THE CAPE COD APRIL 2021 VOLUME 60 ISSUE 8 CALENDAR LWVCCA PRESIDENT’S GREETINGS League Members, Spring was definitely in the air yesterday. Today it’s back to semi-winter! But, the good news is, with daylight savings rolling in we get some additional brightness to lengthen our day. BOARD MEETING The interesting thing about temperature TUESDAY April 6 | 9:30 a.m. fluctuations and time changes….. it mirrors the Zoom conference by invitation ebb and flow of the world around us in so many ways. Thinking back on all of the changes we Earth Day have experienced over the past few years makes THURSDAY April 22nd me appreciate the beauty of the world around us and the possibilities for change. Granted change can proceed in many ways, some positive, some Suicide Prevention: Understanding The not so. The trick is to identify the changes Mental Health Needs Of Older Adults needed and move in that direction. Just like a And People Of Color. plant seeking the sun’s warmth, humans tend to THURSDAY April 29 2021 | 7:00 p.m. get drawn towards a path rather than decide to Location: Your computer, tablet, or phone go there. Over this past year, the terrific team that I UPCOMING have worked with has made purposeful movements toward areas of need. Our journey to address racism and equity issues on the Cape has BOARD MEETING only begun. League members, along with a TUESDAY May 4 | 9:30 a.m. coalition of many other organizations, will Zoom conference by invitation continue to build on the first steps and explore new avenues for change. We have once again LWVCCA ANNUAL MEETING opened up a dialogue necessary to address THURSDAY, May 13 | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Climate Change here on the Cape and will Location: Your computer, tablet, or phone continue to explore ways to educate the public and to engage their support in order to reduce Go to the damage that may be coming. And next https://tinyurl.com/LWVCCA-calendar month, our League will be opening a dialogue to see our entire Google calendar. Click on any surrounding an ongoing Cape Cod issue, Suicide calendar listing to see more detail. and Mental Health. While this issue has been ongoing here, the stresses placed on all communities over this COVID year only highlight this area of need. www.lwvCapecod.org http://www.facebook.com/LWVCCA/ Page 1 of 10 THE CAPE COD VOTER APRIL 2021 Everywhere you look on Cape Cod, you can see Trust. We will send out a fundraising letter to the incredible beauty and harmony of nature. businesses in the summer as we have done in But as League members, we often are required to previous years. gaze deeper, below the beauty, to identify the • The Board reviewed local and LWVMA areas of neglect that have been festering for a Program Planning goals. A final proposal will long time. People are often attracted to a place be prepared and presented to the Annual for various reasons and usually see only the Meeting in May for approval. positive aspects of that community. The longer • Final, approved minutes will be posted on the one lives in a place, the easier it is to lose sight of Members Only pages of the website. the flaws. Every once in a while, it is important to take a different walk, or to paint a room a VOTER SERVICE and LEGISLATIVE different color, or engage with a new crowd so COMMITTEES that we gain a different perspective. As League Have You Heard About the members, we need to continue to look at our communities with open minds and fresh eyes and Massachusetts VOTES Act? find the places that we can best move in to in Remember last year’s popular order to encourage change and growth in more voting changes? Mail-in ballots, positive and diverse ways. pre-paid postage, early voting, a secure outdoor dropbox for your There is always work to be done and since ballot, and an online site to check spring is just around the corner, we can be your ballot status? outside and interact with each other once again. Put on your thinking caps, take a more The LWV of Massachusetts has joined with adventurous walk and join us in moving forward. longtime voter advocacy groups and state legislators to make those reforms permanent in Peace, Massachusetts. Senate Majority Leader Cindy Suzanne Creem and Representative John Lawn have filed a Suzanne Brock, LWVCCA President bill called The VOTES Act-- An Act Fostering TABLE OF CONTENTS Voting Opportunities, Trust, Equity, And Security—SD 1002 and HD 1536. This bill LWVCCA PRESIDENT’S GREETINGS ............ 1 bundles many of last year’s voting reforms into one comprehensive package that now has more MARCH 9 BOARD MEETING ............................ 2 than 90 co-sponsors. VOTER SERVICE and LEGISLATIVE Here’s a partial list of the provisions of the Act: COMMITTEES ........................................................ 2 • No-excuse mail voting in all elections, in place WELCOME to NEW MEMBERS ....................... 5 of absentee voting. ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE REPORT....... 8 • Early voting in person for at least 2 weeks HEALTH COMMITTEE REPORT ..................... 9 before regular state elections, 1 week before state primaries and special elections. Local officials may provide more hours and more MARCH 9 BOARD MEETING sites, if needed. • Voters can apply for mail ballots to be sent • Minutes of the February 2 Board meeting were approved. permanently until they cancel. • The Budget Committee results show that we • Drop boxes at local option, or at early voting will have larger deficits than anticipated. We site. may need to go back to splitting member • Pre-paid postage for applications and ballots. contributions between LWVCCA and the Ed VOLUME 60 ISSUE 8 Page 2 of 10 THE CAPE COD VOTER APRIL 2021 • Local officials may appoint poll workers This federal bill includes sweeping national without regard to political party membership, reforms in redistricting, campaign finance, ethics, voter status, residence in the city or town, as and voting rights. Now it advances to the Senate needed. where it faces a divided membership. Read the • Same-day registration (SDR) within early LWVUS statement here. voting period, or on Election Day, with MEET YOUR CAPE COD LEGISLATORS -- identification and proof of residence. March 26, 2021 • Voting information and provision of state- League of Women Voters of the Cape Cod sanctioned voting materials to eligible voters Area, Cape Women’s Coalition, Cape Media Center at jails and prisons before every regular state, primary, and general election. Legislators present: State Senator Susan Moran, • Improved audit procedures--risk-limiting State Representative Tim Whelan, State audits after all regular state, primaries, and Representative Kip Diggs, State Representative Sarah Peake, State Representative Steven Xiarhos, general elections. State Representative Dylan Fernandes. • Secretary of the Commonwealth to join ERIC (a 30-state coalition to improve voter Legislators not present: State Senator Julian Cyr, registration data) by June 30, 2022. State Representative David Vieira • Fix the state’s mail application portal by June Introduction and Welcome—Moderator 30, 2022. Nancy Brumberg, Legislative Specialist, LWVMA. If you’d like to see Massachusetts enact these Format includes 1- minute opening statement by reforms, contact your state legislators to urge each legislator, discussion of Affordable Housing them to support The VOTES Act. A quick phone and Voting Rights Legislation, and a 2-minute call, an email, a letter—whatever works for closing statement by each legislator. Speaking order you—will help. Check Find My Legislator for determined by voting district. contact information. Let’s pass the VOTES Act and help make Massachusetts a national example of Opening Statements voting access, equity, and election modernization! Rep. Tim Whelan—has represented Barnstable’s 1st District since 2015. Glad to work in a bipartisan way with the Cape delegation and “...leave politics LWVUS Cheers Passage of HR 1 For the at the door…” He is the new Ranking Republican People Act in House of Representatives on the Joint Committee on Elder Affairs working with Vice-Chair Senator Julian Cyr. Wants to listen The US House of Representatives to the needs expressed by seniors. Supports recently passed HR 1—For the legislation that would provide needed assistance to People Act—with a party-line police, first responders, and essential workers. vote. League of Women Voters of Rep. Kip Diggs—newly elected to Barnstable’s the United States CEO Virginia 2nd District. Expressed deep appreciation for his Kase applauded the action. community’s support when his son was killed in a “…The League of Women Voters is proud to car accident and wants to “give back” by helping his support this bill that will end partisan and racial district. Committee assignments include Education, gerrymandering, remove dark money from our Housing, Health Care Financing, Tourism, and elections, and restore transparency in our Redistricting. Will serve with “…love and hard government. We applaud the House for passing work”. the For the People Act, and we urge the Senate Rep. Sarah Peake—serving her 8th term to do the same.” representing Barnstable’s 4th District. Remarked on VOLUME 60 ISSUE 8 Page 3 of 10 THE CAPE COD VOTER APRIL 2021 the past “unique” year with lots of legislation towns are making progress in tackling the housing stemming directly from the pandemic. Has worked problem—supports housing for veterans, Yarmouth to support every aspect of government that affects Commons, and building rental units. Believes there residents’ lives. Expressed appreciation for former must be a shift in funding and better balance in State Reps Hunt and Crocker and welcomed Cape funding for open space vs. affordable housing. Cod’s new legislators.