| An update for League friends and subscribers. | | | | October Podcast Features Author and Editor Ray Boomhower | For our October Civic Conversations podcast, Jim Allison welcomed Ray Boomhower, esteemed Indiana biographer and senior editor of the Indiana Historical Society Press. Boomhower also edits the quarterly popular history magazine, Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History.
Boomhower discussed his book about the photo of the Buddhist monk who set himself on fire to protest the Vietnam War. That iconic image was taken by American journalist and photographer Malcolm Browne during the Vietnam War's Tet Offensive. | | | | Boomhower also shared his research on a lesser-known incident involving black aviators at Freeman Field in Seymour, Indiana, during World War II, where black pilots protested racial segregation at the base's officers' club. Currently, Boomhower is working on a book about Wallace Terry, a groundbreaking black journalist who worked for The Washington Post and Time Magazine as one of their first black correspondents. Listeners can check Boomhower’s website for more information on his books. - Jim Allison, Becky Hill | | Local League Attends No Kings Rally | Our League had a table at the Bloomington No Kings rally on October 18. Susan Haislip, Becky Hill, Marion Krefeldt, Nancy Riggert, and Ralf Shaw staffed the table. Many rally participants expressed their pleasure at seeing LWV there, and a few used the indianavoters.in.gov website to register to vote or check their registration. Many people gave a donation in exchange for one of our “Voting Is My Superpower” t-shirts. - Ralf Shaw
photo: Nancy Riggert and Susan Haislip at No Kings Rally, Oct. 18, 2025 (used with permission) | | | | Do You Really Know How Your Government Works? | | In 2019, member Elaine Gaul took on the challenging task of assembling thorough, but easy to follow, information about our government. We were aiming for a document that would be useful for educators, students...really, all citizens. Since 2020, there have been over 1500 downloads. Now, in 2025, the essentials have not changed but links and contemporary information and data needed a serious update. Thanks to Elaine, the update is finished and the revised document is available here or linked from our government webpages (https://www.lwv-bmc.org; Government tab). Check out the latter as well and use the webpages for quick reference and links to more details. - Mary Helen Truglia | | | | What Matters? Let Your Legislators Know | In our representative democracy, our legislators – in Indianapolis and Washington DC – act on our behalf. How do they know what is important to us? We tell them. Residents of Bartholomew, Brown, Johnson, and Monroe counties will have a chance to do that at an online town hall in November.
State representatives and senators from all four counties have been invited to a Zoom town hall on Saturday, November 15, 9:30-11 am. The town hall is hosted by the Leagues of Women Voters of Bloomington-Monroe County and Brown and Johnson counties. Co-sponsors are the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, Limestone Post, Monroe County Branch of the NAACP, and Unitarian-Universalist Congregation of Columbus, IN. Registration is required. Click here to register. - Ralf Shaw | | Save the Date: League Gathering, December 9 | | Mark your calendar for Tuesday, December 9, 6:00-7:30 pm, for our next League gathering. You don't need to be a member to attend. If you're interested in the League and would like to know more about what we're doing, please come! For new members, this is a good chance to get to know other members and get caught up with League activities. There will be refreshments and lots of good conversation. The event is at St. Thomas Lutheran Church, 3800 E. Third St., Bloomington. More information will be available later. Questions? Contact membership@lwv-bmc.org. - Nancy Riggert | | Listening Sessions Scheduled on Redistricting | ReCenter Indiana is bringing Hoosiers together, across party lines, to learn, connect, and be heard. It’s your voice. It’s our Indiana.
Join a nonpartisan listening session with Dr. Laura Merrifield Wilson, associate professor of political science at the University of Indianapolis. Dr. Wilson will explain mid-decade congressional redistricting in Indiana, what it is, why it matters, and how it could impact your vote. Then it’s your turn to share your feedback and what matters most to you and your community. Indiana is better when Hoosiers are heard. Come be part of the conversation. Pick up the latest updates at https://www.recenterindiana.org/news.
Beech Grove
Thursday, November 6
6:30 pm-8 pm
Hornet Park Community Center – 5245 Hornet Ave, Beech Grove
SIGN UP FOR BEECH GROVE LISTENING SESSION
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/redistricting-listening-session-beech-grove-tickets-1796664936189
Fishers
Thursday, November 13
6:30 pm-8 pm
Geist Christian Church – 12756 Promise Rd, Fishers
SIGN UP FOR FISHERS LISTENING SESSION
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/redistricting-listening-session-fishers-tickets-1796846920509
ReCenter Indiana is a non-partisan, non-profit organization. We are committed to improving the lives of Hoosiers, by reminding elected officials to center on the priorities of the people they serve. The best way to do that is for Hoosiers to vote, be civically engaged and use their voice. - Linda Hanson, president, LWV of Indiana | | Response Needed to Legislators Opposing Redistricting | Our All IN 4 Democracy coalition has compiled a list of legislators who have either said they are hard NOs on redistricting or have indicated they have strong reservations about moving forward. The Bloomingtonian recently had a article featuring District 40 state senator Shelli Yoder, who is opposed to redistricting. We ask that League members communicate thanks and support for state legislators who oppose. - Linda Hanson, president, LWV of Indiana
Contact information for Shelli Yoder is:
Email: s40@iga.in.gov
Address: 200 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: 800-382-9467 | | IU Women in Government Discuss Upcoming Elections | | In the spirit of scary Halloween stories, the Indiana University chapter of Women in Government met on October 22 to discuss the 2026 elections with LWV-BMC spokesperson Ralf Shaw. Topics included voter suppression and questions about election integrity. Participants described a variety of challenges they had experienced with absentee voting, such as problems verifying the voter’s eligibility, rejection of the voter’s signature on an absentee ballot, and uncertainty about whether the absentee ballot had been received on time and counted. Voters can be discouraged by, for example, national and state efforts to require proof of US citizenship to register to vote and Monroe County’s precinct-based polling locations, which have some students living on campus travel to Bloomington North High School to vote on election day. - Ralf Shaw | | | | Do You (or a Friend) Want to Join the League? | | We have subscribers who get this newsletter but are not members. And, I'm sure we have members who have friends that might be interested in the League. Folks who would like to learn more about the League should go to https://lwv-bmc.org/about-us. Explore the website and find more details. Come to the next League gathering on December 9 (see article above). If a one-to-one meeting is preferred, please contact us at membership@lwv-bmc.org. We'd be happy to talk to you and answer questions. - Nancy Riggert | | | | LWVIN Files Lawsuit Against Discriminatory Election Laws | The League of Women Voters of Indiana (LWVIN) filed suit on October 23 to challenge new Indiana laws that target only naturalized citizens with unnecessary burdens and potential disenfranchisement. People born as U.S. citizens are not subject to these discriminatory laws. The lawsuit against the Indiana Secretary of State and the codirectors of the Indiana Election Division states these laws violate the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Click here for more information on the lawsuit. - Ralf Shaw | Contacts, Events, and News Sources
| | Many citizens feel they have no say in their government. We can't have a say if we don't say anything. Contact your elected officials when you have something to say. Go to https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials to find the people who represent you in federal, state, and local governments. Contact them not only to urge action but also to show appreciation. | |
Proofreader: Kristina Lindborg
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