Watchdog- September 2024
September Edition
Author- Berkley Barlow
I’m thrilled to be bringing another Watchdog of 2024 to you. Make sure to pay attention to our updates on upcoming League events and new information for this year on our calendar. If you aren’t already following us on Instagram or Facebook make sure to click the links at the top or bottom of the website to stay updated!
LEARN ABOUT THE LEAGUE
It has been a while since we have explained the purpose and mission of the League of Women Voters. Below is some information that provides a good review. We do not always do a good job of communicating with new members, so this is also beneficial for that purpose. Take a minute to review this.
Mission Statement
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government works to increase understanding of major public policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
Basic Policy
The League of Women Voters may take any action on government activities and policies in the public’s best interest based on position statements from national, state, and local leagues. We do not support or oppose any candidate or political party. Unless authorized, the President is the only spokesperson for each level. All levels of the League are well-respected and considered full of integrity.
Consists of Three Tiers
National Level – Encompasses all Leagues in All States – Master Organization – Develops Nationwide Position Statements on National Issues – Lobbies at the National Legislature – Represents All Leagues in the Nation – www.lwv.org – National Voter/Impact on Issues– Convention at a National Level
State Level – Encompasses all Leagues in the State – Lead Organization for the State – Develops Statewide Position Statements on State Issues -Lobbies at the State Legislature – Represents all Leagues in the State – www.lwvut.org – Utah Voter’s Guide – Convention at a State Level
Local Level – Encompasses all Members Usually in a County – Develops County/Local Position Statements on County/Local Issues – Members Lobby at the State Legislature - lwvweber.org – Watchdog/Voter’s Guide – Annual Meeting at a Local Level
Local Officers
President: Terri McCullochPresident Elect: Arlene AndersonVice-President: Tirzah Fields and Tammi RyanVice-President: Anne FreimuthVice-President: Karen ThurberSecretary: Siera Green and Berkley BarlowTreasurer: Prasanna ReddyCommunications: Arlene Anderson, Berkley Barlow, Tammi Ryan
Advisory Board Members: Denise Green, Marcia Harris, Vicky Heithaus,
Marie Kawaguchi, Donna Kimball, Carole Lapine, Marilyn O'Dell, Rebecca Robley, Marcia Thomas, and Barbara WachockiLWV LEGISLATIVE BILL TRACKER LINK
We have an excellent resource available to stay on top of where bills that we are watching or testifying for. Go to the link below and it will tell you what bill it is, what it is about, and where it is right now. The Legislative Action Corps reports on the different area they are interested in and reports daily. Take a look at the status
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1zPqibqm3235Hf3WkxuMBoL6-3GO7LS7uw6nuCkODl9k/edit#gid=0
Vote411 is a nationwide tool developed by the National League of Women Voters to help people learn about candidates by asking questions. If you go to Vote411.org and put in your address, it will pull the candidates you will see on your ballot. They have been asked to answer a few short questions on issues in your area. If a candidate chooses not to answer, it also sends a very powerful message.
HEAR YE! HEAR YE! READ ALL ABOUT THEM!
Vote411 is scheduled to be launched in Utah in the third week of September. Be sure to check it out when you get your ballot.
A message from our President
We have been very busy since the start of 2024. So many wonderful supporters and members of the League helped us remain active and viable in the community. There have been 48 out of 63 members who have volunteered at least once to register voters, work on a project, do postcards, attend functions, and so on. That is 76% of our membership – that is awesome. Others have supported us financially and through e-mail and social media. We have 14 new members – some are introduced in this publication and others in the next one. That is so exciting!
We will be sponsoring a night where we can meet and eat with new and old members in November! We have sponsored a Police Panel and co-sponsored with the Davis League a meeting on the Great Salt Lake. Both were fascinating and very educational. The state and national leagues have offered some awesome webinars to help educate the public and members on many topics.
In this issue is a flyer about Voter Engagement Training- We would appreciate you getting anyone you know who might be interested to join us.
This is a fun year with the change in the political arena. The LWV for Utah and the Mormon Women for Ethical Government along with Better Boundaries and a group of bipartisan citizens have felt Victory twice. The first was by the Supreme Court and the most recently ruled that the way Amendment D was put on the ballot violated the Constitution and citizen rights! Another victory was in Reproductive Choice which has also been sent back to the lower court. It is so important to protect our rights as voters and make sure our elected officials do as well.
We have continued involvement in helping with registering voters at Naturalization Ceremonies and promoting Vote411. We have debates scheduled in October for U.S. Congress, State House, State Senate, State School Board, Local School Board, and Weber County Commission Seat C. (See schedule included in this publication.) Karen Thurber and John Hinds continue to push forward in getting people registered. Due to their efforts, and the efforts of their team, we are now being asked to come to civic events to register. The unbelievable dedication shown by Karen and John has moved our League to another level. My sincere thanks go to them!! I am unbelievably proud of our organization and the way we pull together in the name of democracy! It is my honor to serve you!!
- Terri McCulloch
Voter Registration Events – 2024 - Results as of September 9, 2024
March 28 - Naturalization Service, Union Station (coord. w/ SL League) – 84 registrations
April 20 – Ogden Nature Center Earth Day Celebration - 15 registrations
April 27 - Awesome Autistic Ogden, Youth Impact - 4 registrations
May 4 - Cinco de Mayo, Ogden Amphitheatre - 18 registrations
May 25 – September 14th - Ogden Farmer’s Market – every two weeks, (4 volunteers per week) total of 9 sessions
May 25 – 29 registrations Aug 17 – 33 registrations
June 8 - 28 registrations Aug 31 – 47 registrations
June 22 – 15 registrations
July 6 - 28 registrations
July 20 - 27 registrations
Aug 3 - 30 registrations
May 31 – June 2 - Ogden Music Festival, Ft. Buenaventura -– 20 registrations
June 15-16 - Utah Juneteenth, Ogden Amphitheatre - 33 registrations
July 17 - O-Tech concert series - 6 registrations
July 31 - O-Tech concert series - 5 registrations
August 4 - Ogden Pride – 66 registrations
*August 6th – National Night Out Against Crime - 1 (bad weather)
August 21 – O-Tech Concert Series - 6 registrations
August 28 - O-Tech Concert Series - 3 registrations
August 30 – WSU Block Party (in partnership with NAACP) – 81 registrations
Also at Martin Luther King’s Birthday Breakfast, OHS Family Night, Civics Event, Back
to School at Ogden High School, Weber State Library Community Event, and Voter Registration/Constitution Day at Five Libraries
Thanks to the Hard Work of
Sierra Green, Tammi Ryan, Mazie Shepherd, and Barbara Wachocki
In partnership with Weber State University Community Education Center, the Weber League of Women Voters is sponsoring a training session focusing on voting. Utah has the youngest adults between the age of 18-29 in the country, yet we have the lowest voter turnout rate in that age group. This is a pivotal election, and every age group needs to participate. Please take this time to learn – How to Register to Vote (Rebecca Robley), How to Research for Information (Terri McCulloch), Why You Should Vote (Priscilla Martinez), How to Get Underrepresented Groups Involved (Betty Sawyer), and How to Determine Fact from Fiction (Dr. Leah Murray).
Use the QR code to register to attend in person or over Zoom. Dinner will be provided for in-person attendees.
GERRYMANDERING AND MEANDERING
Utah Supreme Court Decision
The New Maps Do Look Like Meandering!
Here is a recap on the issue of redistricting:
1. The effort to gather signatures to get an initiative on the ballot that would bring about a change in how redistricting was done in Utah began with Better Boundaries leading the effort in 2018.
2. Enough signatures were gathered, and it was placed on the ballot for citizen vote. The proposition won and citizens indicated that they wanted a seven-member advisory board to recommend redistricting maps to the state legislature, which would have been required to enact them or reject them, though, upon rejecting a commission-recommended map, the legislature would have been required under Proposition 4 to create its map using the same criteria. The requirements for being a member of the committee were:
The commission was designed to be composed of seven members:
- One appointed by the governor, to serve as the chair of the commission.
- One appointed by the president of the Utah Senate;
- One appointed by the speaker of the Utah House of Representatives;
- One appointed by the leader of the largest minority political party in the Utah Senate;
- One appointed by the leader of the largest minority political party in the Utah House of Representatives;
- One appointed jointly by the leadership of the majority political party in the Utah Senate, the President of the Utah Senate, and the leadership of the same political party in the Utah House of Representatives; and
- One appointed jointly by the leadership of the largest minority political party in the Utah Senate, and the leadership of the same political party in the Utah House of Representatives, including the speaker of the House, if the speaker is a member of the same political party.
A person is not eligible to serve as a commissioner if, during the four years before appointment, he or she:
- was a lobbyist;
- was a candidate for or holder of any political or elected office; or
- received compensation from a political party, political party committee, or political action committee associated with a political party.
3. Instead, the legislature introduced SB 200 which allowed them to override the wish of the public and do the map as they wanted.
4. This is inherently wrong with fair and nonpartisan policy, so the Mormon Women for Ethical Government and the League of Women Voters filed a lawsuit against the
legislature.
5. The Supreme Court took a great deal of time to study the issue and determined that the legislature had indeed violated the will of the people and that citizens were allowed to reform government.
6. Two or three days later, an emergency session was called to propose a vote for an amendment to be placed on the ballot in November allowing the public to decide if we wanted a constitutional amendment to be put in place that allowed the legislature to override the wheel of the people and draw their own maps.
7. The League of Women Voters and Mormon Women for Ethical Government then reacted with a Motion for Summary Judgment. That is where we currently stand.
Some questions immediately come to mind.
- Why would this be an emergency? We won’t change any map until the next census so it didn’t have to be shoved through without citizen input just so it could be on this year’s ballot.
- What is the legislature afraid of to feel that they need to design these maps?
- Who is the legislature representing – themselves or the people?
- The argument that we will become like California doesn’t hold a lot of merit. It is not easy to get valid signatures and get an initiative on the ballot.
- If the people feel that numerous things need to be placed on the ballot as an initiative, doesn’t that indicate that the legislature is not addressing the interests of the public?
- Where are checks and balances?
The first challenge that was filed was concerning the deceptive language used on the ballot. “While the misleading ballot language has been shared far and wide by legislative leadership, the actual text of the amendment has been obscured, in clear violation of the Utah constitution. This is the latest move in a series of rushed political maneuvers that undermine Utahns’ constitutional rights,” said Emma Petty Addams, co-executive director, Mormon Women for Ethical Government.
On Saturday, September 8, 2024, the League of Women Voters of Utah (LWV Utah), Mormon Women for Ethical Government (MWEG), and a bipartisan group of Utah voters filed a second challenge to the legality of Constitutional Amendment D. The Utah Constitution requires that the full text of a proposed constitutional amendment be published in at least one newspaper in every county of the state for the two months before the election. The legislature failed to meet that deadline. We just learned that the judge ruled that the amendment could not be on the ballot. It now back in the lower court for ruling.
We encourage you to talk with your representatives about this issue and see what they are saying and make sure it is in line with what you think.
SUPREME COURT DECISION ON REPRODUCTIVE CHOICE
THE FIRST THING THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE CLEAR IS REPRODUCTIVE CHOICE DOES NOT MEAN SOMEONE SUPPORTS ABORTION. IT MEANS EVERY WOMAN HAS THE RIGHT TO DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES. THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS IS IN FAVOR OF REPRODUCTIVE CHOICE NOT ABORTION. WE BELIEVE A WOMAN SHOULD BE IN CHARGE OF THEIR OWN LIFE AND BODY, AND NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR THEM. THAT IS A PRIVATE DECISION.
SB 174, the Trigger Ban Law, was passed in 2020 which prohibited abortions at any point in pregnancy with very limited exceptions and to criminally charge healthcare providers who provided them. Planned Parenthood filed a challenge that blocked this ban allowing reproductive choice to continue in Utah for up to 18 weeks gestation. The Supreme Court held the injunction in place until it is litigated in state court. The Constitution supports each person having the right to choose for themselves. We cannot make decisions for other people as we don’t have any idea of the situation or problems. Each person can personally support or not support what they believe in – that is a right given to us by the Constitution.
The League does not ever take a position on anything we have not done a study on either at the national, state, or local league level. Go to weberlwv.org and go to Our Mission and the second half of the page has a copy of the recent updated study for Utah.
The National LWV position on this topic is: “Every U.S. resident should have access to affordable, quality health care, including birth control and the privacy to make reproductive choices.” Reproductive choice does not mean abortion!
CONSIDER BECOMING A POLL WORKER!!
WEBER COUNTY NEEDS YOU! BECOME A POLL WORKER TO HELP STRENGTHEN OUR DEMOCRACY!
“My husband and I are in our third year as Weber County Poll Workers. It has been a blast! We’ve met wonderful people while fulfilling a critical role in our democracy” Karen Thurber, Weber County League of Women Voters.
Poll Workers help voters to ensure their vote will count, troubleshoot to allow for provisional voting, and provide our democracy the critical human resources needed to make our elections safe and secure.
AND, YOU GET PAID! Average of $15 an hour. They also feed you! What’s not to love?
Is being a poll worker in Utah dangerous? Absolutely not. There are no recorded instances of poll workers being harassed or threatened in Utah. Although partisan poll watchers are permitted, in the 2022 general election or the 2023 municipal elections, no one showed up! The County does provide security at the polls.
POLL WORKERS ARE NEEDED ON NOVEMBER 5, FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION.
CONTACT: Megan Fitzpatrick, Weber County Elections
mfitzpatrick@webercountyutah.gov
for more information and to apply.
PROMOTING POLL WORK IS A MAJOR INTIATIVE OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS!
Weber Reads along with Weber County Libraries and Weber County Commission have chosen “READ THINK VOTE” as their topic this year. How appropriate that topic is this year!
“The Weber Reads program was developed in 2008 to provide opportunities for community-wide reading, reflect, and engagement in meaningful dialogue. The annual Weber Reads program provides opportunities for community-wide reading, reflecting, and engagement. Each year, texts or themes are selected that help illuminate experiences and beliefs while transcending group values to unite us as human beings. The American Library Association has three times chosen Weber Reads to receive its Community Reading Program “Best of Show” award. Weber Reads is funded in part by a generous donation from the Ralph Nye Charitable Foundation.”
Please go to Weber Reads and look at the books and activities being sponsored. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn and teach your children!
Weber County League of Women Voters will be helping the library celebrate Constitution Day/National Voter Registration Day by registering voters at their celebration being held at all 5 libraries. Come in and visit us and have some fun as well. Great day to bring in children as well!
HOW DO WE MAKE THE GREAT SALT LAKE SURVIVE
Weber League, along with the Davis League, sponsored a meeting at the Great Salt Lake to discuss with Tim Davis the plans in place to save the lake. It was fascinating and informative!
Tim Davis was appointed as Deputy Great Salt Lake Commissioner in November of 2023 and has already made great progress towards making the Great Salt Lake move towards being healthy and at proper levels. He oversees and coordinates the efforts of 12 agencies that currently are involved in the oversight of the lake.
These organizations worked together to develop a strategic plan for the Great Salt Lake. This was approved by the legislature under HB491 and includes the following requirements:
• Coordination of efforts related to the Great Salt Lake;
• A sustainable water supply for the Great Salt Lake, while balancing competing needs
• Human health and quality of life;
• A healthy ecosystem and Economic development;
• Water conservation, including municipal and industrial uses and agricultural uses:
• Water and land use planning;
• Regional water sharing; and
• Other provisions that the Commissioner determines
The plan consists of short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals. You can find a copy here .
The lake hit its lowest level in 2022 primarily due to human interaction, climate change, and drought. To be at a healthy target weight, the lake should be at 4198 to 4205 feet. It is currently just short of 4198. The weight usually goes up in May due to the run-off and this year it went until June before it rose to the level where it is.
Tim Davis said there are three steps to conserve to move the lake to a healthier environment. Conserve water, dedicate water to the lake, and make sure it gets to the lake. Everyone needs to conserve water with a plan mostly focusing on outside water. Xeriscape in as many places as possible.
Cities should be offering incentives to xeriscape and if they are not, citizens should contact their local government and ask them to get some in place. Climate change continues to be a problem but that is a story for another day. The last thing is to make sure that any conserved water is diverted to the Great Salt Lake. Cities can temporarily give unused water to the lake. If it is conserved and doesn’t make it there, then a great opportunity has been missed.
He also indicated that there had never been a saltwater lake that was in trouble that recovered. He wants the Great Salt Lake to be the first. Mr. Davis warned that a lot of people have become comfortable in the last couple of years, but he warns that the public needs to be vigilant. There is no guarantee of the amount of water that will be available each year.
Recognizing and Identifying Misinformation and Propaganda
by Berkley Barlow
Combating Misinformation: A Critical Guide for Facebook Users
In today's digital landscape, social media platforms like Facebook have become breeding grounds for misinformation. The spread of false narratives and propaganda is not only a global issue but has also affected communities in Utah. From misleading health advice to political disinformation, the consequences of unverified information are far-reaching and often damaging.
Facebook (Meta) has implemented fact-checking programs and misinformation warnings, yet harmful content continues to circulate. Understanding how to identify and combat this misinformation is crucial, especially when engaging with topics that directly impact our lives.
Recognizing Propaganda and Misinformation on Social Media
One of the most pervasive forms of misinformation is propaganda—intentionally biased or misleading content used to influence public opinion. For instance, during the 2020 presidential election, Utah voters were subjected to various disinformation campaigns aimed at influencing voter behavior. Some Facebook pages shared false claims about mail-in voting, while others spread conspiracy theories regarding candidate platforms. Recognizing these tactics involves a combination of critical thinking and digital literacy.
A few red flags can help users identify propaganda:
Check the source: If the post comes from a questionable or unfamiliar page, it’s worth researching the validity of the platform before sharing or responding.
Be careful of confirmation bias: Propaganda preys on our existing beliefs. If a piece of information feels “too good” because it aligns perfectly with your worldview, that might be a reason to dig deeper. Misinformation often spreads by catering to specific political, cultural, or ideological leanings, making it easier for users to accept and share without question.
Verify the claims with trusted sources: Websites like Snopes or official news outlets can help you fact-check before accepting or amplifying disingenuous content.
Taking Action Against Misinformation
Facebook offers tools for users to report false information, but as individuals, we must remain vigilant. Reporting suspicious posts, questioning the credibility of information, and encouraging friends and family to do the same can create ripple effects in reducing the spread of misinformation. In a world where social media can dictate public discourse, it’s up to each of us to be responsible digital citizens. By fostering a culture of critical engagement on platforms like Facebook, we can protect our communities from the harmful effects of misinformation and ensure that accurate, truthful content prevails. As Utahns and individuals, our ability to recognize and combat propaganda is more important than ever.
New Member Highlights
Shelley Hill-Worthen
Bachelor’s Degree in Material Science Engineering
Master of Architecture; Licensed Architect
She worked as an engineer and architect for the Air Force for 13 years and as an architect for the Forest Service for 21 years. She retired in 2023.
Shelley was Engineer of the Year for the Forest Service and traveled to Grey Towers, the birthplace of the Forest Service and the conservation movement, for the award. She’s passionate about voter rights! On a trip to Michigan this year, her friend Liz Novak encouraged her to join the League of Women Voters.
She resides in Morgan and has already volunteered many hours to register voters.
Shelley is married to Ray Worthen, and they have one son, Miles.
She loves dogs, hiking, music, gardening and traveling.
Lisa Gilstrip
Lisa has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media Studies.
She also earned a Master of Education with Administrative/Supervisory Endorsement.
Lisa worked as a Health Educator for Weber Human Services.
She then worked for many years at Weber School District as a counselor and principal.
During her time at Weber School District, she started the first STEM program at Green Acres Elementary School.
She currently works as a Salesforce Manager for MarketStar.
Lisa used to have miniature horses and fainting goats on her 2-acre lot but now has only some roosters.
She loves to play with her 5 grandsons and 1 granddaughter.
Isabel Waddell
She has a Bachelor of Science in Waste Management.
Isabel also earned a Master of Science in Risk Management and System Engineering.
She started her own very successful insurance business and managed it for eight years
She also worked for Bechtel Corporation for many years and recently retired from Northrup Grumman.
Isabel’s focus in all the positions she had was system engineering and waste management. “My professional purpose is to effect and influence improvement of organizational systems, provide project management, quality, and systems engineering support to those tasked with accomplishing the core mission of the organization, and improve my abilities to positively influence teams. My life purpose is to improve lives, empower people, facilitate understanding, love, and be loved. My goals are to continue to improve my well-being and to play an active, positive role in the lives of my family, especially my grandchildren.”
She is married to Rick and has one son and one daughter and loves to hang out with her grandchildren.
Isabel and Rick love camping and plan to explore the United States in their camper when Rick retires.
Paula Dugan
Paula is a retired Air Force military logistics officer.
She also was a Montessori teacher for 5 years.
She enjoys walks with her dogs, playing pickleball, and traveling.
Paula is married to Rick Dugan, has two grown children, and is blessed with two wonderful twin grandchildren, Isabel and Jameson.
She is currently on the Board of Directors for the Ogden Family Support Center.
She previously served on the DaVinci Academy of Science and the Arts Board.
“I believe this is the most consequential election of our time and I have been through many. I am also concerned about the level of distrust and misinformation circulating throughout our communities.”
