United Nations Day (2024)
2024-10-27 13:30 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Manhattanville University (formerly Manhattanville College), Reid Castle, 2900 Purchase Street, Purchase, NY, 10577
Celebrate UN Day with UNA WestchesterTopic: Why the World Needs the UN and the UN Needs USSunday, October 27, 2024Registration begins at 1:30pmProgram starts at 2pmThis program is free and open to all.

LWVW will host a table at the event.

Laurel Rapp

Kanni Wignaraja

Program Agenda:

Principal Speaker: Kanni Wignaraja, Assistant Secretary General and Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific (RBAP), UN Development Programme (UNDP)*

Principal Speaker: Laurel Rapp, Deputy Director, Policy Planning Staff, Liaison with the United Nations, US Department of State**

SDG Honorees: The Afya Foundation, GEMS Program at YWCA, Feeding Westchester, Yonkers Partners in Education

Register to Attend in Person

Register to Attend Virtually

*Kanni Wignaraja of Sri Lanka was appointed in 2019 as the Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Previously, Wignaraja served as the Acting Assistant Administrator and Director, Bureau for Management Services, UNDP and as Special Adviser to the UNDP Administrator, roles that she has performed throughout 2019, after working as the Director of the United Nations Development Operations Coordination Office (DOCO) from 2014 to 2018. Wignaraja brings over twenty-five years of experience of the United Nations mission and UNDP’s role in the sustainable development agenda. She has a deep knowledge of the Asia-Pacific region, as well as the global, regional and country level workings of UNDP, across policy, programme, management and operations. Wignaraja joined the Organization in 1990 as the Policy and Evaluation Officer of United Nations Volunteers (UNV) and has worked in various field as well as in UNDP’s Headquarters in New York, serving in the Asia and Pacific and the Africa Region. She also served in the Bureau for Development Policy in progressively senior positions, including that of United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Zambia. Wignaraja holds a master’s degree in Public Administration (Development Economics) from Princeton University and a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) from Bryn Mawr College.

**Laurel Rapp serves as a Deputy Director of the State Department’s Policy Planning Staff. Most recently, Rapp was a senior advisor for UN Political Affairs in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs, charged with assessments of the UN’s civilian missions, engagement with the UN Secretary-General and other senior UN officials, international legal matters in the Security Council, and UN reform. In 2020, Rapp served as fellow on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee staff focused on Europe and South & Central Asia. Previously, she worked on Middle East issues for the Deputy Secretary of State, the National Security Council, and the State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. Before her time in government, Laurel worked in New York at the OneVoice Movement, a Middle East-focused youth organization, and spent a year in Morocco on a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship researching women’s political participation. Rapp graduated from Brown University and received a master’s degree in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. She speaks some Arabic, French, and Italian.

Share this:Post
Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window)
Bluesky

Share on Threads (Opens in new window)
Threads

Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Email

Print (Opens in new window)
Print
More
Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
WhatsApp
Like this:Like Loading…

LWVW Holiday Luncheon (2024)
2024-12-13 12:00 - 14:00 | Manhattanville University (formerly Manhattanville College), East Library in Reid Castle, 2900 Purchase Street, Purchase, NY, 10577
Save the date for LWVW’s annual Holiday Luncheon! Mix and mingle with LWVW members and friends and then sit down to eat and enjoy listening to our keynote. Our program will also include a brief update on the election season from the Westchester County Board of Elections.

Featured Speaker: Westchester County Board of Legislators Chair Vedat Gashi*Topic: Overview of the State of the County

Vedat Gashi, Westchester County Board of Legislators Chair

*Vedat Gashi is the current Chair of the Westchester County Board of Legislators and represents District 4 (New Castle, Ossining, Somers, Yorktown). He was born in Kosovo (formerly Yugoslavia) in 1978. At the age of 4, he and his family fled the oppressive, socialist regime to the United States. After graduating from Lakeland High School, Gashi obtained a B.A. from Connecticut College, and a J.D. from Seton Hall University.

Upon passing the New York Bar, Gashi joined the US/EU effort to help establish the newly formed state of Kosovo. Gashi was later nominated by the United Nations to serve as the Chief Legal Advisor to Kosovo’s Prime Minister.

Shortly after Kosovo declared independence, Gashi returned to his home in the United States where he opened his own real estate legal practice in Yorktown Heights and in the Bronx. Currently, Gashi lives and works in Yorktown, with his wife and children. He joined the Rotary Club of Yorktown, has been active in his kids’ school, sports, and scouting, and is an active member of the Yorktown Democratic Party where he serves as a Democratic District Leader.

Price: $50/personAdjust quantities of luncheon tickets in your shopping cart after hitting the “Add to Cart” button and before entering payment information.

First and Last Name(s) of Attendee(s): Email Address(es):

Share this:Post
Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window)
Bluesky

Share on Threads (Opens in new window)
Threads

Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Email

Print (Opens in new window)
Print
More
Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
WhatsApp
Like this:Like Loading…

Press Conference in Opposition to Federal SAVE Act
2025-02-19 14:00 - 15:00
Press Conference in Opposition to the Federal Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at 2pm By the MLK Statue Outside the Westchester County Courthouse 111 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard White Plains, NY 10601

All citizens are encouraged to attend the press conference organized by Congressman George Latimer’s office to show opposition to the SAVE Act, H.R. 22, a voter suppression bill to amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 that will come to a vote in the House before the end of February. This bill would impose onerous ID standards that target many female, poor, and legal immigrant voters, increasing the burden of proving citizenship in a way that may prevent or deter them from registering to vote. LWVUS opposes this legislation as unnecessary, divisive, and likely to have a disparate impact on citizens of color and married women whose surnames do not match their birth certificates.

Share this:Post
Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window)
Bluesky

Share on Threads (Opens in new window)
Threads

Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Email

Print (Opens in new window)
Print
More
Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
WhatsApp
Like this:Like Loading…

LWVW Educational Special Event with Representative George Latimer re Federal SAVE Act
2025-02-19 18:00 - 19:00 | Online
Topic: Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act Wednesday, February 19, 2025, from 6pm to 7pm via Zoom

George Latimer

Join a conversation with George Latimer who represents Congressional District 16 on the subject of the SAVE Act, H.R. 22, a bill pending in the House to amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 in a manner that would increase the existing proof of U.S. citizenship requirements for registering to vote in elections for federal office. LWVUS opposes this legislation as unnecessary, divisive, and likely to have a disparate impact on citizens of color and married women whose surnames do not match their birth certificates.

Registration is required to receive the Zoom link.

Register for LWVW Educational Special Event

Share this:Post
Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window)
Bluesky

Share on Threads (Opens in new window)
Threads

Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Email

Print (Opens in new window)
Print
More
Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
WhatsApp
Like this:Like Loading…

Running & Winning (2025)
2025-04-30 08:30 - 14:00 | Manhattanville University (formerly Manhattanville College), Reid Castle, 2900 Purchase Street, Purchase, NY, 10577
LWVW is hosting its annual, unique one-day workshop to bring together female-identifying high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors from high schools across Westchester County for an active and interactive political experience. The goal is to support our young participants’ aspirations to serve in public office, develop their leadership potential, and, at the same time, help our government institutions increase gender parity. The program offers opportunities to learn from elected officials’ experiences and practical application. Attendees may also register or pre-register to vote on site.

At last year’s event:

Elected officials provided a brief recap as to how they became involved in politics.

Small teams of students interviewed elected officials in greater depth regarding the seeking and holding of public office.

Student teams designed a slogan, and wrote and delivered meaningful campaign speeches on an issue selected from a curated list.

For more information on the program, contact lwvwrunandwin@gmail.com.

LWVW appreciates NY Community Trust’s continued support and generous grant that helps defray the costs of hosting this important event.

Share this:Post
Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window)
Bluesky

Share on Threads (Opens in new window)
Threads

Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Email

Print (Opens in new window)
Print
More
Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
WhatsApp
Like this:Like Loading…

LWVW Annual Convention (2025)
2025-06-05 17:00 - 20:00 | Manhattanville University (formerly Manhattanville College), East Library in Reid Castle, 2900 Purchase Street, Purchase, NY, 10577
Meet other local league members within Westchester County, hear what LWVW has accomplished this past year, learn what is on the horizon for 2025-26, vote on the LWVW program and LWVW budget for next year, install the incoming leadership team, and enjoy the speaker and buffet supper. See below for the Convention Agenda.

Featured Speaker: Spencer Reynolds, Senior Counsel in the Brennan Center for Justice’s Liberty and National Security ProgramTopic: Protecting Liberty and Security + Bolstering Checks and Balances

Spencer Reynolds is senior counsel in the Brennan Center’s Liberty and National Security Program. Previously, he was senior intelligence counsel in the Office of the General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where he advised on operations and policy related to domestic intelligence, counterterrorism, social media monitoring, and other national security matters. He continues to work on those topics at the Brennan Center. Reynolds is a graduate of Wesleyan University and Washington University School of Law.

We welcome audience questions. Please use the form below to submit as many as you like.

Ticket includes admission to meeting (5-6:15pm), buffet supper (6:15-6:45pm), and speaker program (6:45-7:45pm).

Price: $50/personAdjust quantities of annual convention tickets in your shopping cart after hitting the “Add to Cart” button and before entering payment information.

First and Last Name(s) of Attendee(s): Email Address(es): Local League Affiliation (if any):

Loading…

Loading…

Share this:Post
Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window)
Bluesky

Share on Threads (Opens in new window)
Threads

Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Email

Print (Opens in new window)
Print
More
Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
WhatsApp
Like this:Like Loading…

LWVW Moderator Training 9/15/25
2025-09-15 18:00 - 19:00 | Zoom
Candidate forums are essential components of voter service but we cannot offer them without moderators!

LWVW holds group moderator trainings periodically as well as 1:1 trainings scheduled for the mutual convenience of the trainor and trainee. Trainings are free of charge. Additional training videos that can be watched as refreshers or introductions are available on our moderator training webpage. Once trained, you will be eligible to serve as a moderator for any Westchester County or local league candidate forum for races outside of your voting district.

Please complete the RSVP form to receive the Zoom link for the training or email westchesterlwv@gmail.com to be contacted for a 1:1 training session.

Share this:Post
Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window)
Bluesky

Share on Threads (Opens in new window)
Threads

Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Email

Print (Opens in new window)
Print
More
Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
WhatsApp
Like this:Like Loading…

LWVW Moderator Training 9/29/25
2025-09-29 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom

LWVW Moderator Training 10/8/25
2025-10-08 18:00 - 19:00 | Zoom

Candidate Forum for Westchester County Executive
2025-10-20 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Westchester County Executive Candidate ForumMonday, October 20, 2025, from 7pm to 8pmvia Zoom Webinar

Save the date for this moderated candidate forum in which an LWV-trained moderator from outside of Westchester County will pose questions to Ken Jenkins (D) and Christine Sculti (R), who are running in the general election for the office of Westchester County Executive.

Register to Attend the Candidate Forum Webinar

Please submit proposed questions for the candidates using the form below. Questions to be posed at the forum will be finalized in advance but not made available to the candidates or any of their staff members.

Loading…

Share this:Post
Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window)
Bluesky

Share on Threads (Opens in new window)
Threads

Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Email

Print (Opens in new window)
Print
More
Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
WhatsApp
Like this:Like Loading…

United Nations Day (2025)
2025-10-26 14:00 - 16:00 | Greenburgh Public Library, 300 Tarrytown Road, Elmsford, New York, 10523, United States
Celebrate UN Day with UNA WestchesterTopic: Restoring Justice, Saving LivesSunday, October 26, 20252pm-4pmGreenburgh Public LibraryThis program is free and open to all.

LWVW Youth Corp members will be in attendance at the event.

Program Agenda:

Keynote speaker on Reintegrating Child Soldiers into Society

Panel of Local Westchester Champions SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

Musical program by Westchester students

Register to Attend

Share this:Post
Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window)
Bluesky

Share on Threads (Opens in new window)
Threads

Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Email

Print (Opens in new window)
Print
More
Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
WhatsApp
Like this:Like Loading…

Screening of Documentary Film: Majority Rules
2025-12-06 12:00 - 14:30 | Apple Cinemas, 237 Martine Avenue, White Plains, New York, 10601
Documentary Film Screening: Majority RulesSaturday, December 6, 2025, from 12pm to 2:30pmApple Cinemas237 Martine AvenueWhite Plains, NY 10601

What if changing the way we vote could change everything?

With America’s democratic experiment mired in division and dysfunction, the state of Alaska voted to revolutionize its election system. The surprising results sparked new alliances, a growing call for election reform, and fierce pushback from political parties. Could changing how Americans vote also change politics for the better?

Majority Rules, a film about the implementation of open primaries and ranked choice voting in Alaska, presents a crucial look at how updating our voting systems can improve political incentives and decrease polarization. The documentary premiered at the 2024 DC/DOX Film Festival in Washington, D.C., and was released theatrically in cities across the country. A new version of the film featuring the outcomes of the 2024 open primaries ballot initiatives was released September 16, 2025, in celebration of National Voter Registration Day.

This film screening is co-sponsored by Unite NY, Braver Angels, and the League of Women Voters of Westchester and will be followed by a short presentation by David Green, Unite NY Organizing Director, and Q&A about how these issues apply to New York.

Purchase Tickets to Film Screening

About the Film

Alaska is gearing up to do something that no other state has ever done: Adopting a pair of election reforms that will eliminate traditional party primaries and allow voters to rank their candidates by preference. Just as election workers, citizens, and politicians are beginning to adapt to this new system, the state’s longest-serving Congressman unexpectedly dies, creating an open seat and prompting a special election that will test this system months earlier than expected. As dozens of candidates – including former Governor Sarah Palin – jump into the race for the highly coveted seat, everyone must learn how these new voting reforms will change the rules of campaigning and winning. The surprising outcome in that special election leads to a groundswell of support for election reform in other states and fierce pushback from political parties and partisans, just as the Alaska general election gets underway..

Veteran political documentary filmmaker AJ Schnack (Caucus, Convention) returns to the campaign trail asking whether these new Alaska reforms, an all-candidate open primary and an instant runoff general election, might be a prescription for what ails the American democratic experiment. Traveling across the country, Schnack and his crew interview reform supporters and opponents, looking at where these reforms are already in place and where they may soon be adopted. The resulting film answers two of our nation’s most pressing questions: How did the American electoral system become so dysfunctional, and can changes to how we vote change our entire system for the better?

Share this:Post
Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window)
Bluesky

Share on Threads (Opens in new window)
Threads

Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Email

Print (Opens in new window)
Print
More
Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
WhatsApp
Like this:Like Loading…

LWVW Moderator Training Thursday, 2/26/26
2026-02-26 18:00 - 19:00 | Zoom

LWVW Moderator Training Sunday, 3/1/26
2026-03-01 15:00 - 16:00 | Zoom

LWVW Presentation on the SAVE America and MEGA Acts Tuesday, 3/10/26
2026-03-10 18:00 - 19:30 | Zoom
Understanding the SAVE America and MEGA Acts

The House of Representatives’ SAVE Act suite of bills, which could disenfranchise millions of eligible Americans by implementing suppressive voter ID requirements that deter people from registering to vote and casting a ballot, is under consideration in the Senate. Learn about the bills and what you can do about them during this Zoom meeting.

Register to Attend the Zoom

Share this:Post
Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window)
Bluesky

Share on Threads (Opens in new window)
Threads

Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Email

Print (Opens in new window)
Print
More
Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
WhatsApp
Like this:Like Loading…

LWVW Moderator Training Monday, 3/30/26
2026-03-30 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom

Running & Winning (2026)
2026-04-16 08:30 - 14:00 | Manhattanville University (formerly Manhattanville College), Reid Castle, 2900 Purchase Street, Purchase, NY, 10577
LWVW is hosting its annual, unique one-day workshop to bring together female-identifying high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors from high schools across Westchester County for an active and interactive political experience. The program is designed to support students’ aspirations to seek public office, develop their leadership potential, and, increase gender parity in government institutions. The event offers opportunities to learn from elected officials’ experiences and practical application. Attendees may also register or pre-register to vote on site.

At last year’s event:

Elected officials provided a brief recap as to how they became involved in politics.

Small teams of students interviewed elected officials in greater depth regarding the seeking and holding of public office.

Student teams designed a slogan, and wrote and delivered meaningful campaign speeches on an issue selected from a curated list.

For more information on the program, contact lwvwrunandwin@gmail.com.

LWVW appreciates NY Community Trust’s continued support and generous grant that helps defray the costs of hosting this important event.

Share this:Post
Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window)
Bluesky

Share on Threads (Opens in new window)
Threads

Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Email

Print (Opens in new window)
Print
More
Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
WhatsApp
Like this:Like Loading…

LWVW Moderator Training Wednesday, 4/22/26
2026-04-22 18:00 - 19:00 | Zoom

Democratic Primary Candidate Forum for Congressional District 17
2026-06-03 19:00 - 20:30 | Zoom
Congressional District 17 Democratic Primary Candidate ForumWednesday, June 3, 20267pm via Zoom Webinar

LWVW and LWV of Rockland cordially invite the public to Register to Attend the Virtual Candidate Forum. Zoom will automatically send an email confirmation with the webinar link. Registrants will also receive an automated email reminder shortly before the event. The five candidates whose names will appear on the ballot for CD 17 in the upcoming democratic primary (John Cappello, Cait Conley, Beth Davidson, Effie Phillips-Staley, and Mike Sacks) have all been invited to participate as panelists.

Register to Attend the Candidate Forum Webinar

Please submit proposed questions for the candidates using the form below. Questions to be posed at the forum will be finalized in advance but not made available to the candidates or any of their staff members.

Loading…

Share this:Post
Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window)
Bluesky

Share on Threads (Opens in new window)
Threads

Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Email

Print (Opens in new window)
Print
More
Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
WhatsApp
Like this:Like Loading…

LWVW Annual Meeting/Convention (2026)
2026-06-04 17:00 - 20:00 | Scarsdale Woman’s Club, 37 Drake Road, Scarsdale, New York, 10583, United States
Come one, come all!LWVW Annual Meeting/ConventionThursday, June 4, 20265 to 8pmScarsdale Woman’s Club37 Drake RoadScarsdale, NY 10583

Meet other local league members within Westchester County, hear what LWVW has accomplished this past year, and learn what is on the horizon for 2026-27.

Delegates will be voting:

to approve the LWVW budget for 2026-26,

to amend LWVW bylaws,

to adopt a LWVW local program for 2026-27, and

to elect and install incoming officers and directors.

All attendees will then have an opportunity socialize over a buffet dinner and enjoy the keynote address. The Annual Meeting/Convention Agenda will be posted below in the near future.

Featured Speaker: Jeanne Sheehan Zaino, Ph.D.Topic: America at 250: Reckoning with the Past, Imagining the Future

Jeanne Sheehan Zaino is a professor of Political Science and International Studies at Iona University. She teaches courses in political and social risk, voting, elections, public opinion, political parties, presidency, congress, the courts, civil liberties, constitutional law, media and politics, social statistics, data analysis and research methods, among others. During her tenure at Iona, she has served as Dean of the School of Arts and Science, Director of the Honors Program, and Chair of the Political Science Department.

A pollster by training, she is also political contributor with Bloomberg News, a Democracy Visiting Fellow at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard Kennedy School, a Senior Democracy Fellow with the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, an affiliated faculty member with the Institute for Thomas Paine Studies, a member of the International Advisory Board for South Asia Research, and author of several books and articles, including American Democracy in Crisis: The Case for Rethinking Madisonian Government Post January 6 (Palgrave MacMillian 2025). Along with four colleagues at Iona who form the Data Science working group she was awarded a three-year grant from the National Science Foundation’s Division of Undergraduate Education for a project entitled “Data Science for Future Leaders.” She is also a playwright, whose most recent work, Motherland, is a courtroom drama that depicts the real life trial of Madan Lal Dhingra in Great Britain in the early twentieth century.

Zaino holds a PhD and MA in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, an MPA in Survey Research and Data Analysis from the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research at the University of Connecticut, Storrs (now moved to Cornell University), as well as a BA in Political Science and Mass Communications, which was earned as a University Scholar at the University of Connecticut.

Ticket includes admission to meeting (5-6:20pm), buffet supper (6:20-6:45pm), and speaker program (6:45-7:45pm).

Price: $75/personAdjust quantities of annual convention tickets in your shopping cart after hitting the “Add to Cart” button and before entering payment information.

First and Last Name(s) of Attendee(s): Email Address(es): Local League Affiliation (if any):

Share this:Post
Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window)
Bluesky

Share on Threads (Opens in new window)
Threads

Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Email

Print (Opens in new window)
Print
More
Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
WhatsApp
Like this:Like Loading…
