League Friends,
As the season of gratitude arrives, I’ve been thinking about what it means to truly show up. At the No Kings March and Power to the People Community Fair, League members did exactly that. We showed up with voter registration materials, a spirit of connection, and a shared belief that democracy grows stronger when people come together.
Showing up doesn’t always mean marching or making speeches. Sometimes it’s listening in a public meeting, mentoring a new volunteer, or helping a first-time voter. Every small act of presence matters. Each one reminds our community that civic engagement is still alive, steady, and hopeful.
As we move toward Thanksgiving, I’m grateful for every member who gives their time and energy to this work. Thank you for showing up, for caring, and for keeping the promise of democracy alive in Greater Lafayette.
Executive President, Business
League of Women Voters of Greater Lafayette | November Dates to Remember
06 Documentary Showing "Black Purdue", 6:00-8:00p, IBEW Local 668 Union Hall 2535 S. 30th St, Lafayette
22 We're Out: A Celebration of LGBTQIA+: 1:00-5:00p First United Methodist Church, W. Lafayette
25 LWVGL Board Meeting: 6:00-7:30p, Zoom - Contact Barb for a Link
Every event is open to all LWVGL members! Join Us! | The Power of Showing Up
In a recent essay from Flashing Palely in the Margins, the author reflects that civic life is often “messy, unpredictable, and full of contradiction.” Yet, that is where real progress begins. Showing up means stepping into that space with patience, humility, and hope.
When we show up, we choose connection over comfort. We choose to listen when it would be easier to stay home. We choose to be part of something larger than ourselves. That is the real power in civic engagement.
For the League of Women Voters, showing up is about more than being present. It is about being willing to learn, to question, and sometimes to stand in the middle of disagreement and keep listening anyway. That takes courage. It also takes humility, the kind that recognizes democracy is not something handed to us, but something we rebuild every day through our participation.
As UPLIFT Chronicles put it, “Civic engagement is listening deeply, speaking truth, and weaving together connections and coalitions." When League members attend city and county meetings, host voter registration drives, or facilitate candidate forums, we help weave those connections. We become the thread between people who might not otherwise find common ground.
The National League of Cities has emphasized that building civic trust depends on relationships and visibility within communities. That is why our Observer Corps matters so much. League members show up not just to watch, but to witness. To make sure decisions happen in the open and that citizens know what their government is doing. It is steady, quiet work, but it builds integrity in public life.
Showing up also changes the people who do it. It deepens empathy, sharpens awareness, and turns frustration into action. Many of us did not start as experts in government or policy. We learned by showing up, by asking questions, taking notes, and discovering that our voices have power.
In a time when civic life can feel noisy and divided, showing up is a radical act of faith. It says we still believe conversation is worth having, facts are worth knowing, and progress is worth working for.
As we look ahead, the League of Women Voters of Greater Lafayette invites everyone to find their own way to show up. Attend a meeting. Join a committee. Observe a public hearing. Bring a friend. Each of these actions adds a small but vital piece to the larger story of how democracy stays alive.
Because in the end, showing up does not just strengthen democracy, it strengthens us.
| LWVGL Show Up and Speak Up at No Kings March
On October 18, the League of Women Voters of Greater Lafayette joined Indivisible Greater Lafayette and other community partners to co-sponsor the No Kings March and Power to the People Community Fair. The event brought an estimated 3,000 participants together to celebrate civic unity and the importance of participation in local democracy.
Marchers moved from West Lafayette across the John T. Myers Pedestrian Bridge into downtown Lafayette, circled the courthouse and returned to West Lafayette. The Power to the People Community Fair at Tapawingo Park was filled with music, speakers, and a wide range of local organizations eager to connect. The League’s Voter Services Committee, led by Taylor Flanery, hosted a busy and welcoming table where volunteers registered voters, answered questions, and shared information about the League’s work. LWVGL President Barb Clark addressed the crowd, highlighting the League’s ongoing efforts to empower voters, promote transparency, and strengthen community engagement across Greater Lafayette.
The day reflected the spirit of this month’s theme, The Power of Showing Up. From the marchers carrying signs to the volunteers sharing resources, each act of participation reinforced a simple truth: democracy only works when we take part. LWVGL was proud to stand alongside partners, neighbors, and new friends in this visible, hopeful act of civic engagement. | NOW is the Time to Act
It’s a five-alarm fire for voting in Indiana right now. After months of pressure from the Trump administration to force a mid-cycle redistricting, and after Senate Pro Tempore Rodric Bray recently stated that a special session wouldn’t be called due to lack of support, it appears the situation has changed.
On October 25, 2025, the Indianapolis Business Journal reported that Governor Mike Braun will call a special legislative session to redraw Indiana’s congressional districts.
This move is drawing criticism from across the political spectrum. Indiana’s maps were already redrawn after the 2020 census and used for the 2024 elections. Forcing another redistricting now undermines public trust, disrupts representation, and creates confusion for voters and local election officials. It’s also costly, with each day of the special session estimated to cost taxpayers at least $30,000.
If two-thirds of legislators support the effort, they can bypass public comment — silencing Hoosiers who have been calling, emailing, and speaking out against the plan.
It’s crunch time. Visit indianavoters.com to find your legislators. Call and email them today to make your opposition to mid-cycle redistricting heard. Be sure to include your address so your comments are officially recorded.
Local Legislator Contact Information:
-
Sen. Ron Alting: 317-232-9808
-
Sen. Spencer Deery: 317-232-9517
-
Rep. Chris Campbell: 317-232-9606
-
Rep. Matt Commons: 317-232-9626
-
Rep. Mark Genda: 317-232-9767
-
Rep. Sheila Klinker: 317-232-9644
-
Rep. Heath VanNatter: 317-232-9775
| Press Release: League of Women Voters of Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS, IN—The League of Women Voters of Indiana, Common Cause Indiana, Hoosier Asian American Power, and Exodus Refugee Immigration, have filed a lawsuit against the Indiana Secretary of State and the Co-Directors of the Indiana Election Division, challenging several Indiana laws that target only naturalized citizens—not people born as citizens—with unnecessary burdens and potential disenfranchisement. The lawsuit states these laws violate the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The organizations are represented by Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and Daniel Bowman and William Groth of Bowman Legal Services, LLC.
The lawsuit challenges new Indiana laws that went into effect on July 1, 2025, that use outdated and inaccurate Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) data in a flawed attempt to verify citizenship. Temporary driver’s licenses or identification cards are issued to noncitizens who are lawfully in the United States. These temporary credentials remain valid until they expire, and cost money to update, so many naturalized citizens continue using their temporary credentials for years after they become citizens and register to vote.
Due to the unreliable nature of this BMV data, naturalized citizens who are eligible to vote and still use a valid temporary credential will be required to provide proof of citizenship. This unnecessary requirement is not imposed on individuals born as citizens.
The lawsuit follows a July letter warning state officials that the new laws will mis-identify eligible voters as potential noncitizens in violation of federal law. These individuals must produce proof of citizenship within 30 days of receiving a notice. County voter registration officials must cancel or reject these individual’s applications within 48 hours if they don’t respond during this time period.
“These laws put Indiana voters at risk, particularly our neighbors and members who have worked hard to become US citizens and voters,” said Linda Hanson, president of the League of Women Voters of Indiana. “Every Hoosier deserves an election system that treats all eligible voters fairly. The League of Women Voters of Indiana is committed to blocking unnecessary barriers that attempt to disenfranchise certain voters in our communities.”
“Our democracy depends on every eligible voter being able to cast a ballot free from intimidation or discrimination,” said Celina Stewart, CEO of the League of Women Voters of the United States. “Indiana’s new laws are part of a broader, troubling trend to undermine the fundamental right to vote. By targeting naturalized citizens, these provisions break federal law and betray the promise of equal participation at the heart of our democracy.”
“Many individuals Exodus has assisted to obtain citizenship over the years fled from countries where they never had the chance to participate in a democracy. We cannot allow their voices to be silenced again in Indiana," said Cole Varga, CEO of Exodus Refugee Immigration.
“This law is intimidation of certain Hoosier voters and Common Cause Indiana will always stand against intimidation of voters,” said Julia Vaughn, Common Cause Indiana Executive Director. “We warned legislators this was bad legislation before they passed it, we warned election officials before it took place and now we are taking action to protect Hoosier voters from this intimidation.”
“A majority of Asian American eligible voters are naturalized citizens, and for our community members, democracy is precious, because many of us come from countries where the right to vote is not a given,” said Melissa Borja, Co-Chair of Hoosier Asian American Power. “These laws unfairly create barriers that prevent our community members from exercising their cherished right to vote and having their voices heard."
“There is no evidence of widespread noncitizen voting or attempts to register to vote in our elections,” said Ami Gandhi, Director of the Midwest Voting Rights Program with Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights. “This will result in the wrongful disenfranchisement of eligible voters, many of whom are people of color.”
“Common Cause will not stand for these attacks on voters any longer,” said Omar Noureldin, Common Cause Senior Vice President of Policy and Litigation. “If legislators in Indiana attack the voting rights of voters, we will push back to protect our members and Indiana voters.”
“New Americans have the same right to vote as native-born citizens,” said Ryan Snow, counsel with the Voting Rights Project of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. “And yet Indiana has needlessly created a new barrier to voting for new citizens, one which no native-born citizen will ever be subjected to. This is discriminatory and violates federal law.”
Plaintiffs are asking for Indiana’s compliance with federal law and for temporary and permanent injunctive relief preventing Indiana election officials from enforcing these harmful citizenship crosscheck laws. They also seek public records related to the challenged laws, including the list of targeted voters. |  |
Shop with Purpose
Visit the League of Women Voters of Greater Lafayette online store
and grab your pro-democracy merch! Every purchase helps fund our
outreach right here in Tippecanoe County! Wear your support, spread
the word, and make a difference.
| | Welcome to our newest LWVGL members: Susannah Hall-Justice and Darby Stearns. Thanks for joining us in the mission of Empowering Voters and Defending Democracy!
| | | Local Government Meeting Schedules
- County Council Meeting: 2nd Tuesday of every month at 8:30a, Tippecanoe County Building
- County Commissioners Meeting: 1st and 3rd Monday of every month at 10a, Tippecanoe County Building
- West Lafayette City Council: 1st Monday of every month at 6:30p, Margerum City Hall
- Lafayette City Council: 1st Monday of every month at 6:00p, Lafayette City Hall
NOTE: All meetings are subject to change or cancellation, so check before attending. | CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS
State Senator Ron Alting, District 22
Website: https://www.indianasenaterepublicans.com/alting
Email: Senator.Alting@iga.in.gov
Phone: 800-382-9467; 317-232-9400
Address: Indiana State Senate, 200 W. Washington St., Indianapolis IN 46204
State Senator Spencer Deery, District 23
Website: https://www.indianasenaterepublicans.com/deery
Email: Senator.Deery@iga.in.gov
Phone: 800-382-9467; 317-232-9400
Address: Indiana State Senate, 200 W. Washington St., Indianapolis IN 46204
State Representative Chris Campbell, District 26
Website: https://indianahousedemocrats.org/members/chris-campbell
Email: h26@iga.in.gov
Phone: 800-382-9841; 317-234-3101
Address: Indiana House of Representatives, 200 W. Washington St., Indianapolis IN 46204
State Representative Sheila Klinker, District 27
Website: https://indianahousedemocrats.org/members/sheila-klinker/full
Email: h27@in.gov
Phone: 800-382-9841; 317-234-3101
Address: Indiana State Senate, 200 W. Washington St., Indianapolis IN 46204
State Representative Matt Commons, District 13
Website: https://indianahouserepublicans.com/members/general/matt-commons/
Email: h13@iga.in.gov
Phone: 800-382-9841; 317-232-9600
Address: Indiana House of Representatives, 200 W. Washington St., Indianapolis IN 46204
State Representative Mark Genda, District 41
Website: https://www.indianahouserepublicans.com/members/general/mark-genda/
Email: h41@in.gov
Phone: 800-382-9841; 317-232-9767
Address: Indiana House of Representatives, 200 W. Washington St., Indianapolis IN 46204
State Representative Heath Vannatter, District 38
Website: https://www.indianahouserepublicans.com/members/general/heath-vannatter
Email: h38@in.gov
Phone: 800-382-9841; 317-234-9450
Address: Indiana House of Representatives, 200 W. Washington St., Indianapolis IN 46204
Governor Mike Braun
Website: https://www.in.gov/gov/
Phone: 317-232-4567
Address: Office of the Governor, 200 W Washington St., Indianapolis IN 46204-2797
4th Congressional District U.S. Representative Jim Baird
Website: https://baird.house.gov
Phone: 202-225-5037
Address: 2303 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC 20515
U.S. Senator Jim Banks
Website: https://www.banks.senate.gov
Phone: 202-224-4814
Address: 374 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington DC 20510
U.S. Senator Todd Young
Website: www.young.senate.gov
Phone: 202-224-5623
Address: 303 Hart Senate Office Building, 120 Constitution Avenue NE Washington DC 20002 | LWVGL Board of Directors & Officers
2025 - 2027
Denise Ottinger, Assistant Treasurer
Rachel Kizer, Membership Assistant
| Anything to add?? If you would like to submit an article or have an idea for a topic, please feel free to contact the editor at editor@leaguelafayette.org. Information for the upcoming month is due by the 25th of the month prior.
Lynn Wood
Editor, The Voter | Swipe, Scroll, Follow - We're Just a Click Away! | Forward this to someone who might be interested in our work!
or
Sign up to receive The Voter in your inbox monthly
by dropping an email to editor@leaguelafayette.org | |