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President's Message
Fall is always a busy time of year for LWV. We just finished our Water Forum, held our first Unite & Rise 8.5 protest, conducted voter registrations, hosted lunches and book club meetings, and carried out many other activities to Empower Voters and Defend Democracy. We are continuing to register voters for the November election (deadline: October 6) and preparing for the start of early voting on October 20.
In Collin County, we are moving to hand-marked ballots for the upcoming election. This change may cause unforeseen challenges for voters. If you encounter any issues while voting, do not hesitate to call the nonpartisan voter hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) for English or 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682) for Spanish. Trained volunteers will be ready to assist immediately.
You can view the LWV Texas Constitutional Amendment Explainer Videos at www.lwvtexas.org. We will also be distributing printed voter guides in early October at public libraries and senior centers. If you would like a paper guide, please reach out to us at lwvcollin@gmail.com.
|  | No Kings October 18
LWVUS is joining No Kings as a national partner on Saturday, October 18 for this day of mobilization, standing in solidarity with its partners and against hate and authoritarianism. LWV-CC will be participating in the protests in our area. The League has consistently and boldly spoken up in the face of rising authoritarianism. This is an opportunity to put words into action and show up in defense of democracy as an effective ally.
Join us at one of the protests listed above to show that the power belongs to the people; no reservation required.
|  | North Texas Giving Day
From all of us at LWV-CC, we want to thank you for your support and generous giving through the Commmunities Foundation of Texas for North Texas Giving Day. We surpassed our goal again this year, and your giving allows us to register, educate, and turn out voters in Collin County.
There is no deadline for generosity. North Texas Giving Day remains open year-round for donations; you can give through our NTGD link or our website any time during the year. Thank you for helping us to empower voters and defend democracy!
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Lunch with the League - McKinney and Plano
Enjoy great conversation and connection at one of our upcoming LWV-CC buy-your-own social lunches. These events are open to all and provide a chance to discuss important issues while upholding the League’s nonpartisan policy of not supporting or opposing any candidate or political party. Feel free to bring a friend!
Tuesday, October 14, 11:30 – 1:00
Location: BJ's Restaurant, 1101 N. Central Expy, Plano
Friday, October 24, 11:30 – 1:00
Location: Hydeout Cafe, 1751 Eldorado Pkwy, McKinney
Note for Members: Please log in to the website before registering.
We look forward to seeing you there!
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Book Club
All are invited to the League of Women Voters of Collin County Book Club on Wednesday, November 12, from 7:00-8:00. We will meet on Zoom to discuss Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham.
We will share our nonpartisan thoughts on the book as well as various discussion questions. Register here and receive the Zoom link. If you are a member, log in on the website before registering.
|  | Socializing & Civics
LWV-CC will host a free public forum on Saturday, October 25, 1:30 to 3:30, at Schimelpfenig Library in Plano. All are welcome to attend.
The topic for October is Abolishing the Death Penalty, and it will be presented by Nan Tolson, the Director of Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty. She previously worked in the office of the Governor of Texas for five years, where she held many roles including Deputy Press Secretary, Chief Spokesperson, and Communications Manager. Her experience also includes time in the office of a U.S. Senator and on a 2016 presidential campaign.
Register now to save your spot, and bring a friend! Members, please log into your account before registering.
This event is not sponsored by the Plano Public Library System or the City of Plano.
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Early Voting October 20-31
Texas voters will see 17 proposed amendments to the state constitution on their ballot in November. Some Collin County voters will also choose city council and school board members.
Use the following checklist to make sure you are prepared, then VOTE!
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LWV Voter Registration at Naturalization Ceremonies Disallowed
Over the Labor Day weekend, U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) released an update to its policy regarding voter registration at the end of administrative naturalization ceremonies. On September 2 the USCIS Dallas Field Office notified LWVs in Collin County, Dallas, and Richardson that only state and local election offices would be permitted to offer voter registration services there. The reason given was to emphasize “the non-partisan nature of voter registration services offered to new citizens.” You can read the policy update alert here.
Our three Leagues have collaborated since 2022 to provide nonpartisan voter registration to thousands of new citizens at naturalization ceremonies at Plano Event Center and the USCIS facility in Irving, enlisting the services of more than 100 Volunteer Deputy Registrars. In 2025, we registered more than 11,000 new citizens before receiving the policy change notice. Prior to this collaboration, LWV-CC worked with USCIS and other Leagues to provide voter registration at naturalization ceremonies since at least 2007.
We recently completed a survey for LWVUS about our collaborative efforts during 2024 and 2025 and will follow national and state LWV guidance regarding how to help new citizens register to vote. We will also continue to register new citizens after small judicial naturalization ceremonies at the Plano International Festival, as we have done since 2008.
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Volunteer Deputy Registrars Needed
Have you wondered how you can contribute to our mission of Empowering Voters and Defending Democracy? We have identified voters that we can register, but we need more Volunteer Deputy Registrars (VDR) to do that. Joining the league is easy, becoming a VDR for one or more of the North Texas Counties is easy, too. Send an email to lwvcollin@gmail.com for more information.
| Texas Constitutional Amendment Explainer Video Series
LWV-Texas has just launched their video explainer series with information about the 17 constitutional amendments for the November 4th election. These short videos (less than 3 minutes each) explain each of the 17 proposed amendments in clear, easy to understand language that is unbiased and non partisan to help voters make informed decisions. You can find and view the videos here.
|  | Litigation Updates
Do you ever wonder what your annual membership fee and donation are used for? Litigation is one of the key areas where we can Defend Democracy. Below are the current litigation updates for LWVUS and LWVTX.
Amicus Brief in support of a preliminary injunction for Texas’ racially discriminatory Congressional maps - LWVTX, LWVUS, and other partners led by the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) filed a brief on 9/15/25 in support of the plaintiffs’ motions for preliminary injunction in League of United Latin American Citizens, et al. v. State of Texas et al.. The court has scheduled a preliminary injunction hearing to determine whether to block the newly drawn congressional maps. The hearing is scheduled for October 1-10, 2025. Here are the press release and the brief.
LWVUS Amicus Brief in the Louisiana v. Callias case - this was filed on 9/4/25. Given the importance to all of the states, several state Leagues, including LWVTX, provided statements for the press release. Here are the press release and the brief.
Amicus Brief with other democracy groups against Abbot and Paxton - this was filed on 9/3/25 by Democracy Forward serving as legal counsel. Here are the press release and the brief.
2021 SB 1- On 8/4/25, the Fifth Circuit ruled against us on the ID number requirements for mail ballots on an appeal. Here is the opinion. Unfortunately, on 8/29/25 the Fifth Circuit ruled against us again in an appeal of our win on SB 1 Section 6.06, the SB 1 provision that bans compensation for mail voting assistance. This means that the prohibition on compensation for mail ballot assistance continues to be the law of Texas. Here is the opinion. One judge dissented.
LWV Tarrant County co-plaintiff lawsuit vs. TC Commission Court - Texas Civil Rights Project (TCRP) filed suit on 8/14/25. Here are the press release and the suit.
Amicus Brief by LWVTX and other democracy groups against Abbott and in support of Rep. Gene Wu - this was filed on 08/09/25 by Democracy Forward serving as legal counsel. Here are the press release and the brief.
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DEI Webinar
Members of LWV-CC are invited to monthly Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) zoom meetings to work collectively to strengthen the foundation of our mission: empowering voters and defending democracy. The league is fully committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in principle and in practice. The meetings are on the fourth Thursday of every month and the meeting date is October 23rd from 7-8 pm CST. October's topic is Empowering Indigenous Voices in Democracy. No need to preregister. Click on the link to join.
Be a Poll Worker
With the switch to paper ballots in Collin County for all future elections, many additional election workers will be needed. It's easy to become a poll worker. Training is provided, and you get paid, too. You can find out more about becoming a poll worker here.
| Empowering voters. Defending democracy.
| The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan 501C3 organization. We do not support or oppose any political party or candidate. We encourage informed and active participation in government, and we influence public policy through education and advocacy.
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