March is Women’s History Month
Women’s History — A Few Milestones
1848 Seneca Falls Convention •
1920 19th Amendment •
1920 League of Women Voters Founded •
1965 Voting Rights Act •
2021 First Woman Vice President
|
|
News, events, and civic information from the League of Women Voters of the Williamsburg Area.
In This Issue
Upcoming Events
Elections
Advocacy
League News
New & Renewing Members
|
|
Community Event: No Kings 3 on March 28
Saturday, March 28, 2026 • 2:00–4:00 p.m.
Williamsburg–James City County Courthouse
This will be the third nationwide, nonviolent protest organized by the
No Kings Coalition.The League of Women Voters is a recognized partner of Indivisible; LWV members who attend may wear League pins and/or clothing. If you are identifying as a League member, please remember to keep any signs strictly nonpartisan (no candidate or party references).
Learn more and find an event near you:
nokings.org
Find events near you:
Mobilize event page
Local organizing is being led by Indivisible groups.
Featured speakers include local veterans, civic leaders, and community advocates, plus live music.
See the Mobilize event page for the current speaker lineup and updates.
Location
Williamsburg–James City County Courthouse
5201 Monticello Ave
Williamsburg, VA 23188
|
Emiko Nakano, Composition in Yellow, 1957. Oil on canvas, 34 × 46 in. Courtesy of the Levett Collection and FAMM. Photo: Fraser Marr.
|
Women’s History Month Pick: “Abstract Expressionists: The Women”
Our League members—who also serve as docents at the Muscarelle Museum of Art—recommend this outstanding exhibition.
Abstract Expressionists: The Women
January 23 – April 26, 2026
Women played a vital role in the avant-garde movement that transformed modern art, yet their work was often overlooked by critics, the market, and museums that favored male artists. This exhibition highlights how women artists not only participated in Abstract Expressionism but helped define postwar abstraction.
The show features nearly fifty paintings by thirty-two artists working between 1936 and 1977, including Elaine de Kooning, Lee Krasner, Helen Frankenthaler, Joan Mitchell, and Grace Hartigan.
Enhance your visit with a docent-led tour—some led by League members—which reveal the stories behind these remarkable paintings.
Admission: Free for museum members; $12 for non-members. Weekend parking on the William & Mary campus is free and plentiful.
Plan your visit: Dates, details, and ticket information are on the exhibit page below.
Learn more:
Muscarelle Museum exhibition page
|
League Reading Group: Next Meeting April 30
Our informal Reading Group is open to all and offers friendly, open discussion of books that touch on contemporary issues in society and politics.
Date & Time:
Thursday, April 30, 2026 • 4:30–8:00 p.m.
Location:
Member’s home (Williamsburg area)
Next book:
One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad
All are welcome. For directions and additional information, please email:
lwvwacommunications@gmail.com
Registration is not required.
|
Democracy Online: Exploring Today’s Issues
LWV-VA Webinar — March 18, 7:00 PM (online)
The LWV-VA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee continues its Women & Democracy Webinar Series for Women’s History Month with “Challenges and Controversies to Voting Rights.” Speaker Dr. Kimberly S. Adams will discuss voting access and current challenges to equitable participation in democracy.
Register and learn more
March 19 (online) — Presidential historian Jon Meacham discusses American Struggle: Democracy, Dissent, and the Pursuit of a More Perfect Union in the National Constitution Center Book Club.
Register and learn more
|
|
Get election information at the League’s
|
|
|
Virginia’s Special Election — April 21, 2026
Virginia voters will decide on a proposed amendment to the Virginia Constitution in a statewide special election.
Ballot question (vote YES or NO):
“Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended to allow the General Assembly to temporarily adopt new congressional districts to restore fairness in the upcoming elections, while ensuring Virginia's standard redistricting process resumes for all future redistricting after the 2030 census?”
Important dates
-
Register to vote / update registration: April 14, 2026
-
Early in-person voting: March 6, 2026 through April 18, 2026
-
Apply for ballot to be mailed to you: through April 10, 2026
-
Election Day: Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Official election information:
Virginia Department of Elections →
|
|
Back (left to right): Abby Anderson, Evette Conwell, Maryann Simpson, Les Solomon, Pat Evers
Front (left to right): Susan Bivins, Linda Rice, Denise Koch, Denise Harrington
|
President’s Message: League Day in Richmond
League Day is an annual event where Virginia Leagues send representatives to Richmond to meet with members of the General Assembly and to have the Leagues recognized from the floor of the Virginia House and Senate.
This year, on February 10, there was a reception that included several Virginia Delegates, followed by training and meetings with the General Assembly the next day. An important part of gathering in person was the opportunity for issue groups, such as Reproductive Rights, to meet and discuss legislative updates.
On Wednesday, Virginia LWV President Joan Porte introduced speakers for the three amendments expected to appear on the November 3 ballot: the Reproductive Rights Amendment, the Felony Re-enfranchisement Amendment, and the Freedom of Marriage Amendment.
Williamsburg League members met with Senator Ryan McDougle’s assistant, Keith Fisher (Senate District 26). We discussed budget issues such as Virginia filling gaps in medical funding cut by the federal government and supporting Community Health Clinics. We also expressed our hope that Virginia will again use ERIC to assist with voter roll maintenance and establish a 90-day “quiet” period before elections during which voter rolls would not be purged without solid evidence of death or relocation.
We were also able to briefly meet Delegate Jessica Anderson and Dr. Mark Downey and discuss funding for public education, continuing trade schools, and the 90-day quiet period for voter rolls. Follow-up meetings are planned when the General Assembly is out of session.
Meanwhile, the newly formed Peninsula Branch met briefly with Delegate Shelly Simonds and delivered League position papers to several offices.
The day concluded with recognition of the Leagues from the floors of both chambers. It was a successful and well-attended League Day.
Susan Bivins, President
League of Women Voters of the Williamsburg Area
Editor’s Note: According to the League of Women Voters of Virginia, 104 League members from across the Commonwealth attended League Day on February 10–11. Participants met with legislators and staff to discuss League priorities, including constitutional amendments, reproductive rights, and election policy issues such as ranked-choice voting.
|
|
Update from the League of Women Voters of Virginia
The March 2026 issue of the Virginia Voter, the statewide newsletter of the League of Women Voters of Virginia, provides a summary of the current legislative session following the General Assembly’s crossover deadline.
Crossover marks the midpoint of the legislative session, when bills must pass their chamber of origin in order to continue moving in the other chamber.
Three constitutional amendments moving to the November ballot
The Virginia Voter reports that three League-supported constitutional amendments have cleared the General Assembly and will appear on the statewide ballot for Virginia voters in November.
| • |
Reproductive Freedom
Status: Approved by both the House and Senate. The enabling legislation has been signed by the Governor and the amendment will go before voters in November.
|
| • |
Marriage Equality
Status: Approved by both chambers of the General Assembly and will appear on the November ballot.
|
| • |
Voting Rights Restoration
Status: Approved by the legislature and signed by the Governor. Virginia voters will decide the amendment in November.
|
The Virginia Voter also describes legislative activity on a range of other League priorities, including voting and elections, gun safety, environmental policy, reproductive health, and budget issues. Because legislation is still moving through the second half of the session, final outcomes on many bills have not yet been determined.
Read the full legislative update from the League of Women Voters of Virginia (March Virginia Voter) →
|
|
7,500 followers (July 2025) → 10,750 followers (March 2026)
📣 Our League Reaches 10,750 Social Media Followers
Our League’s social media presence continues to grow rapidly. In July 2025 we reported about 7,500 followers across our six social media platforms. As of March 2026, that number has grown to more than 10,750 followers—and continues to rise.
This work is led by Harry Chancey, who manages and creates our League’s daily social media outreach. Posts amplify national and Virginia League messaging, share election information, highlight civic engagement opportunities, and connect local audiences with reliable resources about voting and public policy.
Whenever possible, posts also tag the national and Virginia Leagues to help broaden the reach of League information. The strong response—measured in likes, shares, and reposts—shows that many people are eager for trustworthy civic information and ways to stay engaged in their communities.
We are grateful for the energy and dedication behind this work and proud that our local League is helping bring accurate information and civic engagement opportunities to a growing online audience.
|
New League Initiative on the Peninsula
We are pleased to announce the formation of a new League Member-at-Large unit serving the Virginia Peninsula, organized with the support of the League of Women Voters of the Williamsburg Area.
The Peninsula Unit’s work will center in Newport News, Hampton, Poquoson, and parts of York County.
Introductory Informational Meeting
Monday, March 23, 2026
6:00–7:00 PM
Main Street Library
110 Main Street, Newport News, VA
Please join us in our mission of Empowering Voters and Defending Democracy.
|
Women’s History Month: League display at the Williamsburg Regional Library
March is Women’s History Month, and the League of Women Voters of Williamsburg Area has created a special display at the
Williamsburg Regional Library (Scotland Street) in the theater lobby. Stop by anytime in March to view photos,
memorabilia, and highlights featuring women who helped launch the national League in 1920—as well as those connected
to the founding of our local Williamsburg Area League in 1963.
Women’s History Month began as a grassroots effort: in 1978, community leaders in Santa Rosa, California organized a
“Women’s History Week” timed to include International Women’s Day (March 8). The idea spread nationwide, and in 1980
President Jimmy Carter issued the first presidential proclamation recognizing National Women’s History Week.
We hope you’ll take a few minutes to explore the exhibit and reflect on the long, ongoing story of women’s leadership in American democracy.
|
Welcome Members
Thank you to the following members who recently joined or renewed their membership. Your support helps sustain the League’s work in voter education, advocacy, and community engagement:
Rosemary Bathurst, Wanda Carpenter, Linda Cole, Christine Dube, Joan Golliday, Janet Graham, Bonnie Konowitch, Doris McKnew, Karen McPherson, Kathi Mestayer, Megan Tschannen-Moran, Ben & Kristin Munson, Sylvia Scholnick, Christine Tompkins, Deborah Vick, Caroline Wirth, Sheila Zubkoff
Note: Those marked (**) included an additional contribution with their dues (as of 3/5/2026).
| |
Not a member yet? Joining the League connects you with others who care about empowering voters and defending democracy in our community.
|
|
League of Women Voters of Williamsburg Area
Follow us on social media
P.O. Box 1086, Williamsburg, VA 23187-1086
|
| |