LWVSC Upcoming Events

About the League of Women Voters Founded in 1920, the League of Women Voters (League) is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization that derives its strength from the energy and commitment of its members and supporters nationwide. The League focuses on protecting voting rights for all and educating voters about elections and the voting process. The League encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government, works to increase understanding of major policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. The goal of the League is to empower citizens to shape better communities worldwide. The League never supports or opposes any political party or candidate for elective office. The League does, however, take positions on matters of public policy and takes action on selected matters of government concern that its membership has studied. The League of Women Voters of Rhode Island (LWVRI) is a 501(c)(4) organization that is active and involved at the state level. It strives to promote and defend a healthy democracy and support its members and local leagues to do the same. The League of Women Voters of South County (LWVSC) is a local chapter of the League of Women Voters of Rhode Island (LWVRI) and the League ofWomen Voters of the United States (LWVU S).

Explore our services and get in touch Our Services 01. Local Issue Briefings Access in-depth, non-partisan explanations of key local issues affecting your community. Our briefings provide clear, concise information to help you understand complex topics and make informed decisions. Stay updated on policy debates, community development, and government actions. Show more 02. Membership Drive Support Discover how to join our active community and contribute to local civic engagement. This service details the benefits of membership and provides direct links to easy sign-up processes. Engage with like-minded individuals and gain access to exclusive local events and information. Show more 03. Event Information Access Get detailed schedules and registration information for all upcoming local events hosted or promoted by our chapter. This service ensures you never miss an opportunity to participate in voter education sessions, community forums, and advocacy actions. Stay informed and connected with vital local activities. Show more

Susan B. Wilson Civic Education Merit Awards The annual Susan B. Wilson Civic Education Merit Awards recognize three RI educators or teams whose teaching exhibits extraordinary ability and innovation incorporating civics into their curriculum. Recipients receive merit awards of: First Place: Grand Prize, $2,000 Second Place: Jury Prize, $1,000 Third Place: Honorable Mention, $500. The LWVRI presents these awards to support the value of civics education in schools and to honor Susan B. Wilson, a founding member of the League of Women Voters South County . Thinking about applying? Here is what you need to know: The education of every child should include civics education. An educated electorate is the cornerstone of our democracy and educating students, some of whom are about to vote for the first time, about the importance of their responsibility as citizens and voters is crucial. To encourage teachers engaged in this endeavor and to honor exceptional work in this area, the League of Women Voters South County (LWVSC) is sponsoring the Susan B. Wilson Civic Education Merit Awards with funding from the League of Women Voters Rhode Island Education Fund. CRITERIA The intention of these awards is to honor an individual Rhode Island educator or a team of educators who are directly teaching students and whose teaching exhibits extraordinary ability and innovation, and fulfills one or more of the following criteria: Enriches students' understanding of their own civic rights and responsibilities; Encourages students' civic participation; Brings context and relevance to pivotal civic events--historic and/or current--affecting the United States on a national, regional, statewide, or local level; Promotes understanding and appreciation of individuals who play a role in aforementioned pivotal civic events. WHO MAY APPLY Any individual educator or team of educators teaching in a Rhode Island school (K - 12th grade) is eligible to apply for the merit awards on his/her/the group's own behalf. Any RI resident or RI group/organization may apply for the merit awards on behalf of an educator or team of educators teaching in a Rhode Island school upon consent of that person or teaching team. Please note that if you are nominating an indivdiual or team, please let them know so that they can provide you with the very detailed information about their program that is necessarry to compete for this award. Applicants do not need to be civics, history, or social studies teachers specifically AWARDS PROCESS Through a review of submitted on-line applications three individual Rhode Island teachers or team of teachers will be selected to receive a financial merit award. Award recipients will be ranked in the following manner: First Place: Grand Prize, $2,000 Second Place: Jury Prize, $1,000 Third Place: Honorable Mention, $500 Because this is a merit award in recognition for what a teacher has accomplished, the manner in which funds from this award are spent are left exclusively to the discretion of the recipients. There will be three evaluators, one of whom may be a member of the LWVRI Board of Directors or its designee. Award decisions will be announced in early-April. The award ceremony will be held 4/29/26 @ 3:30pm at the RI State House Library HOW TO APPLY FORMAT The online application form consists of two parts: Applicant/Nominee(s) Information Descriptive Narrative APPLICANT/NOMINEE(S) INFORMATION The online form submission should include the following information: Name of individual or group submitting the application; Name of merit award nominee(s), job title(s), home mailing address(es), e-mail(s) and phone number(s); Name, address and phone number of nominee(s)'s school; Name of the individual to be the primary contact (designated contact) along with e-mail address and phone number. DESCRIPTIVE NARRATIVE CONTENT To allow the greatest flexibility in presenting important details, applicants must submit a descriptive narrative of the work relevant to the aforementioned criteria. This work will be referred to as "the program." The narrative may be composed within the online form or downloaded as a completed word document. Some useful information to include in the narrative is listed below. It is not necessary or expected to address every bullet point specifically. The purpose of this list is to help with the composition of the narrative so that the details will illustrate the relevance, distinctiveness and effectiveness of "the program." Description of the educator's career development and interest in civic education; Number and demographic description of students effected by "the program;" The goal or purpose of "the program;" How long has "the program" been implemented and describe how it has evolved and improved; Description of how "the program's" effectiveness is monitored within a school year and/or from year-to-year; What information is gathered from monitoring "the program" and describe how this information helps to improve "the program;" Statistical/anecdotal information illustrating highlights of the program and/or distinctive nature of "the program;" Public recognition of the value of "the program" in the school's community -- locally or wider in scope; What about "the program" is worth replicating in other schools and describe how viable such replication would be. ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTIONS Open to all RI K-12 individual teachers or teams of teachers who are directly teaching students. All RI educators and the individuals or groups who nominate them are encouraged to apply annually, although award recipients are not eligible to apply for the three (3) consecutive terms following receipt of their merit prize. ONLINE APPLICATION Applications are due no later than midnight on March 25, 2026 Apply here: https://forms.gle/ENx6SruMGPzgGLFe6 QUESTIONS ABOUT WILSON MERIT AWARDS To contact The League of Women Voters South County about anything related to these awards, email wilsoncivicawards@gmail.com and include a phone number. Eligibility disclaimer: 1. Family members of LWVRI Education Fund Board of Directors, LWVRI Operating Board of Directors or LWVSC dues paying members are not eligible to receive these awards. 2. Awarding of prizes will be at the discretion of the panel of judges, including that no prizes may be awarded. A list of previous winners can be found HERE .

Susan B. Wilson Susan B. Wilson, a founding member of the League of Women Voters South County, was a passionate proponent for education and civic engagement. In 1964, she helped organize this local chapter of the League. When the state switched from paper ballots to mechanical voting machines, she made sure voters knew how to use the new technology. She held workshops for adults in the local schools and was tireless in her work and commitment to voter service and education. Susan espoused the values of voter education and civic engagement through her League work. A generous bequest from her estate to the LWVRI Education Fund, which provides grants for projects promoting voter service and education. assures that her values live on today. The League of Women Voters of Rhode Island acknowledges the importance of her work with the annual Susan B. Wilson Education Merit Awards . (will be linked to the LWVRI website.)

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LWVSC Executive Board Standing: Ellen Gleason, Christine Martone, Victoria Wicks, Etta Zasloff, Cathy Solomon. Seated: Maria Sekac, Nina Rossomando, Kristen Chambers Full Executive Board President: Christine Martone Vice President: Maria Sekac Secretary: Ellen Gleason Treasurer: Cathy Solomon Board Members: Victoria Wicks Etta Zasloff Joanne Haynes Kristen Chambers Mary Mazza Carol Sams

Educating Voters Our vote is our power. Through our votes, elections make our voices heard. Since women got the right to vote, the League's main focus has been to inform citizens about accessing their voting rights and learning about candidates and issues on the ballot. Informed voters are vital for electing good democratic leaders for our country, state and towns. The South County League of Women Voters serves the south county area of Rhode Island with voter registration drives, candidate forums, printed voter guides, and voter education events. Voter Registration/Education Drives The League works closely with Town Clerks and the Secretary of State's Office to register voters and inform them of upcoming elections. We table at local events throughout the area with official voter registration forms and the answers to any questions about how, where, and when citizens can vote. We never advise or question party affiliation or suggest voting for specific candidates. The League provides everyone who approaches our table with this palm card, as a reminder that voting information is always at your fingertips at vote.sos.ri.gov. Candidate Forums 2026

Protecting the Vote Voting is a fundamental principle, and all Americans deserve the equal opportunity to make their voices heard in our democracy. Since 2013, when the US Supreme Court removed key protections of the Voting Rights Act in the decision of Shelby v. Holder . a surge of anti-voter bills have swept across our nation – with many being legalized in states. The U. S. Constitution clearly gives the individual states the power and responsibility to govern the voting process. The League of Women Voters South County closely monitors voter suppression policies in Rhode Island and advocates for their removal. Voter Supression in Rhode Island In 2022 the Rhode Island legislature passed the Let RI Vote Act which lifted three major restrictions on voters and increased voter turnout. RI citizens can now vote by mail without an excuse and without the signatures of two witnesses or a Notary Public. Early in-person voting that was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic was made permanent by this act. However, Rhode Island retains two major obstacles to voting, that disproportionately affect citizens of color and first time voters. We are one of the few Democratic states that require an ID to vote and a 30 day voter registration deadline. The technology today can certify an identity in seconds, making both of these barriers to voters unnecessary, except in the minds of lawmakers. READ MORE from the Center for Public Integrity, Oct. 2022

Join Us! The LWV South County is a local chapter of the LWVUS and the LWVRI. Join us to help strengthen democracy in our towns, our state, and our country. Citizen participation in self rule is vital in a strong democracy. Joining the League is a great way to play an active role in your community and in our democracy! Everyone is welcome – membership in the League of Women Voters is open to anyone 16 years or older. Our members are volunteers who work year-round to register new voters, host community forums and debates, and provide voters with election information they need. We engage at the local and state levels on legislative priorities and efforts to improve our elections and protect our democracy. For information on why joining the League of Women Voters South County (LWVSC) might be for you, what the time commitment may be, and what you will get out of being a member of LWVSC, see our New Member FAQs . Why Join? Whether you are joining for the first time, or renewing your membership, your membership dues will be paid to the League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS) through the Member Portal. New Members To join the League, click the Join/Renew button above to access the LWV Member Portal. Once you have joined through the portal, please also complete this New Member Interest Survey to help us direct you on how to get involved. Renewals For membership renewals: You will renew through the same membership portal as new members. Here is a step-by-step guide to renewing . Membership renewal reminders will be sent out automatically from the Member Portal before your membership expiration date. Please remember to timely renew your membership to keep from being automatically dropped from the roster after the final reminder. Dues Your annual $75 dues supports the work of the League at the national, state and local level. There is also a sliding scale option available on the Member Portal. How to Join