Don’t go into the 2024 Primary Election unprepared! VOTE411.org has everything you need, from registration deadlines to personalized election information. “Who’s on my ballot?” “Where is my polling place?” “What should I bring with me?” “Can I vote early?” VOTE411.org has you covered! 

Prefer your election information in a different format? LWVAAC offers that too! Click here for the Anne Arundel County Voters' Guide for the 2024 Maryland Primary Election.

LWVAAC is now part of the League In Action app!

League In Action, a LWV-branded app powered by OutreachCircle, is a convenient way to access important League announcements without opening a single email. After you install the app, you can enable push notifications in your settings to receive League event reminders and alerts right on your mobile device.

Steps:

1) Download the app.

• Reading this on your computer? Scan the QR Code above on your mobile device to get started.
• On your mobile device? Click here to download the app. 
• Alternately, search the App Store or Google Play for "League in Action" and download the app.

2) Install the app.

• If you are already on the LWV of Anne Arundel circle, click the "Join" button, and create an account.
• If you do not see the LWV Anne Arundel logo, enter "Anne Arundel" in the search bar to find our circle. From there, click the Join button.

3) Customize your settings. 

• Enable push notifications in Settings to receive real-time alerts from LWVAAC.

4) Explore LIA to follow other Leagues, including LWVUS.

The LWVAAC Board is weighing a proposal to create League Issue-Focused Teams (LIFTs) and we need your input.

As proposed, each LIFT will function independently. The LIFT may choose to research, observe, report, educate and advocate on their chosen topic, consistent with League principles, policies and positions. Team members may take a specific role, e.g. observer, or may share or rotate responsibilities. LIFTs may also propose that LWVAAC adopt a study related to their issue, or an update to an existing position.

Teams will meet regularly; in-person gatherings will be encouraged when feasible. Each team will have a leader, who will be responsible for organizing and moderating the meetings, and a liaison from the LWVAAC Board, who may or may not also be the leader.

Please email questions, comments or concerns to Amanda SubbaRao, [email protected]. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Which, if any, of the following League priorities is of particular interest?

Just in time for the 2024 elections and Anne Arundel County plastic bag restrictions.

Port Authority® Ideal Twill Over-the-Shoulder Tote

• Durable 10-ounce, 100% cotton twill
• Cotton web handles with reinforced stitching
• Printed on two sides with LWVAAC and VOTE411 logos
• Dimensions:15"h x 13.5"w x 7.25"d; Approx. 1,800 cubic inches

LWV branding by Kwikgrafx Screenprinting, an Anne Arundel County minority-owned business.

If you wish to reserve a Panera Box lunch, please respond to this survey by June 10th, or email [email protected] with your selection.

We suggest a $10 voluntary contribution at the retreat for box lunches. For drinks, BYOB (non-alcoholic only, per park regulations).

Panera Box Lunch Options:

Questions? Email [email protected].

LWVAAC is proud to partner with community organizations that support the League's nonpartisan, educational mission.

In pursuing public policy goals based on League positions, LWVAAC gains information and compounds its impact by participating in coalitions. To address our public policy position on Planning and Zoning, LWVAAC is a member of the Growth Action Network with LWVAAC Director Susan Cochran as liaison. Based on our position on Affordable Housing, the League is a member of the Anne Arundel Affordable Housing Coalition with LWVAAC Director Abby Root as liaison.

Recent changes in the way Marylanders vote have caused confusion and uncertainty. Many people look for answers on social media such as Facebook, X, and Instagram. Unfortunately, not all of the election information shared on social media or the internet is accurate or true. Here are some tips to help you recognize misinformation and combat disinformation.

Misinformation vs. Disinformation

The difference between misinformation and disinformation is a matter of intent. Misinformation is inaccurate information that is shared due to an error or misunderstanding. Disinformation, on the other hand, is deliberately intended to deceive, manipulate, or mislead people.

Disinformation about our elections is developed and spread by entities seeking to undermine faith in our democracy. The following video from the Maryland Board of Elections describes how foreign bad actors interfered in the 2016 U.S. election:

By understanding how disinformation is created and spread, you can learn how to distinguish fact from fiction. 

Finding Trusted Sources and Reliable Information

Many people now get their information primarily from social media. It is very easy for people and bot accounts to look like reliable sources. Do some research about the source to determine if it is reliable.

For information specific to voting, including dates, locations and requirements, the most reliable sources are election officials and official government websites, such as local (Anne Arundel County) and state (Maryland) Board of Elections websites.

When reading about candidates and election issues, ask yourself these questions and use your answers to determine how reliable the source is:

• Who is the author or source?
• What expertise in the topic do they have?
• What is the date of the information: is it current or old?
• What other information is the source posting?
• Does the source cite other sources that are reliable?
• Are other sources sharing the same information? Which sources have conflicting information? How reliable are those sources?
• What do official sources, such as government websites, say about the topic?

Disinformation is often designed to manipulate feelings. "News" that causes a strong emotional reaction is more likely to be shared on social media.  

Ask yourself these questions about the specific information presented, and if you answer "yes" to any, do more research on the issue using reliable sources before you share the information:

• Is the information worded to provoke a strong emotional reaction?
• Does the content of the article match the headline? 
• Does the information present statements of opinion that are not backed by facts or data?
• If data or facts are given, are they documented? Can they be confirmed? Are they accurate?
• If the information is presented in a soundbite, is it presented in context?

Preventing the Spread of Inaccurate Information

When you encounter bad information, what can you do to stop its spread? 

• DO NOT repeat the bad information or quote it. Even if you then say the information is bad, or give good information after the bad information, repeating the bad information helps fix it in people's minds. If you want to refer to bad information, do so in a general way, such as "Some people are making false claims about the election."
• DO provide accurate information and include links to trusted sources for the accurate information.
• DO NOT click on or share links or memes that contain bad information, even if your plan is to refute it. 
• DO report and block bad actors that share disinformation on social media platforms.
• DO NOT publicly respond to someone who is posting bad information on social media platforms. If someone you know is spreading bad information, contact them privately about removing the post. Public responses lead to a higher visibility of the original post.
• DO post your own post sharing the correct information when someone in your social media list posts disinformation or misinformation. This will prevent further spread of the bad information while reaching mutual friends on your lists that may have seen the bad information.

Arm yourself with the tools to stop the spread of disinformation. The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has a website that focuses on stopping the spread of misinformation and disinformation, as well as malinformation, which is information that is mostly true but used in a misleading way. This website also provides a PDF of tips for stopping the spread of election and voting misinformation and disinformation.

Interested in learning more about the security of elections in Maryland? Click here.

By Susan Cochran, Director and Action Co-Chair

As the nation is reeling from a recent string of mass shootings stretching from New York to Texas to Oklahoma, and gun violence continues, many of us are asking what can be done about gun violence. The League of Women Voters has been working for sensible gun safety laws for over 30 years. LWVUS CEO, Virginia Case Solomon, decried the Uvalde tragedy and declared, “We will not be silent.” The League’s position on gun ownership is clear:

The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that the proliferation of handguns and semi-automatic assault weapons in the United States is a major health and safety threat to its citizens. The League supports strong federal measures to limit the accessibility and regulate the ownership of these weapons by private citizens.

Public Demo of County Voting System
Posted by Niecy Chambers · April 14, 2024 4:12 PM · 1 reaction

VOTE411 is Live!
Posted by Amanda SubbaRao · April 05, 2024 12:46 PM · 1 reaction

Action Committee

LWVAAC's Action Committee organizes events that promote the League’s position on an issue to government officials and the public. Such actions may include media campaigns, lobbying or advocating for a cause, and educating the public for support.

Email [email protected] for more information.

Program Committee

LWVAAC's Program Committee addresses local issues of compelling interest, often building relationships in the community and alliances with other organizations. At the local League level, the word “program” is used to describe a variety of events, including, but not limited to, speakers, panel discussions, candidate debates, and other educational activities for members and the public.

Email [email protected] for more information

Action to secure affordable housing for low and very low income residents and special populations in Anne Arundel County and the City of Annapolis. ⓘ 

Support for:

1. rehabilitation of the existing housing supply to maintain the stock of affordable housing;
2. meeting the housing and human service needs of special populations including, but not limited to the homeless;
3. increasing opportunities for people of low or moderate income;
4. ensuring an adequate stock of subsidized housing, and rental assistance and services to low and very low income persons.

2021 Report of the LWVAAC Study Group on Affordable Housing 

Support for election of Board of Education members in nonpartisan elections held at the same time as partisan elections. ⓘ

Support for a charter that is clear, concise and confined to fundamentals. ⓘ

Hazardous ⓘ  Support the efforts of County government to control problems of hazardous waste. Support establishment of central collections points for disposal of hazardous wastes from households and other small generators. Urge the County to provide adequate information on how to report suspected hazardous wastes and on ways to reduce the use of hazardous products in the household.

Solid ⓘ Support a program of solid waste management that protects public health and the environment through promotions of source reduction, recycling, and adoption of a conservation ethic among individuals, businesses, and government. We believe every individual must take responsibility for his or her waste and must change disposal habits. A solid waste plan should emphasize source reduction, waste materials recovery, recycling, and composting. Incineration (waste to energy) and other alternatives should be considered only after health, environmental, and economic effects have been studied. Includes City of Annapolis.

Endorsement of the concept of controlled growth and encouragement of strong enforcement of existing land use controls (zoning, and storm water and sediment controls) and adoption of new regulations to support the concept. ⓘ

The League supports the following goals in accordance with this position.

1. Promote and pursue balanced development in appropriate target areas that will have minimum impact on the environment and maximum long-term benefit to employment and the tax base including provision of opportunity for affordable housing and a variety of commercial activities in established commercial areas and discouragement of strip development.
2. Enforce the County implementation of the critical area laws and ensure their adequacy.
3. Enforce more strongly the adequate public facilities ordinances, including those regarding water and sewer systems, waste water treatment plants, roads, and public transportation.
4. Reduce air, water, and noise pollution.
5. Expand and strengthen watershed management with storm water and sediment controls, using stronger enforcement of regulations and citizen participation, e.g. as monitors.
6. Maintain the integrity of rural residential and established farming areas by expanding the agricultural preservation program.
7. Expand programs that support carpools, vanpools, and all forms of public transportation.