Ready to get back to in-person meetings?

Prefer to ZOOM in your pajamas? Are our evening meetings too late for you, or do they run into dinnertime? We want to know the preferences of our members, as well as the best way to reach you with local, LWV information. Please take a minute to fill-out this 7 question survey.

Upcoming Events

April 12: Member Book Read Conversation. 7:00 - 8:30pm, Zoom

April 24: Public Forum: Challenges and Opportunities in Woman’s Health Care in Northern Michigan. 7:00-8:30pm, Carnegie Building, Petoskey

May 1: LWVNLM Board meeting. 9:00-10:30am, ZOOM

May 10: Public Forum: Rain Gardens: Why and How! 5:30-6:30pm, ZOOM

May 13: Arbor Day Celebration. 1:00-4:00pm, Petoskey Winter Sports Park

May 19-21: State Convention. Kellogg Center, Lansing

June 4: LWVNLM Board meeting. 9:00-10:30am, ZOOM

June 14: Annual meeting. Location TBD

View more details about each event below or on our Events Page.

Equal Rights Advocacy

Did you know that it was legal to fire a woman because she was pregnant until 1972? Did you know marital rape was still legal in some states until 1993? Equal Rights Advocacy member Ally Goelz created a presentation on Women’s Rights in Recent History with the aim of helping younger women understand that many rights they take for granted have only been won a generation ago, and that some rights remain under threat. This 5-minute clip was showcased at our March meeting when we celebrated Woman’s History Month. It was also shown to students and faculty at Petoskey high school, and was very well received! If you missed it, go to our webpage!

This new committee welcomes all who are interested in issues related to equity and equality for all citizens. We meet by Zoom and the next one is Thursday April 20 at 12 noon. Contact info@lwvnlm.org for the link. 

Board of Health Northwest Michigan

Extreme groups have mounted a nationwide effort to put forth candidates for local school boards and county boards.  Northwest Michigan saw these efforts last November and our local county commissions have new members as a result.  There are several new appointees to the Board of Health (BOH) and they now make up a majority of that board. A primary focus of the new BOH has been to reduce or eliminate funding and constrict decision making ability of Health Department medical professionals. Rather than working collaboratively with Health Department professionals, the BOH meetings have been confrontational and openly hostile. If you have concerns about the BOH actions and plans, please consider attending their meetings and writing to the BOH. Click here for the details you need attend meetings and to write to the BOH.   Contact Voter Services Chair Dibby Smith for further information.

The LWVMI supports accessible and affordable health care provided by competent professionals, especially in underserved areas such as Northern Michigan. A robust Health Department is an important part of rural community health.  Read more on the LWVMI health Care position. 

Dark Money in Elections: Show MI the Money!

Campaign finance reform is coming to Michigan, and it needs you! Reform is coming because dark money in our politics and elections is out of control and threatening our representative democracy. 

Why does this matter? If any state race becomes a partisan flash point, it quickly draws vast sums from national entities, essentially “nationalizing” an election and drowning out state or local messages and issues during that election. It also influences the politician’s subsequent priorities.

Additionally, more and more election money is going dark – that means its sources are

secret. That secrecy enables a variety of improper/unethical activities. It funds election

misinformation which is literally undermining the voters’ trust in our elections. It intentionally works at stirring up the partisan contempt, that has led to community division and gridlock in Washington. This secrecy has also made it impossible to detect and stop illegal foreign money from influencing our elections.

With each election cycle, the situation worsens.

• In just 2 years, spending in Michigan’s congressional races doubled from $40 million in

• 2016 to $80 million in 2018!

• In just 4 years, spending on the presidential election tripled from $5.4 billion in 2016 to $16 billion in 2022.

There are common sense solutions to these problems: disclosure of sources of all money and messages in our election and restore our rights to regulate election money. But they require action by concerned citizens like you and me. The new Michigan legislature is beginning to talk about dealing with Dark Money. We need to tell the legislature to PASS LEGISLATION NOW to disclose the sources of all money and messages in Michigan elections. 

Please join a coalition effort and attend the Lansing Lobby Day effort on Thursday, April 27th . Constituents from across the state will sit down with their representative and state senator and tell them that we need legislation that brings openness and disclosure to our elections. Register here.

LWVNLM member Susan Beckett invites anyone to join her and meet with area legislators on April 27 in Lansing. Contact Susan at 734-476-0409, SusanLBeckett@gmail.com to carpool or for more information.

LWVNLM Annual Fundraising Campaign

You should be receiving our local fundraising campaign letter for 2023 soon. Please consider giving to the LWVNLM this year.  We have accomplished so much in the short time we have been in existence.  We have made an important impact in our three-county area, including voter registration drives, voter education events, forums and establishing our Vote411.  Your donation will help us to continue our work as we move into the 2024 election season.  Providing nonpartisan information and  advocating for safe and fair elections is critical for our democracy.  

Your donation of any amount will help us continue this essential work! 

Your Help is Needed!

According to the LWVNLM by-laws, in odd-numbered years (2023), the following officers and directors are elected:

• One (1) second vice-President

• Treasurer

• Four (4) Directors

• Two (2) Nominating Committee members

We are asking for your nominations (recommendations) for these positions and your consideration should include yourself! We need folks who are willing to step up with interpersonal skills, and/or skills in administration, advocacy, finance, technology, and outreach. Unless the nomination is yourself, please consult with that individual before submitting their name. Nominees must be current LWVNLM members.

Please make any submissions by Saturday, May 6. Please send your nominations to: Nominating Comm. Chair Katie Parker. Elections will take place at our Annual Meeting, June 14th.

Welcome New Members

Cynthia Donehey, Susann Foltz, Laura Ford, Marilyn Graham, Paula Herzog, Liz McKenny, Sandy Parker, Mary ReillyDanielle Schapp, Dorothy Simon

As a member, you have access to the “members page” on our website. Email info@lwvnlm.org for the passcode. All members receive LWVNLM newsletters and the quarterly LWVNLM Northern Voter via email. If you do not get these, please email info@lwvnlm.org for assistance.

Member Appreciation

Three Generations of League Members

Jane Ferguson Mooradian

Jane has been a member of the LWVNLM since its inception in 2019. She was born in South St. Paul, MN and lived there until 2003 when she moved to Petoskey with her family.  She has worked as a science teacher and environmental educator and you can find her now at the Petoskey District Library. Her interest in community service was sparked when settling into small town life and raising 3 daughters.  Her League  involvement was inspired by the legacy of her foremothers.

Here’s their story:

It all began in South St Paul, Dakota County Minnesota, that had a very active League right from the start.  In 1881 the Women’s Suffrage Association was founded in the county seat of Hastings, MN.

Some of the early projects in the first 50 years of LWV of Minnesota included an active voter services group that staged information booths, advertised League activities in theaters, citizenship schools and radio broadcasts.  Legislation priorities included public welfare issues such as women in industry, child and maternal health, child labor and the legal status of women.  They also championed water resource conservation, government efficiency and voting rights.

Kate Ferguson Michelmore, Jane’s great aunt, was born in 1875 in Dakota county and was an early suffragist.  She was the first woman in South St. Paul to vote after the 19th Amendment was passed in 1920! She started the LWV family tradition.

Marguerite Lewis Ferguson, Kate’s sister-in-law and Jane’s paternal grandmother, was born in 1890.  She was a social worker in South St Paul and was active in politics and LWV.  League meetings were often held in her living room on the bluffs of the Mississippi River.  Her main involvement was advocating for child and maternal health.

Margaret Mary Mayer Ferguson, Jane’s mother, was born in 1920.  She joined the SSP League after marrying Marguerite’s son Lewis.  Her experience working in banks and law offices contributed to her work in voter services and election law.

Jane is honored to be involved with the dynamic group of women that make up our League!  Her main interests are in voter services and environment.

Mary Louise Mooradian, pictured with her mother Jane, is our newest member! She lives in Petoskey and has experience working at a conservancy and in marketing. She decided to carry the torch and become part of this inspiring group.  She appreciates the work toward accessibility of voter resources for the community.  Her first project will be helping with the May Arbor Day event! 

News From LWVMI

National Popular Vote
What is National Popular Vote (NPV)? NPV guarantees that the electoral college and the presidency will be won by the candidate with the highest number of poplar votes in all 50 states and DC. This will mean that in reality, every vote WILL count, making every voter politically relevant for every presidential election for the first time. LWVMI supports the NPV bills introduced in the Michigan Legislature this spring. Leagues across the state are holding educational forums to provide public education on this essential effort to make our government more representative of the voters. This 15-minute National Popular Vote presentation explains what it is and how it works.  

Legislative Advocacy

The Legislature has been busy. The Legislature passed and the Governor signed House Bill 4001 that expands the Earned Income Tax Credit. LWVMI supported the expansion. 

The Legislature passed amendments to the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity or expression.  Governor Whitmer signed Senate Bill 4 into law on March 16th, now PA 6 of 2023. LWVMI supports this bill and sent out an Action Alert.

Numerous bills repealing old laws that adversely impact reproductive choice are moving through the process. LWVMI supports these bills. HB 4006 and HB 4032 have been sent to the Governor and more are pending in the Legislature.  

The House Elections Committee recommended passage of HB 4127 and HB 4128 that will prohibit guns at election locations. The bills are on second reading the MI House of Representatives.  LWVMI supports these bills. 

On March 7, the House Elections Committee had a hearing on HB 4156 that will enact the National Popular Vote Compact (read about NPV above). LWVMI participated in a press conference about the bill, sent out an Action Alert, and testified in support of the bill at the committee hearing.  

On March 16, the Michigan Senate passed bills SBs 76-86 which would:

• extend the criminal background check to all firearm sales including those online and at gun shows,

• require gun owners to store their firearms in a secure location, provide penalties for storing/leaving a firearm where it may be accessed by a minor,

• use tax incentives for safety devices to encourage safe storage,

• provide the pathway for Extreme Risk Protection Orders that temporarily prohibits a person who is at risk of harming themselves or others from purchasing or possessing a firearm.

Similar House Bills 4138-4148 are also moving through the process. LWVMI supports the bills and sent out an Action Alert. Please use THIS EASY BUTTON to send a letter to your local representatives to ask that they support these bills! 

Committee Chairs and Meeting Times

Observer Corp Chair: Penny Crim, paigecrim@charter.net. Meet as needed.

Health Care Committee Chairs: Patty Fralick, plfralick@gmail.com and Eileen Mikus, eileen.mikus@gmail.com. Meet 1st Thursday of the month, 10:00am.

Environment & Natural Resources Committee Chairs: Marcia Meyer, marciakmeyer@gmail.com and Ann Scott, alscott2050@gmail.com. Meet 2nd Tuesday of the month, 2:00pm.

Equal Rights Advocacy Chair: Ally Goelz, allygoelz@gmail.com, Jessica Shaw-Nolff, jnolff6@gmail.com. Meet 3rd Thursday of the month, time varies. Check events page.

Membership Committee Chair: Ethel Larsen, larseneu@gmail.com. Meet 2nd Monday of the month, 3:30

Voter Services Committee Chair: Dibby Smith, dibbys@aol.com. Meet 2nd Friday of the month, 10:00am

LWVNLM Board of Directors

President: Robin Jordan, 2022-2024

Vice President: Eileen Mikus, 2021-2023

Secretary: Penny Crim, 2022-2024

Treasurer: Jessica Shaw-Nolff, 2021-2023

Directors:

Susan Hannah, 2021-2023

Marcia Meyer, 2021-2023

Ethel Larsen, 2021-2023

Ann Scott, 2022-2024

Dibby Smith, 2021-2023

LWVNLM Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement

The League of Women Voters Northern Lower Michigan is an organization fully committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in principle and in practice.  There shall be no barriers to full participation in this organization.  Diversity, equity and inclusion are central to the organization’s current and future success in engaging all individuals, households, communities, and policy makers in creating a more perfect democracy. 

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