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Voter Registration

The League focuses on Voter Registration throughout the year. We can be found assisting with registration of college students, returning citizens, residents of assistant living facilities and anywhere there's a need! We guide people on how to register online or complete their Florida Voter Registration Application.
The League’s mission statement is, “Empowering voters. Defending democracy.”
The League envisions a democracy where everyone has the desire, the right, the knowledge, and the confidence to participate. 

 

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Candidate Forums

The first presidential debates took place in the 1960 election between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. After a 16 year period in which there were no public presidential debates, the League of Women Voters Education Fund  (LWVEF) sponsored three presidential debates in 1976.

The League continued to sponsor the presidential and vice presidential debates every four years through the 1984 elections. Following that election cycle, the Democratic and Republican national parties came together in a decision to  move sponsorship of the debates under the purview of the parties.

Between 1985 and 1987 the League challenged this move and sparked widespread public debate on the matter. The LWVEF argued that a change in sponsorship that put control of the debate format in the hands of the two dominant parties would deprive voters of one of the only chances they have to see the candidates outside of their controlled campaign environment. In 1987 the parties announced the creation of the Commission on Presidential Debates. The Commission chose LWVEF to sponsor the last presidential debate of 1988, but placed so many rules and restrictions on the possible format of  the debate that the LWVEF decided not to participate.

The League of Women Voters of Sarasota County holds forums for local municipal candidates and local state candidates. During the forums, candidates are asked a variety of questions of interest to the constituency. All candidates are asked the same questions. They are asked to speak for themselves with no rebuttal. Recordings of the forums can also be viewed on the Sarasota League’s YouTube channel. In this way, the voters may learn more about the candidates.
VOTE 411


Through our online voting resource, vote411.org, the League of Women Voters poses questions to candidates and asks them to post their responses. VOTE411.org provides candidate information, guidance on how to watch debates with a critical eye, elections official's contact information and much more. VOTE411.org not only provides information on the presidential candidates, but also on all candidates running for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, gubernatorial offices, and state legislative offices in specific communities across the country.  The Sarasota League asks questions of local candidates. You can also get voter registration information and find your polling place. Our one-stop-shop for election-related information provides nonpartisan information to the public.
Speakers Bureau

The League of Women Voters of Sarasota County has speakers available to address your business/club/organization or school live or via video conference. Contact tracy@lwvsrq.org

Topics include:

 


UNDERSTANDING SCHOOL CHOICE

This presentation provides a history of public education and explores school choice and parental vouchers.

WHY PUBLIC EDUCATION

This presentation outlines some of the values that public education offers to students, and to our society, and some benefits you may not have thought about before.


 internet news

BUILDING RESISTANCE TO MIS/DIS INFORMATION

This two part presentation is designed to help citizens recognize and build immunity to mis and disinformation.
Part 1 defines terms and identifies types and tactics used in mis and disinformation.
Part 2 offers strategies for responsible engagement and active participation with others.


VOTER SUPPRESSION, THEN AND NOW

Understand the value of our Right to Vote through a review of the struggle against voter disenfranchisement and voter suppression.

Explore the forces of voter suppression, historically and in the present time, recognize new and ongoing threats of voter suppression

Develop effective strategies to protect our Right to Vote.

VOTER EMPOWERMENT

This presentation features need-to-know information for voters. It includes details on Senate Bill 90 (2021),
Senate Bill 524 (2022) as well as key voting deadlines and tips.

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FLORIDA GOVERNMENT

This PowerPoint reviews the history of Florida’s government, tells about the responsibilities and powers of Florida government officers and it explains how laws are created.

HEALTHCARE

What do Medicare (Parts A, B, C, and/or D), Medicaid, and other health insurance options mean for me? How do I make the right choice when it comes to my healthcare and my vote on healthcare issues? This presentation explains how the American healthcare system works, demystifies some of its vocabularies, and looks at what Americans get for their healthcare dollar compared to other countries.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING
There is a critical shortage of affordable housing in Florida. Middle-class families, young people, and senior citizens on fixed incomes cannot find affordable places to live. Our state’s economic success, family stability, and quality of life are dependent on all residents having adequate housing. This presentation offers a perspective on what constitutes affordable housing, why there is an affordable housing crisis and how it adversely affects Florida businesses, communities, and the workforce. It describes the obstacles and some solutions to the problem.


FRACKING IN FLORIDA

Fracking uses huge amounts of water, and its waste products are filled with poisonous chemicals that are exploded underground to extract oil and gas. Oil and gas are NOT yet major industries in Florida, and their growth could imperil what Florida is and has.

GUN SAFETY IN FLORIDA

This presentation reviews Florida’s current gun laws and legislative proposals in the search to balance, as nearly as possible, individual constitutional rights with the welfare of the community

IMPORTANCE OF U.S. COURTS

The federal court system impacts every issue we care about. This wonderfully inter-active PowerPoint explains how the federal court system is organized, the types of cases federal courts hear and how cases are decided. As part of the presentation, audience members form teams to judge a case that was actually decided by a U.S. District Court.

LOCK-IT-UP! PROGRAM

The Lock-it Up! presentation is about the safe storage of firearms to save lives and prevent tragedies.

NEWS: SEPARATING FACT FROM FICTION

This presentation explains how to examine if news stories are presented with bias, or entirely false.

WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE

The year 2020 marked the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which gave women the right to vote. This PowerPoint recounts the sacrifices of activists whose tireless efforts from 1848 to 1920 culminated in women’s suffrage.

YOUR VOICE. YOUR POWER. YOUR VOTE

In 1776, only 10% of Americans had the right to vote. Learn the history of expanding voting rights and the important benefits to those who turn out and vote. This presentation walks you through the ways you can register and vote, including registering online, Vote-By-Mail, Early Voting and more.

RANKED CHOICE VOTING
Ranked Choice Voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference rather than having to choose just one. This presentations exemplifies how it works and how it diminishes many of the problems stemming from plurality voting. The League of Women Voters of the United States and the League of Women Voters of Florida have not yet taken a position regarding Ranked Choice Voting. This presentation is for education purposes only.

NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE
This presentation explains the origin and function of the Electoral College and what some states are doing to change how we elect the President and Vice President of the United States to reflect the popular vote.

BALANCE OF POWERS

The Constitution of the United States divides the federal government into three branches to ensure a central government in which no individual or group gains too much control. This presentation describes the powers of the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches of the federal government and how they relate to one another.

CIVICS, CIVILITY AND CRITICAL THINKING

An interesting presentation with audience interaction. It covers how federal, state, and local governments work; rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship; critical thinking and how to evaluate the credibility of information sources; skills for engaging in conversations with people who do not share your view. Emphasizes respect, tolerance, and civility.

JUVENILE JUSTICE

Juvenile Civil Citations 20190913

Civil citation is an alternative to arrest for first-time misdemeanor offenses. Instead of arresting youth for misbehavior, the civil citation requires hours of community service and other sanctions. Counseling, education, and restitution may be required without the expense of arrest and a criminal record for life. This presentation shows how civil citations hold youth accountable for their actions with disciplinary action that is most likely to discourage future offenses.

Civil Citation 2017 Florida Statute Title XLVII

This is the Florida statute that empowers local courts and law enforcement agencies to establish civil citation procedures and other diversion programs for juveniles.

Stepping Up County Reports

This is a report by the Caruthers Institute that gives the status and rankings of juvenile pre-arrest diversion efforts in each Florida county. Use this reference to provide up-to-date information for your local audiences about how well your county is performing.

Direct File – Charging Children as Adults 20190913

Florida prosecutes more children as adults than any other state. Children prosecuted as adults are more likely to commit offenses again than children who are managed in the juvenile justice system. This presentation examines the system of Direct File of children to the adult Criminal Justice System and the effects these referrals have on them.

PLASTICS – REFUSE, REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE

Learn about how plastics are manufactured, the different types of plastic, and the harm plastics are causing to our oceans, rivers, lakes and wildlife. Explains how practicing the 4 R’s of Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle can make a difference.  


Other County Resources

Click for the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections website:

https://www.sarasotavotes.gov/

 

Click for a list of Federal, State, County, and Municipal elected officials:

https://www.sarasotavotes.gov/Election-Information/Elected-Officials

 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Sarasota County Florida incorporated in 1921 and adopted a Home Rule Charter in 1971 in accordance with the state constitution and Florida law. The Charter established a commission form of government with County Commissioners as the county’s governing body. A county administrator is appointed and is responsible to the commissioners as the chief administrative officer for all administration and operations. County Commissioners also appoint a county attorney who services as legal adviser to the Commission. (https://www.scgov.net/government/county-commission-bcc).

 

OUR ELECTED GOVERNING OFFICIALS

There are currently five commissioners, each elected from one of five districts. Maps of the five districts can be found here. According to the Sarasota County Charter, “redistricting shall be approved by the Board of County Commissioners at a public hearing.”

The “Meetings on Demand” page on the county’s website is a comprehensive resource listing when and where Commission meetings are held. This page also provides links via Access Sarasota to view meetings in real time or watch video recordings of past meetings.

 

OUR ELECTED ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICIALS

This page on the Sarasota County website lists five other elected officials who serve in an administrative capacity and has links to their webpages. They are the Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller, Property Appraiser, Sheriff’s Office, Supervisor of Elections and Tax Collector. The Sarasota Supervisor of Elections website lists all the elected officials who serve our county, state and federal governments along with their terms and the current office holder.

 

OUR CHARTER

The Sarasota County Charter governs the structure and function of Sarasota County government. The Charter is subject to repeal and/or amendment. The Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller is responsible for certifying that a true and accurate copy of the Charter is available and posted. On behalf of the citizens of Sarasota County, the elected Charter Review Board reviews and recommends changes to the County Charter for improvement of county government.

 

OTHER GOVERNING JURISDICTIONS

Our Sarasota County government is also regulated by certain Florida State statutes. They include the 1985 Growth Management Act and the 2011 Community Planning Act. “Florida law requires every county land development regulation and every county action on a development order permit to be consistent with the adopted Comprehensive Plan . . . The State also mandates counties to conduct an Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR) every seven years to assess progress in implementing the Comprehensive Plan.” Volume One of our current Sarasota County Comprehensive Plan can be found here. Volume Two, which focuses on economic development, can be found here.

Federal laws also regulate certain aspects of our Sarasota County government. As a result of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000), federal law requires that each local jurisdiction prepare and adopt a jurisdiction-wide natural hazard mitigation plan as a condition of receiving project grant funds under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and the Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program. As a result, Sarasota County has developed a Floodplain Management Plan and a Unified Local Mitigation Strategy.


OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS



The elected board that oversees the Sarasota County Schools has five members. They serve alternate four year terms. They are responsible for appointing a school superintendent and advancing the legislative priorities that they believe are best for the students of our district. More information on our school board is available on their webpage.

OUR PUBLIC HOSPITAL



“Sarasota Memorial Hospital is owned and operated by the Sarasota County Public Hospital District, a special, independent taxing authority created by the Florida Legislature in 1949. The district is governed by the Sarasota County Public Hospital Board made up of nine unpaid citizens who are elected by voters to represent specific areas of the community as well as the district as a whole . . .” Read more. Current board members are listed on this page.


OPPORTUNITIES FOR CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT

Aside from seeking an elected office, there are many ways that citizens can volunteer their time and expertise if they wish to get involved.

There are more than 30 citizen advisory councils and appointed boards within the Sarasota County Government. Information on these Advisory Councils and Appointed Boards can be found here.

The County’s website, scgov.net, provides general information about volunteering on this page. This link will take you to Sarasota County’s Volunteer Opportunity Website that lists opportunities at specific locations. There is an application available online if you wish to review it. The Sarasota Public Libraries are also in need of volunteers. Secondary and Post Secondary students are invited to apply for a Sarasota County Summer Internship program. The Sheriff’s Department also offers its own student internship opportunities. The Sarasota Public School District welcomes volunteers. Sarasota Memorial Hospital provides numerous volunteer opportunities for those over the age of 18 and teens. And last, but not least . . . the Supervisor of Elections is always in need of poll workers! Learn more here.

 

NOW . . . MAKE A DIFFERENCE . . . VOTE!

Florida allows several ways to cast your ballot: Vote By Mail, early voting and on election day. Registration Guidelines can be found here. Prior to the election, the League of Women Voters of Sarasota County provides unbiased information on the candidates and ballot initiatives. The League of Women Voters of Sarasota County is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that provides background information on the candidates, reports where they stand on issues and sponsors comprehensive candidate forums. Join Today!


email@lwvsrq.org

League of Women Voters of Sarasota County

PO Box 18884

Sarasota, Florida 34276-1884