What's Up With the League

LWV Election 2026: The League's Impact

By Celina Stewart, CEO, League of Women Voters

Dear League Leaders,

As Election Day wraps up and the final ballots are counted, we want to take a moment to say one thing: thank you.

Because of your leadership, dedication, and countless hours of hard work, voters across the country were able to make their voices heard. As we highlighted in yesterday's email, together we helped drive record turnout for midterm early voting and strengthened our democracy at a time when so much was at stake.

These accomplishments did not happen by accident. They happened because of you.

Volunteer Appreciation Meeting

By Melanie Busse, LWVKC President

Join us as we celebrate our volunteers and the work we accomplished in 2026! We will be meeting Saturday, December 12 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Plaza Branch of the Kansas City Public Library, 48​01 Main St., Kansas City, MO. Coffee, tea and snacks will be provided. The 2026 Election Report will be available on the website following the meeting. This is an in-person meeting and registration is required. Go to the LWVKC website calendar to register.

Message from LWV President Sania Irwin

By Melanie Busse, LWVKC President

"The more power we share, the more power we build." That statement is from a recent letter by Sania Irwin, President of the National LWV. The future of our democracy will be shaped by people who choose to participate.

She went on to list five things about the road ahead for the League:

1. Democracy is worth fighting for. Progress requires persistence. We cannot take it for granted, and we cannot assume someone else will do the work for us.
2. Every person deserves the opportunity to be heard. People thrive when they can participate fully in shaping their communities. When more voices are heard, our democracy becomes stronger.
3. Our diversity is our strength. Our best ideas and greatest progress come from listening to one another and drawing on those diverse experiences.
4. Real change happens when people work together. The challenges we face are too large for any one person, League, or organization to solve, and progress depends on our willingness to work together toward a common purpose.
5. Democracy is much like a marathon. It requires endurance, commitment, and the determination to keep moving forward, even when the finish line feels far away. Together, we can continue building an unshakable and visible force for a just and inclusive democracy. And like a marathon, we will go the distance together.

By now we know the results from the November election and we witnessed how the power of the vote has changed the shape of our democracy for the next two years. The League's work will be to continue to maintain that momentum as we move forward into 2027 and 2028.

VOTE411 Updates

By Pat Goodwin, Vote411/Voter Guide Coordinator

Thank you!

The VOTE411 Admin Team is grateful to you all for your help in letting voters know about the League's online nonpartisan voter guide. Committees and individual members were critical to our making sure voters from all over the Kansas City area knew how to access this valuable resource.

Candidate response

There were a total of 121 candidates on ballots in the four-county area. Of those, 73 candidates provided information on their qualifications and priorities to VOTE411. That's a 60% response rate and a 25% increase over the 2022 mid-term election.

Outreach

Over 40 members and non-members requested, distributed, and displayed 135 VOTE411 yard signs throughout the area. If you have a sign, make sure you save it for the 2027 elections. If you'd like one for future elections, complete this short form to reserve your sign.

We hope you noticed the two digital billboards displayed on I-70 and I-35 encouraging voters to cast their ballots by Nov. 3. Thanks to Lamar Advertising for donating one of the signs.

In addition to making VOTE411 flyers available to Mid-Continent and Kansas City library patrons, the voter guide was also available as a Libby document for patrons.

And did you notice the ad for VOTE411 in the Oct. 22 Martin City Telegraph?

Next election - Local elections will be held on April 6, so look for VOTE411 to be available around March 15.

All this was possible because of the VOTE411 Admin Team. Email us at vote411@lwvkc.org if you'd like more information about what we do and how you can get involved.

Jenise Comer
Pat Goodwin
Patricia Valle Muhilly
Peg Prendergast
Margie Richcreek
Phoebe Michels Roberts

Banner Year for Forums

By Elizabeth Darr, Forums Committee

The Forums Committee scheduled 23 candidate forums in 2026. Twenty-two were held, after one had to be canceled due to last-minute candidate withdrawals. In all, there were over 5,000 online and YouTube views.

At the first of the year we will begin planning the candidate forums for 2027. We encourage new members to join our efforts. Contact Anitra Steele at forums@lwvkc.org for questions or more information.

Info You May Need!

Opportunity to Join the State Legislative Action Committee

By Brandi Blackburn, Legislative Action Coordinator

Do you want to learn more about the Missouri Legislature and how bills become law?
Can you volunteer a couple of hours a week (from your couch in your PJs) January-May?

Join the League of Women Voters of Missouri's Legislative Action Committee!

What does the State Legislative Action Committee do? We track bills tied to League priorities through the Missouri legislature and issue Calls to Action to League members each week. It takes just a few hours each week to make a big difference. Our Call to Action newsletters go out to thousands of Missourians each week from January to May.

Upcoming training (via Zoom):
November 11 at 4 p.m. (introduction)
November 21 at 1 p.m. (in the weeds for new trackers)
December 6 at 6 p.m. (general session)

Wanna get involved? Contact co-chairs Sherry and Brandi at legislativechair2@lwvmo.org.

LWVMO Power Hour - What's Next?

By Melanie Busse, President

The Voter Power Hour is an informative bimonthly webinar and is accessible to all members across the state and their guests as a FREE service to the voting community. This month's topic will be What's Next? Experts in Jefferson City will discuss the November election and what's in store for Missouri citizens in 2027. The webinar will be held November 17, 2026, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Please go to the LWVKC website to register for the event, which will be shown on Zoom. Link to more information and registration: Register for the Power Hour.

Members In Action

Membership Minute

By Laura Marcus Mountjoy, Membership Coordinator

Whew, it's been a busy year for our mission of defending democracy and empowering voters! We're now 313 members strong, including 90 new members in 2026!

Now that the election is over, you might have time to brush up on some of our offerings and boost your skills in tech. Here's a link to help.

Hope to see many of you at our Volunteer Appreciation event on December 12. Check the lwvkc.org website calendar for details.

Upcoming Events

League Events

State Legislative Action Committee Training Session 1

When: November 11, 2026, 4 p.m.
For information email Brandi Blackburn, Legislative Action at legislativeaction@lwvkc.org
Link to registration

LWVMO Power Hour - What's Next?

When: November 17, 2026, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Link to registration: Register for the Power Hour

LWVKC Book Club

When: November 19, 2026, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Where: Link to event: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84083430103

Committee Meetings

Forums Committee Meeting

When: November 16, 2026, 6:30 p.m.
Link to event: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89523016094

Voter Guide / Vote411 Committee Meeting

When: November 17, 2026, 5 to 6 p.m.
Link to event: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84326330757

Social Media Committee Meeting

When: November 17, 2026, 5 to 6 p.m.; December 1, 2026, 5 to 6 p.m.
Link to event: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84326330757

Get Out The Vote (GOTV) Committee Meeting

When: November 17, 2026, 4 to 5 p.m.
Link to event: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84024802761

Membership Committee Meeting

When: November 19, cancelled; December 1, 2026, 4 to 5 p.m.
Link to event: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88399330170

Technology Committee Meeting

When: November 26, 2026, noon - Holiday notice: this meeting may be rescheduled. Please confirm the date on the LWVKC calendar.
Link to event: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88953712786

Committee Chair Meeting

When: December 7, 2026, 5 to 6 p.m.
Link to event: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85969931491