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Date: 10/1/2023
Subject: October 2023 VOTER Newsletter
From: LWVRichardson

VOTER NEWSLETTER

Vol. 63, No. 3 October 2023 Editor: Virginia Marsh

Inside this Issue

Thanks for Supporting LWVR
League Work in Registering Voters
Join us for a Social Event October 7
Discussing Richardson's new Comprehensive Plan
CHIP/Children's Medicaid
The November 7, 2023 Election

Key Dates in October 2023

Oct 3: National Night Out
Oct 7: Social event at Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea
Oct 10: Deadline to register to vote in the Nov 7, 2023 election
Oct 18: Discussion on COR's New Comprehensive Plan on Zoom, 7pm
Oct 23: First day of Early Voting in-person for November 7 Election
Oct 27: Last day to apply for ballot by Mail

Thanks for supporting LWVR

Thank you to our members and friends for your generosity by giving to LWVRichardson on North Texas Giving Day.

With your contributions, you have supported our mission of encouraging the informed and active participation of citizens in government and influencing public policy through education and advocacy.

Contributions of $1,285 were received. We rely on public support for all our funding.

Thank you.

League Work in Registering Voters

September was voter registration month, highlighting LWVR registration activities happening at

Naturalization Ceremonies,
UNT Dallas and UTD (thanks to the hard work of Cathy Murphree and volunteers), and
City of Richardson Senior Health and Safety Fair (thanks to Janet Centola and Nita Thomason).

October is bringing additional opportunities to get prospective voters registered.

We ask that all members and VDRs help register voters at National Night Out events in their own neighborhoods on Tuesday, October 3. With this heat dissipating, new neighbors will likely be out and about. This is a great opportunity to introduce them to LWVR and to help them get registered and educated prior to the October 10th deadline to vote in this November’s election.

Voter registration will also be taking place at the Richardson Woman’s Club meeting on October 5th.

Additionally, LWVR will be registering voters at the City of Richardson’s Harvest Fest on October 21st and 22nd at Huffhines Park. Volunteers are needed to help on Saturday and Sunday. Please contact Janet Centola at voterreg@lwvrichardson.org if you can participate. Volunteers do not need to be Volunteer Deputy Registrars. Those who are current VDRs, certainly can be helpful as well!!

Despite the registration deadline of October 10th for November's Election on 14 proposed amendments of the Texas Constitution and Collin County’s bond election, we are gearing up for 2024. Registering voters provides opportunities for people’s voices to be heard. We will continue efforts to register voters throughout the year!

Join us for a social event!

Saturday, October 7

Join us for a social gathering:

Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea

3613 Shire Boulevard #110

southwest corner of Jupiter and

President George Bush Turnpike

Saturday, October 7

10:00am - 11:30am

The event is open to all members and friends of LWVRichardson.

Join the discussion

and participate in the creation of

Richardson's new Comprehensive Plan

October 18

at 7 p.m. via ZOOM.

LWVR will host a discussion group on Wednesday, October 18, 7pm, on Zoom to discuss a very timely issue: the development of a Comprehensive Plan by the City of Richardson (COR). Mark your calendar so you can join us.

Planned public engagement includes:

Community Summit #2 Workshop: Tuesday, October 10th, 6:30 – 8:30 PM at Temporary City Hall (2360 Campbell Creek Boulevard in Richardson; southwest corner of Plano Road and North Greenville Avenue)
Community Summit #2 Workshop: Saturday, October 28th, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM at Heights Recreation Center
Online and in-person engagement from June – July of 2024

Virtual engagement will be available starting October 1st for feedback from individuals who prefer to provide input at their convenience; the topics and format will mirror the in-person activities and events.

I hope everyone will get involved and influence the future of our city.

"What do we really want? What kind of life - and what kind of society - do we want to bequeath to the coming generations? This is not something we can leave to the vagaries of chance, to the decisions of political leaders, or even to the most forward-looking public policy. Nor is it a question the Creative Class can any longer afford to ignore." Richard Florida, The Rise of the Creative Class.

LWVR will have a book discussion to try to answer this question and help you gain knowledge and develop ideas to offer the City. The Rise of the Creative Class by Richard Florida will spark our discussion. The discussion is scheduled on October 18 at 7 pm via Zoom. Read the book before then!

Background

Richardson is developing a new Comprehensive Plan and asking Richardson residents and stakeholders to participate in that process.

According to COR's Comprehensive Plan Update Introduction, the purpose of a Compreshensive Plan is to "Provide clear goals, objectives and policies to guide the City’s development and redevelopment for the next 20 years..."

_______________

Since it is difficult to find the time to read, here are some other resources that focus on his ideas.

CHIP/Children's Medicaid

At the help session on Sept. 9, 2023, at St. Barnabas Presbyterian Church (St. B), 15 families attended, which was an excellent turnout. The Council of PTAs publicized the session and the school nurses and other groups had copies of the flyer.

The Community Council of Greater Dallas sent their specialist Patricia Marquez to help us. Marcie Salamone (LWVRichardson) and I were there. Marcie had several helpful suggestions and volunteered to assist in the future. Most families had two children who were eligible. Unfortunately, the web site for the application was not available. Patricia arranged with every family to complete the application by phone with conference calls on Monday. We also referred families to sites that help with in-person assistance.

The next session at St. B is Oct. 28. As always, please consider volunteering for a help session and/or mentioning the insurance to those who might benefit. For an overview of the unwinding process currently taking place for CHIP and Children’s Medicaid, please read Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy article " Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023: Medicaid and CHIP Provisions Explained". Texas continues to be much less effective in providing health benefits than other states.

Thank you for your continued support for these programs.

Martha Dorris

CHIP@lwvrichardson.org

November 7, 2023 Election

As always, check the League of Women Voters of Richardson's website for up-to-the-minute, factual, impartial information regarding elections. When the information becomes available, LWVR tells you what's on your ballot, where you can vote (early and on Election Day), when you can vote (early and on Election Day), when Applications for Ballot By Mail are due, etc.

All voters who live in Texas will vote on 14 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution.

Click here for the wording of the proposed amendments.
Click here to view videos produced by LWVTexas. The videos explain each proposed amendment and give arguments for and against each proposed amendment. The first 2 amendments are presented by Lili Bannister and Kate Bannister from Richardson. Last year during their senior year at Richardson High School, the twins worked with LWVR to register fellow classmates. This year, they are in college, but still very active in encouraging people to vote.
The online Voters Guide (produced by the League of Women Voters of Texas) will be available online at www.VOTE411.org about October 16.
Printed Voters Guides (produced by the League of Women Voters of Texas) will be available about October 16 at the Richardson Senior Center, the Heights and Huffhines Recreation Centers, and the temporary City Hall (at 2360 Campbell Creek Boulevard in Richardson; the southeast corner of Plano Road and North Greenville Avenue).

All voters who live in Collin County will vote on a $683 million bond proposal. Details of the bond can be found here.

Donate

The League of Women Voters of Richardson relies solely on contributions made by local community residents and businesses.

Join Us

Would you like to help providing election information, registering voters, or influencing public policy?

You are welcome to email our Membership chair at membership@lwvrichardson.org

if you need assistance with joining.

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