We hope to see you at one of our League events.
Upcoming Events:Upcoming 2015 Events
Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015 | 5-7 p.m. | New York Pasta Garden | Get Out the Vote
GET OUT THE VOTE | Increase 2016 voter participation. Brainstorming workshop | 5 p.m.-7 p.m., Dec. 2, New York Pasta Garden. Even with voter registration among the highest in the country, Key West and Monroe County voters tend to stay home on election day. You can help the Lower Keys chapter of the League of Women Voters develop and implement strategies for encouraging registered voters to vote in the 2016 primary and general elections. Our workshop is open to league members and those interested in increasing voter turnout. Join us for the non-partisan discussion and make a difference. Contact Linda Cunningham, (305) 294-3066, for additional information.
Our 2015 events
FIFTH TUESDAY | SEPT. 29 | Father Stephen Braddock
Father Stephen Braddock, the executive director of the Florida Keys Outreach Coalition, was the guest for the Lower Keys League of Women Voters' Fifth Tuesday event on Sept. 29. The informal event, which is held quarterly, encourages league members, civic leaders and guests to get to know each other. FIFTH TUESDAY | June 30 | A great evening of catching up, making legislative plans for 2016 The Fifth Tuesday social hosted by the Lower Keys League of Women Voters featured highlights of the legislative session and the recent Florida State LWV Convention held in Del Ray Beach. The reports were given by local league President Joan Wallin and Treasurer Sandy Bergin, delegates to the convention. Initiatives coming out of the convention included the open primary study, to increase voter participation. It is important to compile data, Wallin said. “For instance, they analyzed the 2014 Congressional primary. The end result was that 18 of the 27 seats were decided in the primary. Of those, five ran unopposed. There were no elections won by less than a 50% majority. They will analyze state elections next.” Also in the process of organization is a study of various types of open primaries across county, she added. Monroe County turns out only a little over a quarter of its registered voters for primary elections: the average voter turnout in primary elections for the county is 27.69 percent, slightly higher in presidential election years, Wallin said. Bergin explained the league's uncommon decision-making practice of reaching consensus, not putting issues to a majority-rules vote. Each issue is first studied by a committee, which then presents its conclusions and recommendations to the delegates of the state organization. The group discusses the issue until it reaches a unanimous agreement, sometimes with a single member or two agreeing to “stand aside” and allow implementation of whatever action is decided. The Florida legislature, which ended a late, special session in June, will convene its 2016 earlier, in January. That leaves little time to define priorities and prepare, Wallin said. |
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