League Denounces False Claims About Our Election System
Defending truth in our elections
The League of Women Voters of Larimer County joins the League of Women Voters of the United States in reaffirming a simple truth: confidence in our democracy depends on accurate information about our elections.
The League of Women Voters of the United States has strongly denounced false claims about our election system and continues to advocate for free, fair, and accessible elections for all. As your local League, we encourage Larimer County residents to rely on trusted, nonpartisan sources for election information. Whether you're looking to register to vote, verify your voter registration, learn about upcoming elections, or access voter education resources, we're here to help.
Visit the League of Women Voters of Larimer County website for trusted local election resources and information. Together, we can strengthen our democracy by staying informed and participating in every election.
| | August Postcard Party!
Postcards Urging Larimer Neighbors to Vote
Friday, August 7
1:00 - 3:00pm
ReMax Realty, 4703A Boardwalk Dr., Fort Collins 80525
Leaguers are hard at work writing postcards to registered Larimer residents who did not vote in the 2024 election, urging them to join them in voting this November.
We have a big goal. Reaching 4000 of our neighbors.
Wanna help? Register now for the next Postcard Party, Friday, August 7, 1-3 pm hosted by Jeanette Meyer at ReMax Realty, 4703A Boardwalk Dr., Fort Collins 80525
| | |  | | Attend Community Proclamation For Women's Equality Day!!
Honoring Women's Equality Day locally
Check the calendar for the special proclamation readings to be done in recognition of Women's Equality Day. Please consider attending one in or near your community to accept the proclamation and thank our local governments for honoring this date in history. Register if you plan on attending as we want to make sure the League is present for each of the readings.
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| Plan for Women's Equality Day Celebration!
Get ready to celebrate
Review this checklist to make sure you are ready:
- Purchase your ticket to attend (buy tickets here)
- Browse Silent Auction items and register to bid (click here)
- Mark your calendar to start bidding August 12!
- Plan to enjoy evening with League friends and our community to celebrate 3 special Larimer County women
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| Celebrate Women's Equality Day With LWV-LC
Honoring Women and League's 75th
Join your fellow League members and Larimer County friends as we honor 3 women whose leadership and service have strengthened our communities and our democracy. The 75th birthday of our Larimer County League will also be celebrated!
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| Is Media Ruining America?
A Series on Media Disinformation
July 14 - August 10
6:30 - 8:00pm
Join the League of Women Voters of Larimer County when we host a five-part series on the dangers of media disinformation entitled Is Media Ruining America? In it, we examine the proliferation of fake news and how it’s polarizing the country and threatening our democracy. Our goal is to equip community members with skills needed to recognize media manipulation, reduce political polarization, and protect the integrity of democratic processes.
| | | The five-week series consists of four presentations and a concluding discussion with a panel of experts – all conducted via Zoom. You can register for the virtual sessions on the Calendar page on our website.
- July 14 (6:30 - 8:00pm) Week One: How We Got Here. This presentation covers the evolution of media and recent changes brought by deregulation and technology.View Week 1 recording here
- July 21 (6:30 - 8:00pm) Week Two: Recognizing and Confronting Bias. This presentation covers how to recognize and combat bias on a personal level and in the media.View Week 2 recording here
- July 28 (6:30 - 8:00pm) Week Three: Surviving the Avalanche of Fake News. This presentation offers tips on how to spot (and avoid) "fake news" and begin to bridge the political divide. View Week 3 recording here
- August 4 (6:30 - 8:00pm) Week Four : AI and Its Threats to Our Democracy. This presentation offers an introduction to Artificial Intelligence and the dangers it presents to our elections and our democracy.
- August 10 (6:30 - 8:00pm), Week Five: Expert Panel. This will be a panel discussion of local experts in the online information ecosystem and local news. These experts will help us tie together what we have learned in weeks one through four. (NOTE: This is on a Monday, not a Tuesday.)
The book True or False, A CIA Analyst's Guide to Spotting Fake News, by Cindy L Otis, ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/1250833086) was used as the basis for this program. Although we encourage you to read this book, it is not required to attend and participate in the sessions.
This workshop series was developed by the League of Women Voters of Jefferson County.
| Women's History In Fort Collins Presentation
Celebrating local women's history
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
6:30 - 8:45pm
OtterBox Digital Dome Theater at Fort Collins Museum of Discovery – 408 Mason Court, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80524
For the 7th year of exploring local women’s history, and in celebration of Women's Equality Day, the Archive and Collections staff of the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery will highlight many local luminaries in an inspirational evening presentation.
Fascinating stories, audio recordings and historic photographs of notable Fort Collins women will be shared in the immersive OtterBox Digital Dome Theater.
Additionally there's a virtual “walking” tour of historic sites related to Women’s Suffrage in Fort Collins, presented by our friends at the City of Fort Collins Historic Preservation Services.
All ages welcome!
• Wednesday, August 26, 2026 in the OtterBox Digital Dome Theater at Fort Collins Museum of Discovery – 408 Mason Court, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80524
• Lobby opens at 6:30pm; presentation is from 7:00pm – 8:45pm
• Tickets are free but donations are accepted. Please register for tickets since capacity is limited.
| | In League With Kindred Spirits Happy Hour
Casual gathering with fellow League members
Wed., August 5th
4:30 - 6:00pm
Timnath Beerwerks, 4138 Main Street
LWVLC Unite & Rise invites you to In League with Kindred Spirits Happy Hour!
Wed., August 5th from 4:30 to 6pm. Join us at Timnath Beerwerks, 4138 Main Street.
| | | Before You Judge a Data Center, Understand What's Inside It
A League Observer's guide to why not all data centers are alike—and why Northern Colorado should pay attention
“The most difficult part of understanding a data center,” writes Observer Kevin Stearns, “is finding information about it.” Ownership, purpose, and resource use of data centers are often opaque, leaving communities to weigh costs and benefits they can't fully see. His report argues that meaningful judgment starts with understanding how the industry itself is changing.
Want to learn more? Read Kevin’s full report here: Colorado Citizen Observer Project
| Informed Citizen Book Club
Discussing poverty in America
August 12, 2026
10:30 - 12:00pm (in person)
Epic Egg, 1477 E. Eisenhower Blvd, Loveland CO, 80537
7:00 - 8:30pm (Zoom)
Please join us for a lively discussion of our August book on August 12, 2026: Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond (2023)
The United States, the richest country on earth, has more poverty than any other advanced democracy. Why? Why does this land of plenty allow one in every eight of its children to go without basic necessities, permit scores of its citizens to live and die on the streets, and authorize its corporations to pay poverty wages?
In this landmark book, acclaimed sociologist Matthew Desmond draws on history, research, and original reporting to show how afluent Americans knowingly and unknowingly keep poor people poor. Those of us who are financially secure exploit the poor, driving down their wages while forcing them to overpay for housing and access to cash and credit. We prioritize the subsidization of our wealth over the alleviation of poverty, designing a welfare state that gives the most to those who need the least. we stockpile opportunity in exclusive communities, creating zones of concentrated riches alongside those of concentrated despair. Some lives are made small so that others may grow.
Elegantly written and fiercely argued, this compassionate book gives us new ways of thinking about a morally urgent problem. It also helps us imagine solutions. Desmond builds a startlingly original and ambitious case for ending poverty. He calls on us all to become poverty abolitionists, engaged in a politics of collective belonging to usher in a new age of shared prosperity and, at last, true freedom. (Penguin Random House)
Please join us on the second Wednesday of each month.
Morning contact: Annette DeMartine: ademartine@prolynx.com
Evening contact: Pat Skrentny-Lamb: pskrentnyamb@gmail.com
Next IC Book Club Meeting: September 9 - American Flannel: How a Band of Entrepreneurs Are Bringing The Art and Business of Making Clothes Back Home by Steven Kurutz (2024)
| Universal Health Care - Public Meetings
Public updates on universal healthcare study
During its 2025 session, the Colorado General Assembly commissioned the Colorado School of Public Health to conduct the Healthcare Payment System Analysis (HPSA), a nonpartisan study of options for a universal healthcare payment system that ensures access to high-quality care for all Coloradans. Authorized by Senate Bill 25-045, the study will examine the costs, financing, and impacts of a statewide system on patients, providers, employers, rural communities, and the broader economy. As one option, researchers will analyze draft model legislation for a single-payer, nonprofit, publicly financed, and privately delivered system, weighing it against other paths to universal coverage. A final report is due to the legislature by December 31, 2026.
The research team holds public meetings throughout 2026 and welcomes community input at HPSA@cuanschutz.edu.
Upcoming meetings (registration required):
September 2026 Public Meeting — Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026 ( register here)
November 2026 Public Meeting — Thursday, Nov. 19, 2026 ( register here)
Missed the earlier sessions? Recordings are posted at the bottom of the page. | August Health Care Team Meeting
Advocating for affordable health care
August 13, 2026
11:30am - 1:00pm
Care Communities Meeting Room (Adjacent to Heart of the Rockies Church), 6514 Brittany St, Fort Collins, CO 80525
We will re-group after our summer break to identify how we can continue to advocate for affordable health care for all, and how we can support other LWVLC teams to maximize our collective impact.
- Identify actions the Health Care Team can take between now and the November midterms to support the Unite & Rise 8.5 initiative, including postcard writing and tabling.
- Discuss how to inform consumers about Federal Changes to Colorado Medicaid and how to spread the word about available resources.
- LWVUS National Convention: Update on the concurrence initiative regarding privatization.
- Information about Initiative 95 (Immigrant Rights) and the use of AI in Behavioral Health
Additionally, the team will review updates regarding Public Health, Gun Violence Prevention, Universal Health Care, Behavioral Health Care, and other priority Health Care issues.
Please contact Suzanne Kinney (kinney822@aol.com) if you have any questions.
We look forward to seeing you at our August meeting!
| CL&R News For August LWV Newsletter
Voter rights and surveillance updates
August 8
1:30 - 3:00pm
Multicultural Center, Longs Peak Building, Front Range Community College Campus, 4616 S. Shields Street, Fort Collins
Voters' Rights Action Day is August 8 1:30-3:00pm.
Please join us for an event honoring the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 while bringing Larimer County residents and leaders together to affirm our shared commitment to election access for all eligible voters.
The event will include a panel discussion with local elected leaders, a Q&A on election access and voter rights, followed by the public signing of a pledge declaring Larimer County's support for the right of every eligible voter to cast a ballot.
Scheduled Speakers:
- Fort Collins Mayor Emily Francis, or Fort Collins Mayor Pro Tem Julie Pignataro
- Larimer County Commissioner Jody Shadduck-McNally
- Patricia Alvarez Harrell, Executive Director, Alianza NORCO
- Aaron Escobedo Garmon, Interim Director, El Centro Colorado State University
We hope to draw media coverage, and the more community members who attend, the stronger the message we will send: Larimer County stands with voters and supports fair, accessible elections.
This event will be held at the Multicultural Center, Longs Peak Building, Front Range Community College Campus, 4616 S. Shields Street, Fort Collins. Register at this link to help us get an accurate count of attendees:
Mass Surveillance Update
The City of Fort Collins has begun its council review and citizen input process for its "surveillance governance technology policy." Staff made a presentation of their suggested policy process and framework at a council work session on July 28th (recording available here: https://reflect-vod-fcgov.cablecast.tv/internetchannel/show/3022?site=1). The packet for staff's presentation is available at this link:
Staff proposes a policy framework with the guiding principles of public safety, privacy, rights and fairness, transparency, accountability, and public trust. There is not an opportunity for public comment at work sessions, but public comment can be given at the beginning of any regular council session. LVWLC has been invited to send a representative to a series of "community conversations" in August and September. Draft policy language will be posted on the Our City website for public comment in mid to late October. Council aims to pass a policy by the end of December. This is an extremely ambitious timeline for what promises to be a very complex set of policy changes, so it is important that Fort Collins citizens be closely engaged with the process this fall. The CL&R team will be regularly posting updates to our Substack, please subscribe if you would like to receive updates.
We are also in conversations with community organizations working in Fort Collins, Loveland, and the county on this issue and will have updates in the coming months. If you are interested in getting more engaged on this issue please contact team co-chairs Amy Lewis or Jamie Baker Roskie for more information.
CL&R August Team Meeting
Saturday, August 15, 11-1 pm
COUNCIL TREE LIBRARY
TOPIC: TRAINING: Becoming a Confident and Effective Privacy Advocate
This meeting will feature an ALPR/Flock community advocacy training event geared toward empowering League members to speak with others in their networks and communities—including elected officials–about this increasingly important issue and the threats it poses to constitutional privacy guarantees. The training will include the following topics:
• What is the real threat posed by ALPR/Flock systems?
• What does the Constitution and the Supreme Court say about digital mass surveillance?
• What are the types of actions that cities and counties can take to restore privacy to residents and reduce mass surveillance?
• How can League members empower officials to take these actions?
• How do you know what types of strategies to pursue in your city or county?
• What to expect when you become a privacy advocate.
If you want to help end mass surveillance and protect constitutional liberties, and are curious about what makes an effective privacy advocate, this training was designed for you! Join us and others interested in this issue to help strengthen LWVLC privacy advocacy in our region.
| Voter Services Team Update
Volunteers Needed for November Election
Next Voter Services Team Meeting:
Tuesday, August 11th
6:30 - 8:30pm (register on League calendar)
Voter Services is preparing candidate forums, ballot issue presentations, and voter education materials for the November election. Here are several ways League members can help.
Volunteer with Candidate Forums
The Larimer League will sponsor four nonpartisan candidate forums: two for Larimer County candidates and two for Colorado General Assembly candidates. Forums are recorded and typically reach hundreds of additional viewers online.
Volunteers are needed as moderators, question sorters, timers, and greeters. Training will be held Saturday, August 22, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. at Harmony Library, 4616 South Shields Street. Sign up on the League Calendar. Contact Judy Weaver judyannw_6@msn.com with questions or to join the volunteer list.
Submit Questions for Candidates
Help us develop questions for candidates running for:
• Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District
• Colorado Senate and House districts serving Larimer County
• Larimer County Assessor, Treasurer, Clerk and Recorder, and Coroner
Support Ballot Issue Presentations
From October 1 through October 30, League presenters will provide nonpartisan information about state and local ballot issues. Presentations are available to community and civic groups, neighborhood associations, service clubs, workplaces, and other interested groups.
Spread the Word: Ballot Issue Presentation requests open August 15 and can be submitted through the form on the League website: https://form.jotform.com/261876804117159. Please share this opportunity with any community groups that may be interested.
Volunteer as a Presenter: Presenters generally work in pairs, and training will be provided in September. The League of Women Voters of Colorado will assist with presentation materials on State Issues. To volunteer as a presenter, contact Anne Hall at annemhall71@gmail.com.
Help Create Local Ballot Issue Pamphlets
Volunteers are also needed to help draft summaries of local ballot issues and assist with printing and distributing pamphlets. Contact Carol Gertsch at c.j.gertsch@gmail.com to learn more and to volunteer.
More Ways to Help
Watch for additional volunteer opportunities over the next few months to help our community prepare for the November 3, 2026 General Election.
Next Voter Services Team Meeting:
Tuesday, August 11th, 6:30-8:30 PM
Virtual Meeting via Zoom
Register on League Calendar
For voter registration contact Mary Carraher marycarraher@comcast.net
For team information contact Heather Sulgrove hsulgrove@gmail.com
| | Plastic Free July - Collaboration
Trash pickup and litter audit
Saturday, July 25th
Poudre River Whitewater Park
Hot weather didn't stop Plastic Free July warriors. Three Larimer County League of Women Voters members attended the trash pick up and audit event organized by Eco-Cycle and FoCo Trash Mob on Saturday, July 25th. After picking up trash at the Poudre River Whitewater Park, we conducted an audit of the types and brands of litter collected. Eco-Cycle's Ryan Call will let us know the results as soon as they are calculated.
Pictured are: Peggy LaPoint, Roxanne Griffin and Kim Miller
| | | Changes for Colorado Medicaid Recipients
New Medicaid rules and requirements
Changes are coming for Colorado Medicaid recipients.
New federal rules affect some adults ages 19-64 and some immigrants who get Health First Colorado (Colorado's Medicaid Plan) or Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+).
Immigrant eligibility provisions will go into effect starting in October 2026.
New 6-month renewal and work requirements will start in January 2027.
You can plan now to maintain coverage and/or to find new health care coverage options.
| Membership News
Ordering League Name Tags
September 3
League Name Tags - The necklace name tags will continue to be available at League General Meetings this year. For members who would like to have a magnetic name tag, the cost is $10. If you would like to order one, please send your name and request to Linda Mahan at membership@lwv-larimercounty.org by September 3. When the tags are ready for pickup members will be notified and payment will be through our League’s website.
| | A New Tool to Help Us Talk About Nonpartisanship
Political but nonpartisan
Ever struggled to explain what "nonpartisan" really means when it comes to the League? LWVUS has a new one-page tool to help — and it echoes what we've always practiced here at LWV of Larimer County: we are political, but nonpartisan.
Our foundational principle is simple: the League never supports or opposes any political party or candidate. In that way, we are nonpartisan. Yet, the League is political in that we take positions on selected issues — government, social policy, natural resources, international relations — after careful member study and input. These positions exist at the national, state, and local levels; all local positions must always align with the Principles and Positions adopted by LWVUS. From there, we may advocate to influence public policy. Even when a candidate or party happens to agree with us, we still don't endorse them.
The new LWVUS tool also reinforces that nonpartisanship does not mean neutral. We're a political organization committed to empowering voters and strengthening democracy.
|  | | | The League’s commitment to nonpartisanship allows the League to advocate forcefully for democratic values and public policy while maintaining the public’s trust. Please take a few minutes to read it as we all work through these highly partisan times. You can also find the document on our website under "About Us”.
Trish Warner and Julie Stackhouse
Co-Presidents
|  | Women Who Made Waves
Throughout history, women have challenged the status quo, expanded rights, and strengthened our democracy. This feature honors those who made lasting contributions—and inspire us to continue the work.
July is Disability Pride Month, marking the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This week we're honoring Kitty Cone, one of the organizers who made that law possible.
Cone was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy as a teenager. She became a community organizer for the disability rights movement in the mid-1970s, working with the Center for Independent Living in Berkeley. In 1977, she co-led the Section 504 sit-in alongside Judy Heumann: 150 activists occupied a federal building in San Francisco for 28 days, the longest occupation of a federal building in U.S. history, until the government signed the first disability civil rights regulations in the country.
Cone was also a lesbian activist, making her one of the era's clearest bridges between the disability rights and LGBTQ+ movements. After the sit-in, she continued fighting for accessible public transportation and spent decades working at the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund.
Learn more about Kitty Cone and the fight for disability rights. https://womenshistory.si.edu/blog/kitty-cone-advocate-disability-rights | | |
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