The League of Women Voters Fremont Newark Union City (LWVFNUC) had an exciting and challenging year culminating with the 2024 November elections. The LWVFNUC Board Members are grateful for the members who volunteered to assist in empowering voters and defending democracy. Efforts were more than staffing a table at a public event—including reading, studying and participating at events to educate voters. We appreciate that our informational articles were freely published by Tri-City Voice.
We are proud to note that our first Saturday of the month programs at Niles Discovery Church were well-attended. Having a local venue monthly was a great benefit this election year. We appreciate the church fellowship for allowing this partnership. In January, we had a panel with Dr. Ben Sanders, Director of Civics Education for Alameda County and Cheryl Cook-Kallio, M.A., a Congressional Fellow.
For the March primary election, we increased voter registration efforts. The League continued hosting first Saturday programs for topics such as gun control, climate change impacts and oversight of the Santa Rita jail facilities. Of course, we celebrated Fourth of July by walking in the Fremont Midtown Parade and staging a booth with activities for children to highlight our red, white and blue theme.
Our Youth Voter Movement (YVM) founder and coordinator, Julie Dunkle provides overall project management of our youth registration drives. She and her team trained volunteers from local high schools to assist in voter registrations, including an amazing event in October. We pre-registered and registered hundreds of new voters at Foothill High School in Pleasanton. Over 800 students, Pleasanton Mayor Brown, Council Member Balch and local school board members were hyped about the election. Almost 500 affidavits that were validated, and the event was highlighted on local news stations, the Independent and NY Times! We are so proud to add this to the 3,500 students registered in the Spring at high schools in Fremont, Newark and Union City.
This drive resulted in a new milestone—registering about 14,000 new young voters in the last six years. YVM also partnered with AC Library’s Civics Interns, to co-sponsor both the Presidential Debate and a few weeks later the Vice-Presidential debate at the Fremont Library.
Without a Voter Service Coordinator, Co-President Angelina Reyes, with the help of past president Syeda Inamdar, took charge of the in-person candidate forums. Experienced members volunteered to moderate the forums, which covered mayoral, council and school board candidates running for office in all three cities. James Logan High School Logan Live students recorded the forums. We placed them on our website and social media for those who missed the in person forums.
This year’s Pros and Cons Coordinator was Sam Neeman. She provided overall project management of a team that researched resources, developed the pros and cons of every state and local propositions on the ballots and made presentations at various venues, including senior residence centers as the Acacia Creek residents. The team—consisting of Rachael Sun, David Fishbaugh, Cathie Kelly, Angelina Reyes and Rita Manning—also presented at the Niles Discovery Church, women’s clubs, DKG- Alpha rotary clubs and other non-profits, connecting with about 400 voters in person.
Our biggest challenge was our Voter information Book (VIB) which was published as a booklet for each of the three cities. Each booklet contained information submitted by candidates of each prospective race in the three cities. Contacting candidates, gathering of information, preparing articles, selecting vendors for printing and distribution took time and effort. This year, high postage costs impacted our budget. On Oct. 14, 81,639 households in Fremont, 21,920 households in Newark and 15,450 households in Union City—119,009 households total—received a VIB.
With the election over, Political Analyst Larry Gerston was invited to present his version of the results of our November election.
The day after this paper prints, we will enter 2025. The League’s work is unending, and we intend to ensure a democracy that is not just a spectator sport. We hope this article inspires you to join us. We are proud of our 2024 accomplishments, of the thousands of hours our members volunteered, and thankful for the funds provided by those donors who believe in our mission. We repeat the Suffragist slogan: “Onward Together!”
League of Women Voters Fremont Newark Union City
lwvfnuc.org
