LWV upcoming events: • April 1 - LWV Ohio All-Member Call, noon
• April 1 - Resource Table at Shaker Main Library, 6 pm
• April 16 - Challenged Newsrooms, Concerned Voters, 7 pm
• April 26 - Shaker Chapter gathering - Shaker Square Vision Plan, 9:30 am
• May 21 - Shaker Chapter Annual Meeting, 7 pm
• May 31 - LWV of Greater Cleveland Annual Meeting, 9 am
What is on the May 6 Ballot?
For Shaker Heights residents, there will just be Issue 2 on the May 6 ballot. Issue 2 is a proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution that would fund public infrastructure projects, such as bridges, roads, water supply systems, and waste facilities. A YES vote would allow the state to issue $2.5 billion in state bonds over the next 10 years to pay for the State Capital Improvement Program (SCIP), which gives local governments grants, loans, and local debt support to invest in public infrastructure projects. A NO vote would end the program.
Supporters say Issue 2 would not raise taxes because SCIP is built into state budget planning. Supporters include organizations of local officials including the County Commissioners Association of Ohio, the Ohio Mayors Alliance, and the Ohio Township Association. There is no formal opposition to Issue 2 at this point.
The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections recently mailed the Voter Information Guide for the May 6, 2025 Primary Election. The guide lists your current precinct and polling location.
Request a Vote-By-Mail Ballot Today
Vote from the comfort of your home! Print your Vote-by-Mail application for the May 6 election here. Return your application in person to the Board of Elections at 2925 Euclid Avenue, or mail to:
Board of Elections
PO Box 89448
Cleveland, OH 44101-6448
Don't Miss These April Events
Where do you get your news? In a time with seemingly endless places to choose from, Americans’ news habits have changed dramatically in the 21st century. Americans turn to radio and print publications for news far less frequently than in the past. Today, most Americans get at least some of their news from digital devices and a wide variety of resources.
Is there a neutral, independent media? What new challenges face reporters in gathering news today? Where should you get your news? Join us on April 16 at 7 pm in the Shaker Heights High School Small Auditorium for our forum: "Challenged Newsrooms, Concerned Voters; Journalism in the Era of Political Polarization, Shrinking Resources and Fragmented Audiences." Our panelists will be Mike McIntyre from Ideastream, Lila Mills from Signal Cleveland, and Subodh Chandra, a First Amendment lawyer. Please join us for this important topic.
If you missed it, here is the link to the forum on March 22, "Building the Bench, Women in Ohio Politics." If you didn’t know, the League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland has a YouTube channel where you can view most of our past forums.
Lastly, join us on April 26 in the Bertram Woods Library Community Room at 9:30 am for our next chapter meeting. Our guest speaker will be Tania Menesse, the President and CEO of Cleveland Neighborhood Progress, who will speak to us about the upcoming changes to Shaker Square.
— Meryl Simon, Chapter Chair
Is There Neutral, Independent Media?
What new challenges face reporters? How can news organizations remain financially viable? Is the First Amendment under attack? Three journalism experts share their insights in a moderated discussion followed by a Q&A period. Join us on Wednesday, April 16, at 7 pm in the Shaker Heights High School Small Auditorium (15911 Aldersyde Drive).
Panelists: Mike McIntyre, Executive Editor, Ideastream Public Media Lila Mills, Editor-in-Chief, Signal Cleveland Subodh Chandra, First Amendment Lawyer
This forum will be in person and recorded for our YouTube channel. All are welcome!
Want to help with the forum? Volunteers are needed for an info table and to help with handing out index cards and pencils. Email Lynn Lilly.
April Gathering Will Focus on
Shaker Square
Mark your calendars! All are invited to join us on Saturday, April 26, at 9:30 am at Bertram Woods Library (20600 Fayette Road) for our Chapter meeting. Shaker resident Tania Menesse, CEO and President of Neighborhood Progress, will share the Shaker Square Vision Plan. Find out more: shakersquare.com/vision-plan/
Mark Your Calendars!
Please plan to join us on May 21 for the Shaker Chapter Annual Meeting. We will celebrate our work during the past year, thank our army of volunteers, elect new leaders, and do some high-level planning for next year. Please plan to attend!
LWVO All-Member Call
Tuesday, April 1 @ Noon
Find out what's happening on a statewide level. First Tuesday of every month. Register here.
On the agenda for April 1:
Adam Ambrogi, LWVUS Chief of External Affairs, joins us to talk about a new tracking initiative.
Collin Marozzi, Deputy Policy Director joins us to talk about SB 153
Karen Leith, LWVO Advocacy Chair, will discuss LWVO positions
Munia Mostafa, LWVO Operations Director, will discuss our May Convention
LWVGC Annual Meeting
Mark your calendar for LWV of Greater Cleveland's 11th Annual Meeting on Saturday, May 31, 9 am until 2 pm at the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) District 1199 Headquarters, 13000 Shaker Boulevard. This is right next to Shaker Square, on the Rapid line. More details to follow soon!
LWV Response to Executive Order
On March 25, President Trump signed an executive order, "Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections," seeking to overhaul U.S. elections, including requiring proof of citizenship. Read the League of Women Voters' statement in response to the executive order that threatens Americans' freedom to vote and tramples states' constitutional authority to run their own elections.
This statement was issued by League of Women Voters of the United States CEO Celina Stewart in response to the first sixty days of the Trump Administration.
LWV Joins Civil Rights Groups
The League of Women Voters has joined 100+ civil rights organizations in a letter to the American people. We are facing unprecedented attacks on our rights and, together, we must fight back.
If you missed the outstanding LWVGC program "Building the Bench: Women in Ohio Politics," you're in luck. Watch the recording here.
Despite the fact that women are registered to vote in higher numbers than men, the number of women in elected positions in Ohio is historically low. This program explored the reasons behind this trend and shared ideas for how to increase the number of women running for and winning elected office. If you've ever considered running for a local office like school board or city council, this video includes resources and information about organizations that support women candidates.
Speakers:
- Barbara Palmer - Executive Director, Center for Women & Politics of Ohio, Baldwin Wallace University
- Fizz White - Deputy Director of Mission Programs & Communications, The Matriots
If you missed this excellent webinar, watch it here.
Four years ago, a bipartisan majority passed the Fair School Funding Plan, finally ending 20 years of an unconstitutional and unfair public school funding system. But now Ohio's lawmakers are threatening to cut money for our public schools and break the promises they made to our kids and communities.
School Funding School Funding Plan architects John Patterson, Michael Hanlon, and Ryan Pendleton and public finance expert Howard Fleeter discussed what's needed to protect public education in this moment, and how we can help.
Light 4 Democracy
On March 4, LWV of Greater Cleveland organized a candelight vigil to shine a light for democracy. The vigil was held at the Willard Park Free Stamp sculpture downtown at the same time that President Trump was addressing Congress.
Democracy is not just a system of government; it is the power of the people. It begins with us, our voices and our vote.
Congress has reintroduced the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which would require all Americans to provide citizenship documentation when registering to vote even though voters in every state are already required to affirm or verify their citizenship status when registering.
• The SAVE Act would effectively ban registering to vote by mail or online since it would require in-person registration
• The SAVE Act would ban the use of state driver’s licenses, REAL ID, and veteran’s ID in voter registration.
• Women are especially vulnerable to being disenfranchised. The proposed SAVE Act instructs states to establish a process for people whose legal name doesn’t match their birth certificate to provide additional documents. But married women and others who have changed their names may face difficulty when registering because of the ambiguity in the bill over what documents may be accepted.
The SAVE Act does nothing to make voting more secure, it would just make it harder for millions of Americans to vote. Tell your members of Congress to oppose the SAVE Act. Take action here: lwvohio.salsalabs.org/opposesaveact
In Ohio News
Governor DeWine signed into law the higher education bill SB1 on March 28. LWV advocated against this legislation which bans DEI programs, sets rules for college classroom discussions of topics involving “controversial beliefs” such as climate policies, electoral politics, and immigration policy. And the law prohibits faculty from going on strike. Thousands of Ohioans wrote letters, called, testified, marched, and protested against this legislation.
Do you have a question for Mayor Weiss? Stop by the Van Aken District Market Hall (between On the Rise and Craft Collective) for an informal chat on Saturday, April 12 from 11 am to noon. There's no set agenda for this drop-in event; just stop by to talk about a City project, a neighborhood issue, or anything else you’d like to discuss.
Deer Questionnaire
Part of the City’s deer management program includes a periodic questionnaire to evaluate its effectiveness. The City of Shaker Heights encourages residents to complete a short online questionnaire. Even if you have completed it in previous years, please do so again and share it with others who may wish to share their input. The questionnaire is available through May 19. Complete the deer questionnaire here.
Free Composting Starts April 22
City Council has approved a free citywide composting program offered through a partnership with Rust Belt Riders. Residents who enroll in the program can drop off compost at bins located at all elementary schools and the Main Branch of the Shaker Heights Public Library. The program launches on Earth Day (April 22). Learn more and register here.
Observer Reports
One of the important roles of the Shaker Chapter is to observe City, School, and Library meetings. The League strongly supports good and open government. Thank you to all of our volunteer observers! Did you know that all Observer Reports are posted to our website and summaries are shared on social media?
Light 4 Democracy
