September 23, 2026

Dear League Members and Friends,

As we head into the final weeks before the November election, I want to begin with some very good news: Californians can continue to vote by mail just as they have before.

After weeks of uncertainty, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to allow new federal restrictions on mail voting to take effect for this election. For California voters, the most important message is simple: You can vote in the way that works for you. You can vote by mail. You can vote early. You can return your ballot at a secure drop box. You can vote in person. Those choices are one of the great strengths of California’s election system. 

So please help us calm the fears and confusion that have been created around voting by mail. It remains a perfectly valid way to cast your ballot. If you choose to vote by mail, we encourage you to do it early: California election officials recommend putting your ballot in the mail at least seven days before Election Day to help ensure that it receives a timely postmark. 

Shifting gears, I have been thinking a great deal this month about Gloria Steinem, who died September 2 at the age of 92 after a lifetime spent organizing, writing, listening, and working for equality. 

In revisiting her work, I came across an idea from the afterword to her 1992 book, Revolution From Within, that stopped me in my tracks.

Steinem dreamed of a “national honeycomb” of small, diverse groups that were both personal and political – places where people could build relationships, support one another, understand their experiences as part of something larger, and ultimately turn those relationships into collective action. She looked to Alcoholics Anonymous as evidence that such a network was possible: “If two white male alcoholics could start a national network of meetings that are free, leaderless, and accessible, so can we.” 

Reading those words, I immediately thought: That sounds a lot like the League of Women Voters.

For more than a century, League members have been gathering in communities across this country. We meet in living rooms and libraries, community centers and coffee shops. We learn together. Sometimes, we disagree. We listen. We build relationships. And then we take what we have learned and turn it outward – into voter education, advocacy, civic participation, and action.

There is something extraordinarily powerful about that model.

I believe deeply in organizing that is built to last. I believe in relationships and coalitions that have a long-term vision – not just mobilizing people for one election or one legislative fight, but creating the social infrastructure that allows people to keep showing up for one another and for their communities year after year.

That is why I am so excited about our LWVC Convention in Anaheim, June 25–26, 2027 (with pre-convention events on June 24). League members and leaders from across California will come together not simply to conduct organizational business, but to connect, learn from one another, strengthen relationships, and think together about what we want to build next. 

In other words, we get to build our own little piece of that honeycomb.

As we head toward Election Day, I hope you will do what League members have always done: talk to your neighbors. Share reliable information. Help someone make a plan to vote. Reassure someone who is worried about voting by mail. Learn about the measures on your ballot. And keep building relationships that will be here long after November 3.

And then, when this election is behind us, I hope you’ll join us in Anaheim next June. (Just save the date for now; registration will open up in early 2027).

With gratitude,

Jenny Farrell
Executive Director
League of Women Voters of California

Advocacy Update

While the California Legislature has adjourned for the year, our advocacy work is not yet complete. It’s bill signing season, and while some of our bills still await action on the Governor’s desk, we are excited to report that 6 of our priority bills were recently signed into law!

Check the status of our full list of bills in our Bill Status Report.

Get Ready to Vote: Trusted Election Resources

The November election is just around the corner, and the League of Women Voters of California has the trusted, nonpartisan information you need to make your voice heard! Whether you’re looking for a simple overview of what’s on your ballot or want to dig deeper into the issues, we have you covered.

Check out our Easy Voter Guide for clear, accessible information about the election. Available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean.

Visit VOTE411.org for personalized information about what’s on your ballot.

Download our Vote with the League materials for the League’s recommendations and analysis of California’s statewide ballot propositions.

Get informed, make a plan to vote, and share these resources with your friends, family, and community. Every voter deserves the information they need to cast their ballot with confidence.

Take Action: Ballot Campaigns

Join us in taking action on key statewide measures this November:

Yes on Prop 4 – YES to Fair Elections

Help ensure elections are decided by voters, not big money. Join the campaign and sign up to attend one of the local campaign kickoff events. Check out the campaign website to find an upcoming event near you and take action with the campaign today.

No on Prop 39 – NO to Voter Suppression

• Sign up to volunteer with the campaign and help spread the word.
• Check out the No on 39 Partner Toolkit to learn all the ways you can support the campaign.
• Share a short video about why voting matters to you.
• Download the Prop 39 Fact Sheet (available in English and Spanish).

Learn more:
Catch up on the issues with our recent briefing:

LWVC Briefing on Props 4, 5 & 39

Know Your Voting Rights: Federal Agents at the Polls

No voter should feel intimidated at the ballot box. While threats of federal agent presence can cause concern, knowing your rights helps protect you and your neighbors, ensuring every voice in our community is heard safely.

The Brennan Center for Justice offers a resource sheet for knowing your rights to voting safely and without federal agent interference:

• Vote Safely in 2026: Know What to Do If ICE or Federal Agents Come to the Polls
• ¡en español! Vota con seguridad en 2026: Enviar tropas o agentes de ICE a los centros de votación es ilegal

Learn more about your voting rights on the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund website.

Power the Polls: Sign Up Today!

Help power our democracy! Sign up with Power the Polls to serve as a poll worker with your county elections office this election season. Bilingual applicants are especially needed.

Become a Poll Monitor

Protect the vote on Election Day! Partner with Asian Law Caucus and Common Cause California as part of the California Election Protection Alliance.

• Role: Check poll locations for language/disability access, assist voters, and monitor for harassment.
• What’s Included? One 90-minute training required in early October, with access to a support hotline.
• Deadline: Sign up to volunteer by October 13th.

Let’s protect the vote!

Celebrating 15 Years of Sharon Stone!

This month, we are thrilled to celebrate Sharon Stone, our wonderful Director of Voter Engagement and Membership, on 15 incredible years with the League of Women Voters of California!

It is hard to imagine LWVC without Sharon. She is truly the backbone of our organization – the person who keeps all of us organized, grounded, and, quite frankly, sane. But even more importantly, Sharon brings a genuine passion to ensuring that our elections and our democracy are accessible to ALL Californians. She approaches everything she does with grace, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to our mission.

Congratulations on 15 years, Sharon. We love you and are so grateful for everything you do!

Become a Local League Coach

Share your experience. Build connections. Strengthen the League.

Help strengthen local Leagues across California! As a Local League Coach, you will serve as a vital link between LWVC and local chapters by offering guidance, sharing resources, and connecting leaders.

Interested? Contact Jacquie Canfield at jcanfield@lwvc.org.

Become a Committee Member with LWVC

LWVC Leaders Wanted!

We’re always looking for passionate leaders to help shape the future of the League! The League of Women Voters of California is recruiting volunteers for our statewide committees, the essential groups that advance and sustain the LWVC mission.

If you have a background in any of the following areas, we need your voice:

• Our Audit Committee ensures transparency.
• Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee integrates DEI as a priority in everything we do.
• Our Development Committee helps fuel the mission.
• Our Finance Committee ensures effective use of resources.
• Our Governance Committee is essential for strategic oversight.
• Our Nominating Committee recruits our leadership.
• Our Voter Engagement Committee empowers voters.

Interested? Short descriptions of the committees and their time commitments are online here. Please email nomcom@lwvc.org to learn more or to recommend a fellow member.

LWVC in the News

Check out our latest media mentions below or visit our page, LWVC in the News for all our media coverage.

• The Signal – KPFK 90.7 FM: https://www.kpfk.org/on-air/the-signal/#episodes (Sept. 19 episode)
• San José Spotlight: State ballot measure could set strict voting requirements
• ABC10: California mail voting remains in place ahead of November election (VIDEO)
• ABC10: Supreme Court ruling keeps California mail-in voting in place for November
• Los Angeles WAVE Newspapers: Black civil rights leaders mobilize to defend voting rights
• ABC10: California voters urged not to panic over vote-by-mail uncertainty (VIDEO)
• ABC10: ‘Don’t let the uncertainty discourage you from voting’ | Voter access experts urge voters to stay the course amid challenges to mail-in voting 
• L.A. Focus Newspaper: California Civil Rights Leaders Urge Voters to Reject Confusion, Cast Ballots in November
• Our Weekly Los Angeles: California voting rights leaders fight mail-in voting restrictions targeting Black voters
• The Observer: Coalition Warns USPS Rules Threaten Black Voters
• EURweb: California Leaders Tell Voters: Trump’s Mail Fight Doesn’t Stop Your Vote
• KCRA 3: Civil rights leaders react to Trump mail-in voting order (VIDEO)
• East County Magazine: Prop. 39 heads to California voters amid fight over voter ID, ballot title and voting access
• Bloomberg Law: California Justices Race to Weigh Ballot Fight Before Midterms

ANSWERS:

1. B) 2002. The original CVRA was enacted to significantly expand protections against at-large voting systems that dilute minority votes.
2. True! California has robust ballot curing laws specifically designed to protect your voice and ensure your valid vote counts.
3. A) Governor Hiram Johnson championed the initiative, referendum, and recall processes in 1911 to give power back to everyday voters over corporate monopolies.