Amherst League of Women Voters

A Voice for Citizens, a Force for Change

MA Bills to Support in this new Legislative Term

Last November, some voters in Massachusetts had to wait hours to cast their vote and many others did not vote due to our out-dated voter registration system. This must change.  It is time to pass comprehensive election reform legislation -- including election audits, pre-registration for 16 and 17 year-olds, online voter registration, Election Day Registration and more.  Please call your representatives today.

Please support election modernization legislation in 2013.

http://signon.org/sign/co-sponsor-election-moderniz?source=s.icn.em.mt&r_by=1339613

MA Bills needing our support:

  • SD01562 (Sen. Finegold) - A comprehensive bill with early voting, audits of election equipment, voter registration modernization, pre-registration of 16 and 17 year-olds, and more.
  • SD00001, HD00048 (Sen. Murray and Rep. Straus) - Constitutional amendments to allow for no-excuse absentee voting and early voting.
  • SD00436, HD02543 (Sen. Clark and Rep. Garballey) - Allows for online voter registration and registration verification.
  • Permanent Registration (Rep. Garballey HD02545, Sen. Chang-Diaz SD01166) - Voter registration is updated automatically when you change your address with USPS or the RMV.
  • SD01139, HD03060 (Sen. Creem and Rep. Fox) – Establishes Election Day registration.

Expanded Polystyrene (Styrofoam*) Ban Passed in Amherst

A coalition  consisting of the Amherst Recycling and Refuse Management Committee, the LWVA, and The Hitchcock Center for the Environment worked together to pass a new Town bylaw to ban the use of take-out Styrofoam products in the Town of Amherst. The ban will not take effect until January 1, 2014, and there will be hardship deferments if a restaurant cannot find non-Styrofoam* products to use.  However, there are distributors in western Massachusetts which have many non-Styrofoam, compostable plant-based products, and there is also the possibility of a consortium for bulk buying being formed for Amherst restaurants, so the prices will be further diminished. This ban is a step in the direction of making Amherst a greener, more sustainable town. Styrofoam  continues to fill landfills throughout the country and poses troubling, dangerous health risks. *trademark name

Democracy in the Balance: Money, Speech and Power

There is much we do not understand. Educating our membership (including ourselves), and spreading the word to the grassroots are necessary first steps to whatever direction our advocacy efforts will take. The MA Leagues of Concord/Carlisle and Sudbury recently developed an educational presentation and suggested that we preview it in Amherst.

In October 2012, the LWVA’s Follow the Money (FT$) Interest Group, presented its version of the program, ‘Democracy in the Balance: Money, Speech and Power’ to the Amherst League.

The program offers an historical overview of how campaign financing has changed over time, and on the impact of unlimited contributions and expenditures on political campaigns as a consequence of the Citizens United decision.

The Amherst Follow the Money Committee (FT$) is looking for opportunities to present this program to community groups. The talk with the accompanying slide show takes about 20 minutes. If you are a member of any western Massachusetts organization or civic group that invites speakers, please contact Joan Rabin (jrabin@external.umass.edu) or Jackie Wolf (LWVAhealthcare@yahoo.com).

Links

LWVUS Campaign Finance Reform

Trevor Potter and Floyd Abrams with Bill Moyers

Trevor Potter and Bill Moyers November 16, 2012

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