CSRA League of Women Voters

06/06/2026

06/05/2026

Gun violence affects families, neighborhoods, schools, and communities across the CSRA. Addressing complex challenges like these requires more than awareness—it requires informed citizens, community engagement, and public policies that reflect community needs.

That’s why the League of Women Voters of the CSRA was proud to participate in the Community Care Panel discussion hosted by Moms Demand Action as part of Wear Orange Weekend.

Learn about the issue → understand the policy choices → make your voice heard → vote for the leaders who will make those decisions.

06/05/2026

“Counted Out” investigates the biggest crises of our time. Political polarization. Racial biases. Social injustice. Economic inequity. Climate change. And a global pandemic. All viewed through a previously unseen lens: math

In our current information economy, math is everywhere.The people we date, the news we see, the influence of our votes, the candidates who win elections, the education we can access, the jobs we get is all underwritten by an invisible layer of math that few of us understand, or even notice.

But whether we know it or not, our numeric literacy — whether we can speak the language of math — is a critical determinant of social and economic power.

Through a mosaic of personal stories, expert interviews, and scenes of math transformation in action, “Counted Out” shows what’s at risk if we keep the status quo. Do we want an America in which most of us don’t consider ourselves “math people?” Where math proficiency goes down as students grow up? Or do we want a country where everyone can understand the math that undergirds our society — and can help shape it?

Be sure to RSVP: https://bit.ly/RSVP-CountedOut

06/05/2026

Think a felony conviction means you can never vote again?

In Georgia, that isn’t necessarily true. Attorney explains when voting rights can be restored after completion of a sentence.

06/04/2026

Georgia’s runoff election is coming up fast — and not every voter will have the same ballot.

Your runoff ballot depends on:
✔️ Which ballot you voted in during the May primary
✔️ Where you live
✔️ Which races apply to your district

Early voting begins June 8, and Election Day is June 16.

⚠️ Need to vote absentee?
The deadline to request an absentee ballot is Friday, June 5.

Important reminder:
• If you voted Republican in May, you must vote in the Republican runoff.
• If you voted Democratic in May, you must vote in the Democratic runoff.
• If you voted only nonpartisan races — or did not vote in May — you may choose either party’s runoff ballot.
• If you DID NOT VOTE in May, you can still vote in the runoff.

Not sure what’s on YOUR ballot?
Vote411.org is the League of Women Voters’ nonpartisan voter resource where you can:
🗳️ View your personalized ballot
🗳️ Request your absentee ballot
📍 Find your polling place
📅 Check voting dates and options

Make your plan now — because this election is not over yet.

06/03/2026

One of the questions we hear most often is: “How do I decide who to vote for?”

Research matters. Learn about the candidates, attend forums, watch interviews, review trusted sources, and make an informed decision based on the issues that matter to you.

Thanks to for this voter education reminder.

Vote411.org is the League of Women Voters’ nonpartisan voter resource for election information, polling locations, and candidate information when available.

06/03/2026

Three days from now, LWVCSRA will gather at Brandon Wilde Clubhouse in Evans to hear from District Attorney Jared T. Williams, conduct the business of this organization, and shape the priorities that will guide our work through the rest of 2026 and into 2027.

New members who join before June 6 are welcome at that table.

The League of Women Voters has been defending democracy and empowering voters for over 100 years — through suffrage, civil rights, voting rights fights, redistricting battles, and every election cycle in between. In the CSRA, we do that work every single day. Our members are in the room when decisions are made about your community. They are asking the questions that need to be asked, advocating for the positions that need to be heard, and building the civic infrastructure that democracy depends on.

Your membership makes that work possible — and your voice belongs in it.

Join today at lwv.org/join. Be sure to select the Central Savannah River Area as your local chapter.

06/03/2026

Protecting the freedom to read is about more than books. It’s about access to information, intellectual freedom, and who gets to decide what ideas are available in our schools and libraries.

Book challenges don’t happen in a vacuum. Reconsideration requests are filed. Library policies are written and revised. Library boards vote. School boards vote. Public officials make decisions. And too often, only one side is in the room.

The LWVCSRA Censorship & Misinformation Task Force works with community partners such as the Freedom to Read Coalition of Columbia County to monitor these issues and advocate for the freedom to read.

If you’d like to learn more about current challenges affecting libraries in Columbia County and efforts to protect access to information, attend the upcoming Freedom to Read Coalition of Columbia County meeting:

📚 Freedom to Read Coalition of Columbia County
📅 Sunday, June 7, 2026
🕑 2:15 PM
📍 Columbia County Library
7022 Evans Town Center Blvd., Evans, GA

You don’t have to agree with every book on a shelf. But if you believe a small group shouldn’t decide for everyone else what can be read, this is a conversation worth paying attention to.

06/02/2026

Augusta took a first step by approving a 49 day pause on new data center applications while Planning and Development prepares a data center ordinance.

That pause matters.

But the question now is whether 49 days is enough time to get this right.

The March 26 zoning draft includes a basic starting framework for data centers: a definition, a Special Use Permit requirement, a preliminary development plan, water and energy capacity information, setbacks, screening, and decommissioning requirements.

That is a start. It is not a complete ordinance.

The public comments on June 2 raised much broader issues: independent impact studies, water and power demand, noise, emissions, stormwater, soil protection, fire and emergency response, public notice, ongoing reporting, enforcement, accountability, and whether protections can apply to expansions or related infrastructure.

Commissioners also need time to review what is being proposed. The public needs more than the chance to show up at daytime meetings after decisions are already moving.

A real public process means the draft is posted early, written in plain language, reviewed carefully, revised based on community input, and strong enough to protect neighborhoods before more approvals move forward.

A pause is a good first step.

But 49 days must be enough time to produce real standards, real oversight, and real public input — not just a fast ordinance.

06/02/2026

A criminal record should not become a lifetime barrier to work.

Georgia’s new occupational licensing reform, SB 207, is aimed at reducing job barriers for people with criminal records by creating a fairer process for professional licensing.

That matters because many careers require a state license before someone can work in the field. For people returning home after incarceration, that can mean spending time and money on training only to find out later that an old conviction may block them from being licensed.

SB 207 creates a predetermination process so applicants can ask whether their record may disqualify them before they invest in education or training. It also requires licensing boards to consider whether a conviction is directly related to the license being sought and to look at evidence of rehabilitation, work history, education, and community involvement.

This is reentry work.

Stable employment helps people rebuild their lives, support their families, and participate fully in the community. Fair chance hiring and occupational licensing reform are part of creating real pathways back into work and civic life after a sentence has been served.

The LWVCSRA Justice Reform Task Force is following issues like this because justice reform is not limited to courts and sentencing. It also includes the barriers people face when they come home.

Read more from Georgia Center for Opportunity:
https://foropportunity.org/georgia-job-licensing-reform-helps-returning-citizens/