Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy. | | The Voter
The official newsletter of the
League of Women Voters of Piedmont, CA.
Vol. 37, Issue 6 | January 9, 2026
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January 2026 with the LWV of Piedmont!
In this issue:
- Holiday Luncheon Appreciation
- A Message From Our President
- Mark Your Calendars!
- Volunteer With Us! See NEW information
- Voter Information
- Unite and Rise 8.5
- Immigration Around the Nation and State - See NEW information
- Reminders and Club Express Notice
- Weekly Virtual "Lunch with the League"
But first, let's welcome these new members:
Elizabeth Hughes, Myrna Miller, Tanya Vawter, Marjorie Blackwell and Ronna Kelly
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Holiday Luncheon Appreciation
| On Friday, December 5, 2025, we hosted our Holiday Luncheon at the Piedmont Center for the Arts. This sold out event featured, Larry Rosen of The Enemies Project, catered lunch from La Mediterranaee, and a wonderful buzz about the room of guests connecting before and after his talk. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Mr. Rosen for sharing his time and talent for this event, and assisting us with making this modest fundraiser a success. We also thank our volunteers for organizing, getting food and drinks, decorating and assisting with set up and clean up. Finally, a thank you to Ivy Sandoval of the Piedmont Recreation Department for her work behind the scenes that always make our events seem effortless!
Please enjoy these snapshots of the event and be sure to join us for future events! |  | Larry Rosen shares about The Enemies Project. |
 | Larry Rosen answered questions from the Holiday Luncheon guests. |
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 | Holiday Luncheon 2025 volunteers, and LWVP Board members, Kathleen Quenneville and Margaret Reiss prepare the delicious lunch from La Mediterrannee. |
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A Message From Our President | |
Dear LWV of Piedmont Members and Friends,
On behalf of your League Board, we wish you a wonderful 2026 and look forward to connecting with you soon!
I am pleased to announce that we have two new Board of Directors roles filled! First, new member Tanya Vawter is now our newest Director and current Secretary. Next, Kathleen Quenneville, who has been serving as our Secretary, is taking on the role of Director of Voter Services. Thank you, Tanya and Kathleen, for stepping into these important jobs, especially as we go in to the 2026 election year!
Programming is a vital part of the League of Women Voters of Piedmont's mission and we'd like to invite you to join us in a newly-formed committee. If you have ideas for an event, fundraiser, in-person, civic, social or learning opportunity, and want to be a part of creating a robust program for the next 3-6 months, please contact me by phone at 510-867-9221 or by email at Lgardner555@gmail.com.
Fellow members, did you know that we can participate in League of Women Voters of California Online Interest Groups? I recently learned about this as a way to learn more about a topic and/or to become more involved with advocacy. Some of the interests include Voter Service, Climate Change and Healthcare groups. Personally, I've signed up for the newly formed Reparations Advocacy Interest Group (RAIG) and I look forward to sharing with you events being planned for in February and beyond. I hope you will consider checking out some of the groups HERE .
In League,
Lisa Gardner
President, League of Women Voters of Piedmont
|  | | Environmental Concerns Speaker Series
Monday, January 12th, 2026
7:30 - 9:00pm
Dr. Robin Tokmakian represents the LWVUS as a member of the Observer Corps to the United Nations with an emphasis on Climate issues, beginning in 2017. Her primary work is to monitor the UN activities of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) secretariat based in Bonn, Germany. Part of her responsibilities is to organize observer delegates to the annual Conference of the Parties (COP), the primary venue for negotiating the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
Her League participation has included being president of the LWV of Monterey County (CA), an LWV California board member, and a member of LWVUS task forces on international trade and climate change (current). She is currently a member of LWV Portland, OR, serving as the LWV Oregon’s representative to the NW Energy Coalition.
Dr. Tokmakian has a BA in Physics, an MS in Oceanography, and a Ph.D. in Physical Oceanography and is, by profession, a physical oceanographer with experience in both teaching and research in the areas of the global ocean and climate modeling, remote sensing of the oceans, and model uncertainty.
Contact Carol Stone for more information: seastone11@gmail.com
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Docs and Discussion
with Dr. Stephen Sidney
Tuesday, January 13th, 2026
12-1pm
via Zoom
The LWV of Piedmont invites guests to watch, "Rovina's Choice", a short documentary about the effects of political policy and to engage in meaningful conversation with our guest, Piedmont resident, Dr. Stephen Sidney, who did something in response to policies closer to home.
Registration is required HERE
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Shock & Awe: Rising Costs of California Fire Insurance
Thursday, January 15th, 2026
1pm via Webinar
California homeowners are experiencing the “shock and awe” of the increase in their insurance rates. This webinar will address how insurance rates are determined; strategies for fire mitigation; current state legislation impacting insurance rates; and efforts by community groups to inform home owners about ways to protect their property.
This webinar will be moderated by Contra Costa Fire Chief Lewis T. Broschard III Our expert panelists will include Emily Rogan Senior Program Officer, United Policy Holders, Steve Young, Sr Vice President/General Counsel Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of California; Marc Evans, Moraga/Orinda Firewise Network, and Chris Bachman, Contra Costa County Fire Marshall.
Sponsors include the League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley, the League of Women Voters of West Contra Costa County, the Contra Costa County Library and Contra Costa TV.
Register for the Zoom webinar with your email on this page. Information on how to access the Zoom webinar will be sent to your email address 24 hours before the program. The Library will provide closed captioning for this event. This program will be recorded and uploaded to the Library's YouTube channel after the event. For special accommodations, please contact the Library with 72 hours notice.
Register HERE
| | |  | | The Piedmont Anti-Racism and Diversity Committee and the City of Piedmont
invites you to the
29th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
Monday, Jan. 19, 2026
11:00-12:30 PM
Alan Harvey Theater
800 Magnolia Avenue, Piedmont
More information and to register, go HERE
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LWV California Events
Stay connected with other Leagues in California and their events HERE.
| | | | VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
We are an all volunteer organization with "jobs" that range from once in a while tasks, like tabling for the Piedmont Adult Recreation Expo, to full year positions.
We currently have these volunteer roles, which can be done with a friend, ready to be filled:
- VP of Membership
- NEW! Program Committee Member: Join a group of fun, passionate volunteers to make a difference in our community through curated events. Watch your email for more information about this newly forming committee!
For more information, please contact Lisa Gardner today by email at Lgardner555@gmail.com or by phone 510-867-9221.
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In the September 1st issue of The Voter, we explained the LWV-US Unite and Rise 8.5 movement. The goal is to motivate 8.5 million Americans to take nonviolent action in support of our democracy.
The actions that we can take in January include: Partnering for Voter Engagement Ahead of 2026 Elections! We look forward to connecting with other Leagues and organizations to bring you informative programming, volunteer opportunities and voter information as we go into the 2026 Mid-Term Elections.
Check out this short informative video about Unite and Rise 8.5 courtesy of the League of Women Voters of Austin Area and find ways to support Unite and Rise 8.5 in our community.
For more information, go to www.lwv.org/uniteandrise and commit to being a part of this vital initiative for democracy.
| | | Immigration Around the Nation and State | NEW Information
From the League of Women Voters of San Diego
Democracy in America: Understanding and Responding to Challenges
Reviews the core structure of our constitutional government, the challenges of many executive orders and actions, and the issues under litigation. The role of Congress in the system of checks and balances is a focus. Link to video here
LWVSD made this video in May. Most of it is currently relevant, but they have updated the parts on litigation over time.
America’s Immigration Challenges
Learn about the structure of our immigration system, changes since January 2025, significant litigation, and bipartisan policy alternatives.
Link to video here
For additional upcoming information from the League of Women Voters of San Diego's Immigration and Deportation Committee, check the LWV California Events page here.
|  | LWVUS has stated that immigration policies should promote the reunification of immediate families, meet economic, business, and employment needs, and be responsive to those facing political persecution or humanitarian crises. https://www.lwv.org/other-issues/immigration.
LWVC has stated its position at https://lwvc.org/position/position-immigration. The LWVC has noted that ICE’s operations in Los Angeles and around California mark a troubling escalation – workplace raids coupled with the arrest of community members exercising their First Amendment rights to observe and protest. These tactics, along with the federal activation of the California National Guard and the deployment of U.S. Marines, weaponize fear to terrorize not just undocumented residents, but anyone who would stand with their neighbors or participate in democratic discourse. See https://lwvc.org/ice-activity-escalating-resources-protect-communities.
LWVUS and LWVC issued a joint statement on June 8, 2025, stating in part:
The President villainizing protestors is nothing but a performance to direct violence against the American people. By deploying the National Guard, against the wishes of state officials, the administration intends to cause fear and distract from their inhumane immigration raids [and] silence voices of dissent. The President's overreach signals a larger crackdown on protests across the country meant to intimidate us from speaking out…The League of Women Voters condemns these actions. … We will not be intimidated into silence. See www.lwv.org/press-releases.
The League urges everyone who is concerned about ongoing ICE activity to learn about the resources listed below.
| Reminders and ClubExpress Notice
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Join or Renew Your LWVP Membership!
Continue your commitment to empowering voters and defending democracy by joining or renewing your membership with the League. The new system, through LWVUS, allows you to pay what you want (with a minimum of $20), and to set up auto-renewal. Membership lasts for one year after joining or renewal (on a rolling basis). To renew, please click here: https://portal.lwv.org/membership?state=CA&league=0012E00001usOAhQAM
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NEWS FROM CLUBEXPRESS
Starting in early December and into 2026, you may notice some new user interfaces when you login to our LWVP website. They are built to make your experience faster and more intuitive. We’re not changing any features or functionality, just offering a better interface!
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Weekly Virtual “Lunch with the League”
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Join us for a weekly virtual lunch date with LWV of Piedmont, President Lisa Gardner. Come learn about our plans, discover opportunities to get involved, share your ideas for events, activities, or projects, or chat local, state, national or global politics!
Registration is required.
Drop in for a bit or stay for the whole hour. Tuesdays, 12-1pm. Zoom registration HERE
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We're social. Connect with us!
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Not yet a member of LWVP?
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