2022-2023 Program

Healthcare Disparities in Collin County

LWV-CC hosted a panel discussion about 'Healthcare Disparities in Collin County' on April 5. The panelists were Dr. Timothy Bray, Jeff Button, Dr. Dena L. Jackson, Mary Ann Lee, and Danelle Parker. Watch the video (1 hr 31 min). View the presentation slides: Collin County Coalition of Charitable Clinics, Community Health Needs Assessment, and Economic Issues for Women in TX.

Tips on Writing Letters to the Editor

Deborah Fleck, Letters Editor for the Dallas Morning News, spoke with LWV-CC on January 18 about how letters to the editor are chosen for publication and what you can do to be an effective letter writer. Watch the video (50 min).

Election Update

Bruce Sherbet, Collin County Elections Administrator, shared an update with LWV-CC on December 6 about the November election processes.

How Banning Books Undermines Democracy

LWV-CC held a webinar on September 20 about 'How Banning Books Undermines Democracy'. A panel of experts discussed how library collections are curated, intellectual and academic freedom, censorship, and what we can do to safeguard the freedom to read. The panelists were Carolyn Foote, Christina H. Gola, and Spencer Smith. Watch the video (1 hr 17 min).

2021-2022 Program

Election Forum

LWV-CC hosted a webinar on April 20 about changes in Texas election law and what voters can expect for the 2022 elections. The guest speakers were Bruce Sherbet (Collin County Elections Administrator) and Christina Das (NAACP Legal Defense Fund). Watch the VIDEO.

Transportation in Collin County

LWV-CC hosted a public forum about transportation on October 28. The expert panel included Dr. Jandel Crutchfield from UT Arlington, Collin County Commissioner Duncan Webb, Ryan McCutchan from Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), and Brendon Wheeler from the North Texas Council of Governments. Watch the VIDEO. Read a transportation forum summary.

Transportation Position Update

The updated transportation position was approved at the annual meeting. Read the transportation position.

2020-2021 Program

Voting Forum

Hold a public forum about voting, including voting rights, voting systems, and cybersecurity.

LWV-CC held a 'Get Ready to Vote' forum on September 10, 2020. The panelists were Bruce Sherbet, Collin County Elections Administrator, and Faith Castillo, Texas Civil Right Project Election Protection Legal Fellow.

VIDEO

TCRP Voting Rights Presentation

2019-2020 Program

Affordable Housing in Collin County Forum

LWV-CC hosted a forum on November 14 about Affordable Housing in Collin County.

Here is a VIDEO and a demographics presentation.

Demographics: Mike Bell (City of Plano)

Panelists: Todd Mark (DFW Regional Housing Consortium), Earnest Burke (Plano Housing Authority), Cristel Todd (City of McKinney Housing and Community Development), Shanette Eaden (City of Plano Housing and Community Services)

Moderator: Stephanie Mace (United Way of Metropolitan Dallas)

Public Transportation in Collin County Forum

Hold a public forum to discover transportation options for handling the traffic congestion that accompanies population growth.

This forum was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

2018-2019 Program

School Finance Forum

A School Finance Forum was held on November 15, 2018, at Haggard Library in Plano. The panelists were Texas Senator Royce West, Plano ISD Board of Trustees president Missy Bender, and Frisco ISD Chief Financial Officer Kimberly Smith.

'Who is really funding our public schools?' VIDEO by raiseyourhandtexas.org​

taxparencytexas.org

What is recapture?

Electoral College Forum

An Electoral College public forum was held on September 13, 2018, at the Schimelpfenig Library in Plano.

Here is an LWV Wilmette presentation.

Economic Growth Position

Find the revised LWV-CC Economic Growth Position.

2017-2018 Program

Study: Security of Electronic Voting Systems in Collin County

At the May 2017 annual meeting, delegates approved a continuation of the 2016-2017 study of Security of Voting in Collin County with a refined focus on electronic voting systems, rather than voting in general, in order to facilitate developing a position to be used when Collin County evaluates which new electronic systems to purchase.

In August, study committee members met with Bruce Sherbet, Collin County Elections Administrator, and followed up on topics including the use of Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) voting machines, audit trails, and the schedule for purchase of new voting machines. The committee developed consensus questions and wrote a Facts & Issues. The consensus questions were approved at the January board meeting. The questions and Facts & Issues were distributed to all members, and a consensus meeting was held March 1. A position based on the consensus report was approved by the LWV-CC board March 26. The position was adopted by members at the May 12 annual meeting.

Security of Electronic Voting Systems in Collin County Facts & Issues

LWV-CC Position 

Study/Action: Curbside Voting for Individuals with Disabilities in Collin County

The committee began with the intention of doing a study, but early in the process came to the conclusion that, although Election Code language is somewhat soft on designating parking spaces for curbside voting, law and regulations did exist. Therefore, the committee determined that what was needed was education of the public and monitoring of compliance with existing regulations. Flyers about curbside voting were printed and distributed to senior living facilities, libraries, and other locations.

Curbside Voting Flyer 

2016-2017 Program

Study: Security of Voting in Collin County

Following adoption of the study at the May 2016 annual meeting, a study committee was formed. At an LWV-CC meeting in September 2016, Bruce Sherbet, Collin County Elections Administrator, gave a presentation on "Elections: Past, Present, and Future." In January 2017, the committee met with Sherbet and two staff members to discuss the following topics: voter registration, check-in computers, DRE voting machines, ballot definitions, ballot records tabulation, elections reports, and 2018 hardware and software replacements. The board recommended a continuation of the study with a refined focus.

Forum: Quality of Water in Collin County

A committee was formed to plan a public forum on the Quality of Water in Collin County. The forum was held on February 2, 2017, at Haggard Public Library, with approximately 70-80 attendees. Representatives from the North Texas Municipal Water District, City of Plano Public Works, City of McKinney Public Works, and a moderator from Wachs Water Services spoke on topics including:

Where does our water come from?

How does the water purification system work?

What kinds of tests are done and how often?

Age and distribution methods of delivery

Action Program: Get Out The Vote (GOTV)

An action program to work with other community organizations to increase voter turnout in elections in Collin County was originally adopted for 2014-2015 and continued as a local plan in 2015-2016. For 2016-2017, GOTV activities were carried out as part of the LWV-TX action plan and LWV-CC Speakers Bureau, including:

• GOTV presentations to approximately 300 members of community organizations, including Plano Kiwanis, Collin County NAACP, Collin County Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Ismaili Jamatkhana in Carrollton, DFW Chinese Education group, IGNITE state conference
• Distribution of 2200 bookmarks informing voters of new voter ID requirements for November 2016 election, as well as election information resources
• Distribution of more than 1000 wallet cards with reasons to vote and election information resources
• Traditional candidate forums, Voters Guides, and voter registrations

Action Program: Know Your Government (Observer Corp)

At the May 2015 annual meeting, LWV-CC members adopted an action program to encourage all members to learn about how local government works. This was implemented as part of the Observer Corps by providing a list of local government bodies, including when and where they meet, and encouraging individual members or teams to observe at least one such meeting. Brief reports of meetings were highlighted in VOTER emails.

2015-2016 Program

Study, Consensus, and Program Planning

LWV-CC participated in all state and national study/consensus programs as follows:

• Consensus meeting for LWVUS Constitutional Amendment study
• Public forum and consensus meeting for LWV-TX Payday and Auto Title Loans study
• Consensus meeting for LWVUS Money in Politics study

LWV-CC also participated in state, national, and local program planning as follows:

• Submitted recommendation for state study on Interaction Education as It Relates to Violence/Crime
• Submitted national program planning report supporting various proposals
• Recommended local program studies, action, and review as detailed in the Recommended Changes to Local Program for 2016-2017

Get Out The Vote (GOTV) Action Program

At the May 2014 annual meeting, LWV-CC members adopted an action program to work with other community organizations to increase voter turnout in elections in Collin County. The GOTV Committee developed materials and an action plan. GOTV action was continued in 2015-2016 with the following activities:

• National Voter Registration Day events in downtown Plano and McKinney and at Highland Springs
• Making Democracy Work presentations to various organizations
• Facebook posts about the proposed Texas Constitutional Amendments prior to the November 2015 election
• Distribution of GOTV yard signs, pins, and voter information to members and other organizations

Know Your Government Action Program (Observer Corp)

At the May 2015 annual meeting, LWV-CC members adopted an action program to encourage all members to learn about how local government works. This was implemented as part of the Observer Corps by providing a list of local government bodies, including when and where they meet, and encouraging individual members or teams to observe at least one such meeting. Brief reports of meetings were highlighted in VOTER emails. A dozen members attended meetings during the year, many more than one meeting.

2014-2015 Program

Homelessness and Related Issues in Collin County

The homelessness study adopted by LWV-CC in May 2013 was continued in 2014-2015. The study committee, in cooperation with the Homelessness Coalition of Collin County, prepared a PowerPoint presentation outlining the facts and issues, which was presented at a public forum in January, with an LWV-CC consensus meeting immediately following. Based on the consensus, the board adopted a local position on homelessness at its February meeting.

2013-2014 Program

In November, an informational forum was sponsored on Human Trafficking that highlighted the law enforcement side, specifically the role of the US immigration service, Homeland Security Investigations and the North Texas Trafficking Task Force. The focus was on the Human Trafficking extent, how to identify its occurrence, the impact on victims and the role of law enforcement in protecting victims and apprehending offenders. Discussion included the range of services that are available, for both victims who are U.S. Citizens and those who are foreign nationals.

Five groups hosted tables, including AAUW, Refuge City, and Gendercide Awareness, Children at Risk, Mosaic Family Services, and Homeland Security.

In October, the local league had a consensus meeting and submitted a report to the state on the LWV position on Human Trafficking .

Beverly Hill, President of the Gendercide Awareness Project invited the LWV Collin County to join their Advisory Committee and the LWV board accepted the invitation.

LWV CC Co-sponsored iGNiTE 2014 Young Women's Political Leadership Conference that encourages young women to participate in politics.

The March luncheon, Celebration of Collin County Women Community Leaders featured six panelists sharing six distinct stories about how they have mobilized others to work with them to effect change in their communities. The panelists were presented the LWV Spirit of Community Leadership Award.

A recommendation was made to the state LWV to adopt a study to explore the current regulations on payday and auto-title lenders in Texas and the accessibility and impact of these loans in the community.

At the National level, it was decided to recommend a new study of "Alternatives to Partisan Primaries," which is being proposed by the Leagues of Cuyahoga Area, Cleveland Area, and Shaker Heights, OH, and to also recommend a concurrence with the New Jersey LWV on Human Trafficking.

2012-2013 Program

Vote Centers in Collin County

The LWV-Texas first adopted a position concerning vote centers at the conclusion of a statewide study and concurrence on voting procedures in 2010. The position states:

The League of Women Voters of Texas supports election laws that facilitate citizen participation citizen participation and voter convenience, as well as voting procedures that may increase voter participation. Our support includes, but is not limited to, the following:...Election Day centralized voting, with applicable safeguards....

In 2011 the LWV-P/CC adopted a local study of vote centers after Collin County applied to be part of a pilot program using vote centers for the November 2009 General Election. The study was continued in 2012. Since 2009 Collin County has used Vote Centers for the November General Election each year.

Meetings were held with Sharon Rowe, Collin County elections administrator, on November 3, 2011, and November 27, 2012. In addition, Ms. Rowe met with League members on March 12, 2013, to give information on the success and status of the use of Vote Centers in Collin County. A report of the November 27, 2012, interview with Ms. Rowe was published in the January 2013 issue of LWV-P/CC The VOTER (attached).

The Committee recommends this position because, although the availability of Vote Centers has not increased voter participation in a noticeable way, it has affected voter convenience and flexibility. The county wants to increase the number of vote centers from the current 67 and find bigger box locations that are on major thoroughfares with good parking.