LWV NATIONAL PRESIDENT KEYNOTES GALA | Watch LWVUS President Dianna Wynn's keynote speech at the gala luncheon.
| League's greatest strength 'is our grassroots power' | Celebrating its mission of “Empowering Voters, Defending Democracy,” the LWVPBC welcomed about 200 friends and supporters to its annual fundraiser at the Marriott West Palm Beach. The guest speaker was Dianna Wynn, president of the National League of Women Voters, who shared the nonpartisan organization’s role in protecting free and fair elections and the importance of community-based civic engagement in strengthening democracy. Luncheon highlights included a silent auction and the premiere of a short video promoting LWVPBC.
Proceeds will fund LWVPBC’s year-round voter education programs, candidate forums and advocacy efforts in Palm Beach County. Sponsors and underwriters included The Palm Beach Post, Florida Power & Light Company, Smith Ball Baez & Prather Florida Injury Lawyers and event co-chair Rebecca Taylor Cohen. Cohen and Debra Chandler served as co-chairs. | Gala attendees watch the debut of an 80-second video about
the League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County. | Amy Kemp and Dianna Wynn surrounded by the LWVPBC Board.
| Energy, commitment, community shaping PBC chapter's future
| As we reflect on the momentum of the past few months, I am filled with gratitude and optimism for the work we are doing together. I am pleased to share this photo from our recent luncheon, which beautifully captures the energy, commitment and community that define the League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County. I am pleased to share that we are halfway through our strategic planning — progress made possible by your engagement and dedication. With that momentum, we are now looking ahead to our upcoming Annual Meeting, where we will celebrate our accomplishments, align on priorities and chart the path forward together. Thank you for all you do to empower voters and defend democracy in our community.
— Amy Kemp, President
| ANNUAL MEETING SLATE OF OFFICERS | The list below is the slate of officers that LWVPBC members will consider at the April 15 annual meeting. View their bios and photos.
If you are a member and do not expect to be at the annual meeting, please print and fill out the proxies, and send them in by one of these methods:
(You may mail it in the same envelope as your other Proxy Form, the one for the
LWVPBC Advocacy Fund.)
View other pertinent documents (annual reports, proposed bylaws) | The list below is the slate of officers that LWVPBC members will consider at the April 15 annual meeting. View their bios and photos on the Annual Meetings 2026 page (scroll down to the lower portion).
If you are a member and do not expect to be at the annual meeting, please print and fill out the proxies (below Quorum on the Annual Meetings 2026 page) and send them in by one of these methods:
(You may mail it in the same envelope as your other Proxy Form, the one for the
LWVPBC Advocacy Fund.)
View other pertinent documents (annual reports, proposed bylaws). | Nominations Approved by the Board
* 2-year terms, until April 2028
* Nominations will also be open from the floor as per the Bylaws
1st Vice President: Joyce Sullivan
Treasurer: Melissa Gannon
Director: Cassondra Corbin-Thaddies
Director: Patty Whitehill
Director: Donna Colabella
Director: Cynthia Sheehan-Hartwell
Continuing to Serve Until April 2027
President: Amy Kemp
2nd Vice President: Reisha Allen
Director: Janet Elinoff
Director: Kate Renchin
Director: Liz Shapiro
Appointees since 2025 Annual Meeting
* Terms expire April 2027
Director: Rebecca Cohen
Director: Whitney Powell
Director: Megan Wiston | KIDS TACKLE SOCIAL MEDIA CHALLENGE | Above: Heather Vasquez and Debbie Oistacher
at Renaissance Charter School at Cypress. | Speakers Bureau brings civics lesson to charter school | Students at Renaissance Charter School at Cypress got a lesson in democracy and civic responsibility when LWVPBC members visited the West Palm Beach K-8 campus. The presentation to sixth, seventh and eighth-graders focused on the history of voting rights in the United States.
Speakers Bureau member Debbie Oistacher explained how voting rights in the United States expanded over time, with key milestones including the fight for women’s suffrage, the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, and later efforts to ensure broader ballot access for all citizens. The talk emphasized the role of civic engagement and advocacy in shaping the nation’s voting system.
Ellen Barnes led the students in a small-group activity designed to spark collaboration, critical thinking and debate: Should children 14 and younger be banned from using social media? Each group was assigned a position, for or against a ban, and created posters presenting their arguments to show the rest of the class.
Some argued that limiting social media could protect younger users from harmful content and online pressures; others maintained social media can be a valuable tool for communication, creativity and learning, if used responsibly. The session offered a deeper understanding of the history of voting rights, and allowed students to practice expressing opinions and hearing different perspectives — important skills for future voters and active members of their communities.
The Speakers Bureau team was led by Janet Elinoff, Ellen Barnes, Katie Beer, Patti Gomez, Cynthia Moriczdetecso, Debra Oistacher, Louise Snyder, Cassi Fields and Heather Vasquez.
— Louise Snyder, Speakers’ Bureau
| OUR WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH HEROES | Women’s History Month of 2026 has just concluded. Each Monday in March we honored a different LWVPBC woman who has 50 or more years as a League member. Their dedication and support of the League is greatly appreciated. Click on the graphic above to meet our honorees. | 2026 Special Sessions
While the Florida Senate and House did not complete a budget by the scheduled end of the session in mid-March, they will return to Tallahassee in mid-April to tackle that issue. This Tallahassee Democrat story explains the different budget priorities between the State House and State Senate.
A second special session is set for April 20-24 to consider legislation for the re-drawing of Congressional districts in Florida and appropriating additional funds for any legal challenges. On Jan. 7, Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd issued a directive declaring 2026 as a year of apportionment for candidate qualification and Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a proclamation on the Special Session for redistricting. | UPCOMING EVENTS
Click on the flyer to see the details
| Note: Program runs until 3 p.m. | Note: Registration closes at noon, April 8. Please register now. | APRIL TEAM MEETINGS
Members must log in to see the Zoom link. Pre-registration is not required.
| COMMUNITY, CULTURE AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT | | The League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County was proud to be part of All People’s Day in Delray Beach, a vibrant interfaith celebration filled with connection, music and fun. We helped community members register to vote, shared Vote-by-Mail information and encouraged civic participation.
Thank you to Susan Berkowitz, David Hall and Judy Keiser for organizing such a meaningful event. We are grateful for our volunteers, community partners and everyone who stopped by — plus a little dancing along the way!
— Linda Prior
Above: Cassondra Corbin-Thaddies, from the Voter Services Team, at All People's Day at Pompey Park in Delray Beach. At left: Janet Chaikin, Voter Services Chair Judy Giller and Linda Prior at All People's Day. | | | Publications Team Volunteer Opportunity:
Candidate Contact Team Leader
The League of Women Voters is seeking a volunteer to lead our Candidate Contact Team for the upcoming election. This role coordinates volunteers who contact local candidates and encourage participation in the print and online VOTE411 voter guides for the midterm elections.
Key duties:
* Coordinate volunteer outreach to local candidates running for County Commission, School Board, County Judge, Circuit Judge, Port of Palm Beach and Palm Beach Soil and Water Conservation District.
* Encourage candidates to respond to VOTE411 invitation, to provide information about themselves and their positions on questions developed by our Vote411 Question Team.
* If needed, we assist LWVFL with calls to State and National candidates to:
Help locate missing candidate information
Assist with basic Google Sheets tracking
Support a positive volunteer experience
A script for the phone calls is provided to volunteers. Normally there are 55-60 candidates.
Calling begins in late April and runs through the primary in August. These tasks continue until all Local candidates respond. (We are proud of our 95 percent response rate for Local candidates.)
This is a meaningful opportunity to support informed voting and civic engagement in our community.
| Publications Team also seeks
research volunteers for Voters’ Guides
The Publications Team is looking for detail-oriented volunteers to assist with research and writing for our upcoming Voters’ Guides.
Volunteers will research and draft clear, concise descriptions of various elected offices — including mayors, council members, commissioners and other government officials — as well as compile related election information.
Responsibilities
* Research the duties and annual salaries of assigned elected officials
* Verify information with Municipal Clerks and other appropriate staff
* Update and maintain general election information write-ups used in the printed LWVPBC Voters’ Guide
* Complete specific research assignments as provided, according to a format
Training and guidance will be provided.
Qualifications
* Strong research and writing skills
* Ability to interpret municipal charters and navigate municipal websites effectively
* Friendly, persuasive and patient communication skills — especially when working with busy government officials
* Comfortable using Google Sheets
If you are organized, curious and committed to supporting informed voters, we would love to hear from you. Contact: Carol Carnevale. | A WARM-HEARTED WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST MEMBERS | Their contact information is available in the Member Directory at LWVPBC.org.
Iris Nystrom (Boca Raton), Maria Montiglio (Boca Raton), Jan Fine (Boca Raton), Deborah Paul (Palm Beach Gardens), James Garvin (Palm Beach Gardens), Valerie Staggs (Palm Beach Gardens), Pamela Humphrey (Boynton Beach), Dawn Tarpinian (Boynton Beach), Marion Harper (Greenacres), Pattie Shandloff (Delray Beach), Lisa Johnson (Wellington), Leticia Carlo (Lake Worth Beach), Ruth Abrams Gonzalez (Jupiter), Charlotte Pelton (Jupiter), Sheila Levine (Jupiter), Linda Swartz (Palm Beach) and Sue Merris (West Palm Beach).
— Linda Sorenson, Membership
| NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL LEAGUE | LWV CEO CELINA STEWART SPEAKS OUT
AGAINST SAVE AMERICA ACT
‘By creating a system of deliberate erasure for 69 million women, this bill doesn’t secure our elections; it architects exclusion.’ Hear her at 19:49 in this half-hour video of a Congressional news conference.
| |