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| Message from the President
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LWVCC President
Teresa Stohs
Addition, and Not Subtraction
As I face the challenges to democracy that we are all facing, I keep in mind addition, and not subtraction, as I make decisions regarding the actions of the LWVCC.
If we take an action, will it gain us strength in our position or weaken it? Will it provide a more open working relationship with the City of Naples and Collier County or close our connection more? Will it increase our ability to work with those that may not agree with us, or will it decrease it? I am looking for additions and not subtractions.
LWVFL has been asking itself some of these same questions. Its answer is the “Bringing Floridians Together” state-wide program. They have developed a year-long program that will promote neighborhood and community connections, encourage respect and mutual understanding across ideological divides, and build a network of skilled facilitators to support peaceful conflict resolution and civic engagement. LWVFL will also be hosting a virtual book club. The first book will be High Conflict by Amanda Ripley, and there will be a virtual meeting book discussion at 12 PM on Friday, February 27, 2026.
Join me in reading High Conflict and expect to hear a lot more about this project.
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LWVCC Goes to Tallahassee
Armed with information, determination and grit, President Teresa Stohs, together with LWVCC Government Committee Chair Stacy Vermylen, participated in the League of Women Voters of Florida’s annual Lobby Days, January 20 & 21.
Lobby Days 2026 involved 90 League members representing most of Florida’s 29 local Leagues. The first day focused on preparation: background on priority issues, a review of key bills led by Monica Elliott, LWVFL Voter Services Chair, and an overview of the legislative environment from LWVFL lobbyist Jeff Sharkey. Members then engaged in role-playing and networking to prepare for meetings with legislators scheduled for Wednesday, January 21.
Teresa and Stacy secured meetings with Southwest Florida legislators, including Senator Kathleen Passidomo and Representatives Adam Botana, Yvette Benarroch, and Lauren Melo. They met in person with Passidomo and Botana, and with aids for Benarroch and Melo due to the intense pace of committee activity. League members ensured that materials were delivered to all offices so that the League’s positions reached every targeted legislator.
Opposition to redistricting, led by LWVFL President Jessica Lowe-Minor, rested on four core concerns. First, redistricting to advantage one political party violates the Fair Districts Amendments approved by Florida voters in 2010 and invites costly litigation. Second, the proposed changes would erode minority representation. Third, the effort politicizes what should be an independent, census-driven process. Finally, it sets a dangerous precedent that could backfire on future administrations.
In addition to redistricting, Lobby Days participants focused on HB 991 / SB 1334, which would change voter registration requirements by relying heavily on the Department of Motor Vehicles to determine citizenship. The League opposes these bills because they risk disenfranchising eligible voters due to bureaucratic barriers.
Florida’s 60-day legislative session is intense and crowded, with more than 1,200 bills filed this year. While the energy at the Statehouse was impressive, it underscored the challenge legislators face in evaluating such a volume of legislation.
Beyond advocacy, Lobby Days offered valuable opportunities for connection. Members attended a presentation by award-winning political reporter Mary Ellen Klas and met with Barbara Petersen, CEO of the Florida Center for Government Accountability, an organization founded in Naples to promote government transparency.
For LWVCC, this trip to Tallahassee, the third one in less than two months, reinforced the importance of presence, persistence, and partnership in defending democracy.
| Updated LWVCC Coalition Policy | Why is LWVCC’s Coalition Policy Important?
Our League works hard to ensure that we uphold our nonpartisan reputation in all aspects of our work – even when we work with other organizations. At the December Board meeting, the Governance Committee proposed and the Board of Directors approved an update to our Coalition Policy. The full policy is available on the LWVCC website under “For Members/Document Library.” This policy becomes particularly important during election season, when we partner with organizations to educate voters and host candidate forums.
What should you know about the Coalition Policy?
- Whenever we consider partnering with another organization, the Board must approve the partnership and give the partnership permission to use the LWVCC name.
- Once the Board approves, LWVCC’s president will confirm the partnership in writing and provide criteria for the League’s participation. (A sample Coalition confirmation form is on the website).
- If you are requesting Board approval to join a coalition or partnership, be prepared to provide information for the Board’s consideration, including:
- Who is requesting the relationship?
- How will the group’s activities benefit LWVCC efforts to achieve its advocacy or educational goals?
- Do the group's major goals and issues mesh with LWVUS, LWVFL and LWVCC program, positions and priorities?
- Which organizations are members of the group, and can we work with them effectively?
- Are the goals and activities of the coalition/partnership, as a whole, nonpartisan? (Members of the group may not endorse candidates, but if they do, it cannot be until after the co-sponsored event.)
- What LWVCC resources (volunteer time, direct and in-kind expenses, etc.) will be involved?
The League is proud of its nonpartisan reputation, and our Coalition Policy provides a framework to help us carefully consider our partnerships in order to preserve that reputation. | |
Join Florida League of Women Voters President, Jessica Lowe-Minor, as she explains Why to Say No to Mid-Decade Redistricting. Jessica will discuss the legal, financial, and voter consequences of Redistricting. She will also discuss the politics at play. Here is your chance to hear directly from the State President and ask your questions.
Since becoming President in 2025, Lowe-Minor’s staff tenure at the Florida League contributed to a significant increase in organizational revenue (167%), membership (31%), and overall visibility. She has also worked as a legislative advocate at the Florida Capitol for a number of women’s organizations. Lowe-Minor has a M.A. in women’s and gender studies via the Program in Interdisciplinary Humanities at Florida State University, and has taught classes at both FSU and Tallahassee State College. She is also a licensed Realtor, the mother of two young daughters, and she enjoys running, horseback riding, and listening to podcasts.
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Ever Wonder About Florida Party Makeup?
FL Department of State, Division of Elections
Data as a 12/31/2025:
| REP |
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DEM |
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Minor Parties |
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NPA |
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Total Florida |
| 5,509,354 |
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4,044,390 |
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457,841 |
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3,329,329 |
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13,340,914 |
| 41.3% |
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30.3% |
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3.4% |
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25% |
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Source: https://dos.fl.gov/elections/data-statistics/voter-registration-statistics/voter-registration-reports/voter-registration-by-party-affiliation/ | 
Voter Services Committee
Tina Palmese, Chair
Voter Services Committee Continues Community Outreach
TABLING EVENTS
In addition to the Candidate Forum that LWVCC partnered with Greater Naples Leadership (GNL), Voter Services volunteered at tabling events through the city:
Jan. 6 Old Naples Association Forum
Jan. 7 Pints & Politics at Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce
Jan. 8 Park Shore Association Forum
Jan. 12 River Park Association Forum
Jan. 13 GSAC Association Forum
Jan. 15 GSAC/Park Shore/Moorings Property Owners Associations Joint Forum
Jan. 16 Moorings Park Retirement Community
Our volunteers were able and ready to help voters check their registrations and request Vote-By-Mail ballots on sight using our iPad. In addition, we distributed our new Vote-Check-List flyers (also printed in Spanish and Creole ) with QR codes for direct access to colliervotes.gov and a Mail Ballot Link. This “pumped-up” presence was developed after Naples City Council‘s decision not to have Early Voting for this election.
Special thanks to members Lynn Martin, Laura Hansen-Reynolds, Rosemary Christie, Ellen Hannan, and Deborah Giso for volunteering! We look forward to many more tabling opportunities as we continue to help Collier County voters in the upcoming August 18th Primary and November 3rd General Election.
VOTE411
The LWV’s online voter guide (Vote411.org) went live on January 2 with candidates’ individual profiles, background, education and answers to LWVCollier issue questions. Once again, we had 100% participation from the candidates on the ballot. After the City Council Election, Vote411 will pause until candidate qualification for the upcoming primary and election has finalized.
MLK PARADE
On Monday January 19th LWVCC members, family and friends marched at the NAACP 29th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Parade and Celebration. We carried signs, gave out flags and candy while listening to lively music! Ronna Hoffberg followed along in her "Frango" Golf Cart and Alison and Clay Wescott drove Ronna's Blue Bronco. Thanks to all who came out and braved the cold including: Janet Hoffman, Libbie Bramson, Laura Hanson-Reynolds, Donna Gillroy, Susan Sonnenschein, Mary Jo Diegel, Susan Golden, Jan Ellis, Cath Maslyn, Eileen Sepesi, Rosenn McTernan, Nancy and Grady Chism, Tina Palmese, Cynthia Cromwell, Leslie Bruner, and the five lovely friends of Beth Van Damme. The celebration continued in Cambier Park with Eileen and Jim Beam joining our tabling for this fun-filled day!
NAPLES CITY COUNCIL FORUM A SUCCESS!
The Naples City Council Election Forum, hosted jointly by the League of Women Voters of Collier County LWVCC and Greater Naples Leadership (GNL), was held in the City Council Chambers on January 13. League President Teresa Stohs opened the program and GNL President Tom Leipzig offered closing remarks. An enthusiastic crowd attended and the event was also televised on Naplesgov.com. It will also be recast and available for viewing at WGCU.
With John Davis from WGCU and Wendy Fullerton Powell from Naples Daily News (NDN) as Moderators, the Forum garnered strong media attention and was marketed widely to the Naples community. Eight candidates are vying for three seats on the Council. Each candidate gave an introductory statement and answered prepared questions from the moderators. The audience was then given the opportunity to address questions to the candidates. The election is February 3rd and is open to registered voters living within the City’s boundaries. In his closing remarks, GNL President Leipzig noted that “This community forum has given us all vital information on which to base informed decisions. The important task ahead for you is to VOTE and to urge your fellow citizens to vote. “
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Juvenile Justice Committee
Libbie Bramson, Chair
RETROSPECTIVE AND PROSPECTIVE
The JJC has focused on reviewing what our foundational organizations are doing to support at-risk kids and their families. These include, but are not limited to the Collier County Public Schools, Collier County Sheriffs’ Department, NAACP, Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, David Lawrence Centers, and the Collier County Unified Family Court (responsible for juvenile dependency, delinquency, and truancy). We have also delivered our Saving Kids’ Futures Civil Citation presentation to interested audiences in Collier County.
Our findings:
- These organizations frequently work in coalition with one another as it multiplies their effectiveness in dealing with significant issues. “It takes a village” to move the needle.
- Several organizations view issues as a continuum. Their approach begins with prevention, continues with programs to modify behavior, often includes giving kids a second chance and guidance as they return to the mainstream.
- Each case is different. Each child and family are different. Discipline is not a “one size fits all.”
- Restorative, positive programs generally have a lower recidivism rate than punitive programs.
- Private philanthropy is an important source of funding for many Collier County programs.
- Truancy is the #1 issue nationwide. In Florida, 20% of kids K-12 are chronically absent. Since education is the key to success as an adult, does this mean that 1out of 5 adults (or more) in future generations will be poorly educated?
- Church groups, comprised of teens and parents, are the most interested in learning about Civil Citation.
Our most recent guest speaker on January 23, 2026, was Jessica Liria from David Lawrence Centers. Consistent with previous guest speakers and our visit to the DJJ Detention Center, her presentation was riveting. It ranged from a discussion of anxiety, depression, thoughts of suicide or self-harm, trauma, substance abuse, and changes in behavior, to the life changing and lifesaving services provided by DLC.
Pastor Irvin Stallworth will be the guest speaker at the LWVCC General Lunch on March 9, 2026. He is currently the Pastor of New Beginnings Ministries in Naples, affiliated with the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (he organized JJC’s visit to the Naples Juvenile Detention Center), and the President of Trinity Life Foundation. Its At-Risk-Youth Enrichment Program has prevented kids from delinquency and helped others successfully return to the community. He will discuss what is involved in overcoming challenges and creating brighter futures.
Stay safe and remember you can tell a lot about a community by how it supports its most vulnerable members.
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Social Policy Committee
Janet Hoffman, Betty Schwartz, Co-Chairs
The Gun Violence Prevention Committee met in January to review the Florida legislation introduced related to the use or restriction of firearms. Guns are the leading cause of death in children from one year to nineteen years old, so it is a critical issue related to the health of our children.
- Florida currently has a 21-year-old minimum age requirement to purchase firearms. This was enacted with bipartisan support after the Parkland shooting. HB 133 would lower the age to purchase firearms to 18 years.
- Florida’s risk protection order law allows law enforcement to file petitions for a court order to temporarily prevent someone in crisis from accessing their firearms. HB 6029 would repeal this law, which passed with bipartisan support.
- Legislation would allow school staff to volunteer as armed security. SB 896/HB 757 would authorize colleges and universities to participate in the school guardian program. It would authorize certain employees, faculty members, and students to openly carry firearms into a college or university facility.
- Florida now allows open carry of firearms with no state-sensitive locations. HB 321/SB 406 would amend the Florida code to apply current sensitive locations to the open carry of firearms. This would mean that the same places where you cannot conceal-carry a firearm, like polling places, schools, bars and colleges would also be off-limits for open carry.
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Education Ambassadors
On Tuesday July 13 the Collier County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve impact fees. Impact fees are one-time fees paid at the point of new construction to support new services, especially new schools. The Education Ambassadors worked for months to promote this positive vote by publishing an Opinion piece in the Naples Daily News (January 9 and 11) working with the Collier Public Schools on data, meeting in person or emailing Commissioners to support impact fees and speaking at Commissioners’ meetings. Please see the LWVCC website for a link to the Op Ed. We thank the many Education Ambassadors who attended Commissioners’ meetings and emailed commissioners as part of our work to Support Public Education.
On January 26 Diane Preston Moore represented LWVCC and The Education Ambassadors at a community wide meeting at Arthrex “Collier Next Gen/Childcare Initiative.” Our advocacy for impact fees and preschool education expansion were noted in the invitation for us to participate. More information on how we can contribute to this initiative will be discussed at the next meeting in March. |
Environmental Affairs Committee
Lynn Martin, Patti Forkan, Co-Chairs
The LWVCC Environmental Affairs Committee heard an interesting presentation from Bridget Washburn, Executive Director and Brad Cornell, Senior Policy Director of Audubon of the Western Everglades (AWE) at our January meeting. After explaining the organization’s structure and independence from other Audubon chapters, like Audubon Corkscrew, they discussed current environmental conservation initiatives of AWE.
Land development and dealing with developers to preserve the Western Everglades is a focus of AWE. Wetlands are important for water management, aquifer recharge and water purification. Bridget presented alarming statistics on wetlands loss, highlighting that 80,000 acres are disappearing annually, equivalent to 7 football fields per hour, largely due to development and sinking land in the Gulf of Mexico. She emphasized the importance of habitat conservation and shared data from the National Audubon Society's 2025 State of the Birds report, which revealed significant declines in bird populations, with 229 species requiring urgent conservation action.
Brad and Bridget discussed solutions, including land conservation, restoration of native habitats, and the Florida Wildlife Corridor initiative, which aims to connect natural areas to support wildlife movement. They also addressed the need for integrated approaches to biodiversity loss and climate change, highlighting successful land acquisition efforts in Collier County and the Corkscrew Watershed Initiative to restore wetlands and mitigate drought risks. Bridget presented a biodiversity initiative called Nature Where We Live, which aims to protect and restore natural habitats through land acquisition, native landscaping, and community engagement. She highlighted the importance of protecting species like gopher tortoises and burrowing owls on Marco Island and discussed strategies such as buying land, using non-toxic rodenticides, and promoting native plantings. She also mentioned the success of the burrowing owl program on Marco Island and plans to expand it to Collier County. The initiative seeks to tie together various programs and engage the community in supporting wildlife and conservation efforts.
Bridget and Brad will be giving their presentation as a “Hot Topic” to the LWVCC membership in the near future for members who want to learn more. |
Plastics Task Force
Loralee LeBouef, Chair
PLASTICS TASK FORCE STAYS ENGAGED
It has been an eventful fall for the PTF team. Here is a quick overview.
- New Website Updated – Please take the time to click every link on our website. The information has been expanded, touching on most of the major issues around the plastic crisis. Watch our new embedded video with a mini version of our presentation. Thank you, Wendy Riedel, for making all this happen. Share our website with friends and spread the word.
- Speaking Engagements – Rookery Bay Science Night and Island Walk Garden Club were the first two of 8 speaking engagements for the year. If you know of an organization looking for a speaker next season, let us know.
- Voter Services Integration – Under the thoughtful guidance of Teresa Stohs, the PTF has successfully integrated Voter Services into our presentations and communications. We strive to have a Voter Services representative available at speaker events. Our goal is to spread awareness of the League’s work.
- Legislation – The team is engaging with legislators in support of the Federal Microplastics Safety Act, introduced by Rick Scott. The Act’s mandate is to do a deep-dive into the impacts of microplastics on human health. Two State bills, SB240 and HB575, which the PTF supports, are going through legislative committees now. These bills will loosen up the “Ban on Bans” which has been in place since 2008.
- Working Collaboratively with Outside Groups – In conjunction with efforts to support the above-mentioned bills, the PTF has engaged with the Ocean Conservancy, the Surfrider Foundation, and the LWV Broward County.
- PTF in the News – An interview with the PTF’s Chair for The Naples Press led to an article entitled, “State’s plastics crisis and push for change,” published January 15, 2026, and available on our website. The Chair also fielded questions from Fox News on the proposed State bill to ban paper straws because of the PFAS they contain. FYI, PFAS are in many other things. Why just paper straws??? We question the narrow focus.
- Joining the Plastics Task Force – We meet via Zoom on the first Thursday of the month from 3:30-5:00 pm. If you are interested, contact Loralee LeBoeuf, Chair, or Jean Waller, Vice Chair, at plastics@lwvcolliercounty.org.
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Membership Committee
Beth VanDamme, Chair
Welcome New Members!
Please join us in giving a warm welcome to our newest members:
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Bill Beam
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Kathryn Bergholz |
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Mary Jo Diegel |
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Marcia Fink |
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Lynn Nolan |
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Teresa Palmitier |
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Vicki Sorrentin |
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Amy Thanhouser |
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Patricia Venus |
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| We are excited to have you join our community! |
New Member Coffee Social
The recent New Member Coffee Social hosted by Sara Werder and the Membership Team was a resounding success.
Those in attendance included: Nancy Armocida, Bill and Eileen Beam, Ed Brandt, Laura Candris, Mary Jo Diegel, Marcia Fink, Teresa Palmitier, Kathy Peppe, Jenny Smith, and Becky Troop. A truly impressive group!
Teresa Stohs began the event with an informative overview of the League. The new members then had the opportunity to introduce themselves, followed by presentations from the committee and team chairs who shared their initiatives.
| League News From Across the Country
| National League News
For more information, visit LWV.org.
State League News
For more information, visit LWVFL.org.
| Please refer to the LWVCC Weekly Update for a complete list of upcoming events or visit the LWVCC website: lwvcolliercounty.org.
Members should log in to ensure they see members-only events and registration options. | Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy.
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in Government. We influence public policy through education and advocacy. Our goal is to empower citizens to take an active role in shaping better communities worldwide. The League of Women Voters of Collier County does not support or endorse any candidate or political party.
League of Women Voters of Collier County
P.O. Box 9883, Naples, FL 34101
Sent by lwvcc@lwvcolliercounty.org
| SUPPORT THE THE LEAGUE
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We now have the ability to accept recurring gifts. Click the donate button on our
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There are two buttons – Donate and Recurring Gifts.
You can make recurring gifts monthly or quarterly.
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