Thanks to everyone who attended the League of Women Voters St. Paul's 95th Annual Meeting on Monday. Special thanks to this year's outgoing board of directors. And congratulations to this year's board, Nicole Mickelson as recipient of the Sunrise Award, and Marge Anderson as recipient of the Faye Lyksett Award!!

Joan Newmark welcomes Sally Patterson.

Special guests Fiona and Seda presenting as Carrie Chapman Catt and Maud Wood Park.

Marge Anderson accepting the Faye Lyksett Award as presented by Judy Screaton.

Marge and her family. Congrats Marge!!

Photos from 65A Candidate Forum held on Oct. 29, 2014.

LWV St. Paul has developed an excellent voter guide available here for download. Share far and wide to help educate voters on the candidates running for office.

Be sure to share this report on the Comparison of Voter Turnout by St. Paul Planning District by Type of Election by Selected Demographics 2010 & 2012. The report compares turnout for state, federal, and county commissioner races. It may come as no surprise that the lowest turnout is for the commissioner races. Yet, the county controls so much of what affects people's daily lives such as roads, parks, libraries, water, sewer, social services, judicial services, law enforcement, and on and on. County commissioner races are regularly uncontested with residents being unaware of who is running and what they stand for. Let's work to change this!

LWV St. Paul hosted an excellent panel discussion on Campaign Finance in early September. If you weren't able to attend the event, be sure to watch the video.

http://youtu.be/BxJbEdi0pNQ

September 19 ‐ October 24 (Monday – Friday) 8:00am to 4:30pm

Saturday, October 25 8:00am to 1:00pm

Monday, October 27 through Thursday, October 30 8:00am to 7:00pm

Friday, October 31 8:00am to 4:30pm

Saturday, November 1 8:00am to 3:00pm

Sunday, November 2 10:00am to 2:00pm

Monday, November 3 8:00am to 5:00pm

Voters in suburban Ramsey County (except Falcon Heights) may also vote early in‐person at their city or town halls. Please contact your city or town for specific dates and hours.

The Met Council’s Housing Policy Plan will support the Council’s Thrive MSP 2040 , the Council’s regional development guide. Designed to assist local communities and advance regional housing goals, the Plan will establish the Council’s broad housing policy direction for the coming decades. Housing investment and disinvestment have a critical impact on the vitality of the region, its cities, its neighborhoods, and its households and families. The Plan will focus on promoting housing options that give people in all life stages and of all economic means viable choices for safe, stable and affordable homes.

The Metropolitan Council released the draft for comment in July 2014 and is holding a public hearing on the Housing Policy Plan.

The public hearing on the 2040 Housing Policy Plan will be held

Monday, September 15, 2014 at 5 p.m.
Metropolitan Council Chambers
390 Robert Street North
Saint Paul, MN 55101

All interested persons are encouraged to attend the public hearing. Upon request, the Metropolitan Council will provide reasonable accommodations to persons with disabilities (advance notice of any specific accommodations you may need is appreciated).

Comment by 5 p.m. September 26

You can comment on the plan through 5 p.m. Friday, September 26, 2014 via

• Mail: Metropolitan Council, 390 Robert Street North, Saint Paul, MN 55101
• TTY: 651-291-0904
• Email: public.info@metc.state.mn.us
• Record on our Public Comment Line 651-602-1500
• Share via Your Ideas website http://yourideas.metrocouncil.org/ideas
• Speak at the public hearing on Monday, September 15, 2014 at 5 p.m. Register in advance by calling 651-602-1500.

The DRAFT 2040 Housing Policy Plan can be found here.

Here is a newsletter article about the DRAFT 2040 Housing Policy Plan. This article contains great background information about the plan.

September 20th 10:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., Neighborhoods Organizing for Change or Hope Lutheran Church

The Restore the Vote Minnesota campaign will be hosting a rally and door knock on Saturday, Sept 20^th in Minneapolis and St. Paul to talk with community members about this campaign.

Every fall, Americans have the opportunity to exercise one of our must fundamental and sacred rights, the right to vote. This is a right that so many of us hold in high esteem. We proudly display I voted stickers and praise Minnesota’s high voter turnout. However, a day which so many of us look forward to is a day of exclusion and silencing for over 63,000 Minnesotans who have been convicted of a felony. In Minnesota, we disenfranchise over 50,000 of these Minnesotans even after they have left prison or jail and are living in our communities, and a disproportionate number are people of color. The Restore the Vote MN campaign wants to change the law so as soon as someone is released from prison or jail they are eligible to vote.

Join the campaign to knock doors in North Minneapolis and on the East side of St. Paul to talk with voters about restoring the vote, ask them to fill out action post cards (which will be sent to their legislators and the Governor), and to register people to vote.

More information can be found here.

The Ruth S. Shur Fellows team is comprised of 28 dynamic and dedicated volunteers from across the country who were selected from a pool of candidates to support state coaching teams in mentoring local Leagues in recruiting and engaging members and the community to make our democracy strong and vibrant. Read about each of our unique and talented National Coaches below.

To be considered for a position as a Ruth S. Shur Fellow, you must be nominated using the online nomination form. Self-nominations are welcome. Nomination forms must be completed and submitted by Friday, September 19, 2014.

To fill out the Ruth S. Shur Fellow nomination form, click here.