We the People Must Vote! Elections Really Matter.
It’s very convenient to vote, just request a Vote by Mail ballot. You can do candidate research at home and mark your ballot. It’s easy to fit into your schedule, then mail it. Using Vote by Mail results in a higher voter turnout. Whether it is state or federal legislators or judges, women’s voices must be heard in this time of taking away women’s rights to privacy, to bodily autonomy and to economic security. If you care about these rights, please vote!
Know what your candidates support. Here are Election resources:
Research your ballot
Gun Safety Endorsements
IL Pro-Choice Endorsements
ERA Coalition Elect Equality
US Reproductive Rights Champions
NOW Endorsements
Lookup IL Polling Locations
Sample Ballot Lookup
Illinois LWV Voter Guide
Bar Association Judge Ratings
Check your Judges
League of Women Voters Arlington Heights-Mount Prospect
Election Information LWV
Become an AAUW two minute activist.
Take action on issues impacting women and girls by joining AAUW’s Action Network. As a Two-Minute Activist, you will receive urgent email notices when your advocacy is needed most. AAUW provides all the tools you need to call or send messages to your members of Congress, write letters to the editor for your local newspapers, contact your state legislators about pressing issues, and more.
Sign up to be an activist: https://www.aauw.org/what-we-do/public-policy/two-minute-activist/
Public Policy Action
AAUW’s policy work connects and rallies advocates at the local, state, and national levels to empower women and girls. We use lobbying and grassroots efforts to support policies that break through educational and economic barriers for women. AAUW’s Public Policy Priorities, adopted every two years by member vote, establish the federal action issues on which AAUW members across the country focus advocacy efforts.
Stop Gun Violence Against Women & Children
The Illinois Assembly passed the Protect Illinois Communities Act that takes weapons of war and mass destruction off the street while allowing law-abiding gun owners to retain their collections. This bill addresses Illinois’ gun violence epidemic that continues to threaten the lives of children and communities across our state.
This bill makes it a crime to knowingly import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess a semiautomatic assault weapon (SAW) or large capacity ammunition feeding device (LCAFD). Protect Illinois Communities Act. The bill bans not only assault rifles, but also large-capacity magazines, switches, and the deadliest forms of semi-automatic pistols.
Last year, the IL Assembly passed laws that made progress on reducing gun violence and expanding background checks. It includes establishing a database of repeat violent offenders so law enforcement officials can easily identify them and they can be prevented from purchasing guns.
Local School Board & Municipal
School and community college boards have a direct impact on our taxes and our local education opportunities. Park district and library board decisions impact the availability of programs and resources for your family.
Prepare to Vote: Know Your Candidates
Mt. Prospect LWV Dist. 57 School Board Online Candidate Forum – hosted by the Mt Prospect Public Library. The candidates are Christopher R. Lettow, Corrin Bennett-Kill, Kimberly Fay, and Charmaine Grippo. Forum was recorded. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZtAp8EI8KI
AAUW Des Plaines Dist. 62 Candidate Survey – Survey responses were only received from three candidates. Gene Haring, Elizabeth Massa (incumbent), and Patrick Maag. Responses summary. District 62 Candidate Survey_results
Des Plaines Dist. 62 Daily Herald Candidate Forum – forum recording of four candidates; Tina Garrett, Gene Haring, Elizabeth Massa and Elizabeth “Beth” Morley. recording. https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20230302/des-plaines-district-62-candidates-oppose-book-banning-efforts
2022: The Most Important Mid-Term Election
of Our Lives
VOTE, you cannot be too busy! Request a Vote by Mail ballot and vote early at your convenience! Don’t say my vote won’t matter; remember the voters of Kansas who voted NO!
Your vote matters in so many ways: reproductive rights, climate change, LBGTQ+ rights, gun safety rights, rights to a complete and honest education in public schools, and Title IX protections against harassment in schools and colleges. In June, 2022 the right to an abortion was taken away in many states. Justice Thomas indicated that contraceptive and gay marriage rights will be considered next for reversal.
Yes, women have rights in Illinois; but the IL Supreme Court is our protection to keep those rights. Be sure to check which candidates are pro-choice, support public schools and gun safety. Please do your homework using the resources listed below and cast a vote for all the positions on your ballot.
The US Supreme Court judicial direction forecasts a bleak future for women, their career opportunities, economic security and their families. Women’s careers will become secondary to having children. Some women and their families will become financially challenged. More families may live in poverty. Based on the actions in June 2022 of the US Supreme Court, any right we currently have can be revoked or taken away. Make a plan to VOTE! It is our voices in our government that will make the difference.
Action Alerts
Filing a Witness Slip for IL Legislation
The Illinois legislature considers bills in hearings in committee prior to releasing to the whole group. It only takes a couple of minutes to fill out witness slips for any bill under review in committee. This allows us to submit our opinions to the committee without having to appear as a witness in Springfield.
Handy tip – you may create an account that allows you to autofill your information to make filing multiple witness slips even faster. If you fill out this form once, it will autofill the info for you in the future.
Voting Rights: Freedom to Vote Act
Our democracy works when everyone can fully participate. Elected officials routinely make decisions about issues that directly impact all of us. From our paychecks to paid leave, access to reproductive health care and access to education, our lives are on the line — and our vote is our voice. Members of Congress have worked on a compromise focused on core measures needed to modernize and protect how voters participate in the electoral process: the Freedom to Vote Act (S.2747). AAUW supports this bill.
- Require every state to have automatic voter registration
- Establish Election Day as a federal holiday
- Ensure the ability to vote by mail
- Protect communities vulnerable to disenfranchisement
- Ban partisan gerrymandering
Paid leave took a big step closer to victory, but our fight is far from over.
The IL Assembly passed a universal 40 hour paid leave for everyone.
This is where you come in. We need you to keep the pressure on. With lots of work left to do, we ask that you maintain momentum with us and keep contacting your members of Congress regularly. We must make one thing clear: A permanent, universal paid leave program must be considered to help families dealing with long term illness or recovering from surgery, caring for a family member, and welcoming a new child to the family.
Join us in ensuring all workers have permanent access to universal paid leave and other critical human infrastructure supports — act now!
Creating a universal paid leave program—which the United States does not guarantee, unlike the majority of developed countries—would be monumental. We have a once-in-a-generation chance to change the future for all workers. This is the time to make history.
- Access to critical health care should not depend on where someone lives.
Civic participation takes many forms, especially with a lingering pandemic. Committing to calling your elected officials and empowering friends and family to join is just as, if not more powerful than going to a rally or march in person. Please make decisions on where and how to advocate safely and take note of public health precautions required in your area. This week, you could:
- Engage virtually:Support the Women’s Health Protection Act and take action on social media
- Build community: Have a conversation with friends and family on the importance of defending reproductive health and freedom for all (read more in Where We Stand: Reproductive Rights)
Every person should have the ability to make their own informed decisions regarding their reproductive life. It is beyond time for abortion to be secured legally, funded fully, and equitably available for all who need it, when they need it, without shame or stigma.
Take action today to protect reproductive health and freedom!