The CARES Act has provided a way to support your League’s important work, and it can benefit any donor who makes a gift in 2020.

Because the LWVBC is a 501(c)(3) public charity, you can make a gift up to $300 to LWVBC and receive a deduction.  Even if you do not itemize your deductions, but simply take the standard deduction as many taxpayers now do, your gift of $300 will be deducted from your adjusted gross income.  This gift must be made by check or credit card; stock gifts do not qualify – and you must make your gift before the end of December to earn the deduction! 

Voter Services - the 2020 Sign Project

By Jeanine Pow

Folks were so enthusiastic to register voters in 2020 that a total of 55 volunteers were trained at the January voter registration drive (VRD) training.  Unfortunately, with the identification and spread of the Covid19 coronavirus, despite the implementation of extensive safety precautions, many volunteers felt working a VRD table posed too great a risk of exposure.  Consequently, in September, with the expertise of artists Amy Metier, Jill Hadley Hooper, Dawn McFadden and Patricia Murphy, signs containing 7 different get-out-the-vote messages were designed and printed.  The signs were distributed to volunteers in Boulder, Longmont, Lafayette, Lyons, Louisville, Superior and Broomfield. 

The volunteers agreed to display their sign at a busy intersection in their community two-hours each week between October 3^rdand November 3^rd.   Judging from the volunteer reports, the signs were well received by motorists, as evidenced by numerous thumbs up and honking horns.  (I also received one middle-finger salute but that just indicates that the motorist read my sign)!   

In the November VOTER we reviewed elections that we and some other Leagues were closely monitoring.  Here is a summary of the results with one addition – Alaska.

Directly Elect the Mayor

City of Boulder 2E – Supporters cast 42,784 votes or 78% to directly elect the mayor beginning in 2023 and to use instant-runoff (ranked) voting.

Littleton 3A – Supporters cast 21,803 votes or 81% to directly elect the mayor (using “regular” plurality voting).  

Maine – Using Instant-Runoff (Ranked) Voting for Federal Elections

Senator Susan Collins won reelection with 51% to Sara Gideon’s 42.4%.  Because Collins won a majority of #1 rankings, the contest defaulted to a plurality election and nobody’s #2 rankings were revealed.  The margin of victory would probably have been smaller if Maine did not have ranked voting because more people would have voted exclusively for one of the frontrunners.  

Maine has two congressional districts.  The Democrats won both seats, but some voters split their tickets to put Susan Collins over the top statewide and Trump over the top in the 2nd district.  Neither congressional district had an instant runoff for Congress or US president.

Although the Founding Fathers were opposed to political parties and conflict, conflict is necessary in politics.  If there is no conflict in an issue, then the issue is not political.  Political parties provide a structure for organizing conflict.  

The problem with having only two parties is that all choices are binary and often come down to the “lesser of two evils.”  Americans want and need more options.  With only two parties, gaining the majority is everything.