
In order to educate voters about the issue and to raise awareness of this special May election, LWVTV and KUAC sponsored a live radio broadcast on Tuesday, April 30 at 7 PM on KUAC-FM 89.9 with speakers to address the Yes and No positions. The program was re-broadcast on the day before the election, Monday, May 6.
To explore whether voting by mail in local elections might increase and broaden voter participation, two knowledgeable guests from Anchorage, Jamie Heinz, Anchorage Municipal Clerk, and Joyce Anderson, LWV Anchorage board member and former member of the Anchorage Elections Commission, shared information from Anchorage's experience with their elections by mail. April Trickey, Clerk of the FNSB, and Dani Snyder, City Clerk of the City of Fairbanks participated and provided local perspective. The panel was moderated by Jeremy Johnson, CEO of the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce and past Supervisor of the Region III Elections Office in Fairbanks.
The State League Convention was held on Saturday, April 27, and the business meeting on Sunday, April 28.
Once again, Saturday was a hybrid convention with delegates, members and guests meeting in person at locations in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Soldotna, Homer and Juneau while other members attended via Zoom. We had speakers, presentations, and a democracy café discussion. Speakers were Leah Edwards (our Liaison to LWV of the United States), Carol Beecher (Dir., AK Div. of Elections), Bruce Bothelo (campaign finance reform), Fran Ulmer (former Lt. Gov of AK), Juli Lucky (Exec. Dir., Alaskans for Better Elections), and Anchorage Youth Vote.
On Sunday, we conducted the business portion of the Convention via Zoom only. LWVTV Delegates were Jean James, Helenmarie Matesi and Joan Soutar.
LWVTV members gathered in January to discuss League guidance and goals and to make recommendation to the LWV of the United States and LWV of Alaska on League positions and priorities for the coming year. Our recommendations are then passed onto the LWVUS to be used to set national priorities and studies at the National Convention in June and to the LWV of Alaska for consideration and presentation at the LWV of Alaska Convention at the end of April.
In April, local members met online to talk about our goals, local positions, potential studies, and to prioritize activities. The results will be presented to the local membership at our Annual Meeting in May.
Members and friends gathered at the IBEW multipurpose room for great food, conversation, and a banned book quiz and trivia fun. Fall decorations, a baked potato bar with fixings, and a host of potluck appetizers, salads, and desserts made for a special afternoon with our friends and fans of League. Special thanks to Phyllis Darrah and Diane Lyon for all the prep work, gathering books, activities, and organization.
LWVTV has a close connection with KUAC as we sponsor the broadcast of the Borough Assembly meetings and they cosponsor our candidate forums and some of our Hot Topic events. We had a full house of volunteers for the Fall Fundraiser event. It was a fun and easy way to spend a couple of hours with other League members for a good cause.
LWVTV has a long-standing tradition of signing up newly naturalized U.S. citizens. For years we did this at the official national Immigration Service ceremony in Fairbanks.
Beginning with the pandemic and with continued federal budget constraints, the Immigration Service no longer conducts naturalization ceremonies in Fairbanks.
To fill the gap for the last three years, the Literacy Council has scheduled a citizenship celebration for newly naturalized Fairbanks residents. These are smaller but no less meaningful occasions. The Literacy Council invites us each year to offer the new citizens an opportunity to register to vote,
In-person at FNSB Assembly Chambers.
Broadcast live on KUAC-FM 89.9
CLICK HERE to listen to a RECORDING of the FORUM.
Brought to you by the League of Women Voters of Tanana Valley, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and KUAC-FM 89.9. Thanks to the FNSB for room and technical support.
Several LWVTV members were on hand at West Valley High School on the day that students held their candidate forum featuring FNSB School District School Board candidates. This is a nice opportunity to meet young people who are dipping their toes into civic engagement and support Vote Local.
LWVTV members supported the Fairbanks Education Association and the Education Support Staff Association with their recent contract ratification tallies. Members were on hand to count ballots and provide nonpartisan support for the Associations' votes.
New registrations, changing addresses, upcoming election day information, Division of Elections info - LWVTV members provided current and new educators with what they need to keep voting.
2023
2024
The grill was hot, the side dishes were delicious, the weather was great, and there were no mosquitoes. About a third of our membership showed up to socialize and just have fun. It was great!! Thanks to Mary and Ramon Galvan for spearheading this event. If you missed it this year, don't miss it next year. We even got a new member!
A Fairbanks tradition since 1952, we jumped in to host an informational tent with all-things-voting. We want to support our community and showcase the League's nonpartisan support of our democracy at all levels. LWVTV volunteers staffed the tent from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm and shared information all day.
About 30,000 folks enjoy the Midnight Sun Festival and LWVTV was there, too. It was our first time hosting a tent at this event and we got a lot of traffic with our info on registering to vote, help changing addresses, how ranked choice voting works and dates on upcoming elections.
A gorgeous day celebrating Juneteenth. Members Shari George, Bernardo Hernandez, Ellen Mannion and Linda Witt were there enjoying the community support, music, food and fun. We talked to participants, registered voters and provided information on running for office and voting in Alaska.
We held our Annual Meeting at the IBEW Meeting Room and on Zoom. We reviewed our local positions, updated bylaws, set priorities for the coming year, adopted a budget and elected officers for the new year. We were also treated to a fascinating and humerous presentation by James Brooks of the Alaska Beacon.
The Convention was held in-person at sites in each local area and online. We heard from Dr. Turner (LWVUS), Leah Edwards (AK's liaison to LWVUS), Anton McParland (Mary Pertola staff member), and Sen. Murkowski. We hosted a panel on overcoming obstacles for voting in Alaska.
During the business sessions, the group retained all current Alaska positions, but voted to revise/update campaign finance, election processes and energy.
We adopted a state study on civics education and endorsed a study on gun safety. LWVAK's emphasis areas are: election policy and procedures, ranked choice voting, reproductive rights, gun safety and judicial selection and retention.
We updated bylaws, adopted per member payment and the proposed 2023-24 budget. Officers for the coming year were elected.
Fairbanks has long been a mining center of the Interior from the days of the original gold panners to our large-scale modern, mechanized operations. What is the impact of mining on our local economy and our daily lives? Join us for a discussion of the role of modern mining exploration and operations in our borough.
Speakers included representatives from the Alaska Mining Association, the Institute of Social and Economic Research, UAA, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, the Fairbanks North Star Borough Planning Department, Save Our Domes, and Advocates for Safe Alaska Highways.
Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Tanana Valley, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, and KUAC-FM.
Program Planning recommendations to the LWV of Alaska for 2023 - 24 were decided during the January gathering and forwarded to the LWVAK. In February we focused on priorities for the Tanana Valley local League that would be discussed and voted on at the LWVTV Annual Meeting in May.
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