October 2025 Commentator

League Officers 2025-2026

Co-Presidents: Amy Ipp, Robin Weiss

Treasurer: Debra Schein

Secretary: Laurie Babij

Membership: Amy Ipp, Andy Babij

Voter Service: Judith Friedman, Joan Balash

Social Media Coordinators and Youth Leaders: Shona Kumar, Vignatha Daggala

Webmaster: Harsh Raju

MONTHLY CALENDAR

October 8, 2025, Meet and Greet the Livingston Board of Ed Candidates, Livingston

senior/Community Center, 7:00 PM

October 8, Voter Registration at the Interfaith Food Pantry of the Oranges

October 9, (tentative), Soter Registration at Brookdale Senior Living, West Orange

October 18, No Kings Rally, 200 South Street, Morristown, NJ, 11 AM-12:30 PM

October 23, 2025, Julia Sass Rubin on impact of the redesigned ballot, Zoom, 7-8 PM

November 12, 2025, Program on Superfund Sites in NJ featuring Charlie Kratovil and Paula Rogovin from Food and Water Watch, 7 PM via Zoom

PRESIDENTS’ MESSAGE

We are conducting several events in preparation for this November election. On October 8th, we are holding an in-person event at the Community Center (7 PM) to meet and greet the Board of Education candidates Parul Khemka and Seth Cohen who are both running unopposed. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet them and ask questions. During the day on October 8th, we will be registering voters at the Food Pantry of the Oranges, where many of the people are Spanish and Haitian Creole speakers. We are in the process of

organizing a voter registration event at Brookdale Senior Living in West Orange. tentatively on October 9. There will be “No Kings” rallies across the country on October 18th. a nonpartisan, peaceful community rally as part of a national call to action in defiance of the Trump billionaire takeover and the assault on our freedoms and our communities. Following No Kings in June 2025, we once again defend our constitutional rights supported by over 100 pro-democracy organizations including the League of Women Voters. Register for Morristown rally. Our own youth leaders, Vignatha Daggala and Shona Kumar will be among the featured speakers.

On October 23, we are co-sponsors of an event with the Montclair League of Women Voters featuring Julia Sass Rubin (Associate Dean of Academic Program, Director of the Public Policy Program & Professor at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning & Public Policy at Rutgers University who served as an expert witness in Senator Andy Kim's successful lawsuit against the county line primary ballot. She will discuss the impact of the redesigned ballot in the primary election this past June and the influence and future impact of the major political party's endorsements on New Jersey elections.

Our November program will feature Charlie Kratovil and Paula Rogovin from Food and Water Watch discussing Superfund sites in New Jersey. New Jersey has the greatest concentration of Superfund sites in the country and is a serios environmental concern.

Amy Ipp, Robin Weiss and Michele Plaut Christian attended a rally and march in Newark on September 29th to call for New Jersey’s pension fund divestment in Palantir, an AI company that has been given a contract by ICE to observe and report on the movement and activities of immigrants. The event sponsored by “Make the Road New Jersey” partnering with LWVNJ featured speakers and a march down Broad Street from Military Park to Lincoln Park. Several leagues were represented in addition to ours: Montclair, Morris Area, and

Monmouth County.

Membership

We thank members who have renewed online. You will receive an email to renew your membership from the national league. If you are receiving this and are not currently a member, you can join through our website at https://www.livingstonlwv.org/join-now.

Since membership renewal notices will be sent via email from LWVUS, be sure to check that they are not delivered to your SPAM folders. Membership renewals notices will be sent out by LWVUS one year from when you last joined or renewed your membership. Suggested dues are $75.

Voter Service

We registered voters and provided election information at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Livingston Community Picnic, Caldwell University and the National Council of Jewish Women “Power Up the Vote” event. Many students we encountered had no idea that there was a Governor’s race in New Jersey this fall, so clearly more voter education is needed. Our student leaders are conducting a voter registration drive at Livingston High School next week. We are so proud of the important work that they are doing in such a professional manner.

From LWVNJ

Amy Ipp attended the monthly LWVNJ Community meeting. Held monthly, these meetings are open to all members and provide information about what the league is up to as well as an opportunity to share experiences and ideas.

Amy provides the following report: Melissa Marks, Manager of Mission Impact, introduced Amara Johnson, the new Communications Assistant who has hit the ground running. The Lame Duck session of the NJ Legislature which occurs after the election and runs through December. The theme will be the People's Agenda-we will rally, lobby the legislature and visit Legislative offices. The focus will be on the Voter Empowerment Act (New Jersey's version of the John Lewis Act) and the Immigrant Trust Act. We broke up into small groups to discuss how to grow and engage membership.

Please take a look at this brand-new Membership Handbook which will inform you about the power of engagement with the LWV and how you can become part of it.

From LWVUS

Happy National Voter Education Week! October 6-10, 2025

Join the movement to strengthen your community and country. Register, engage, and cast your vote to ensure your voice is heard in shaping the future. As a trusted messenger in your community, you can make a big impact by encouraging people you know to cast their ballot with confidence. Join us in taking one action each day of National Voter Education Week to

empower your community.

We'll be posting actions all week on our Vote411 Facebook and Instagram, to start celebrating!

Condolences

Our sincere condolences to our treasurer Debra Schein on the loss of her husband Norman Schein.