By Pamela Mercier

The League of Women Voters of St. Paul urges its members and all Minnesotans to oppose the Medicaid and SNAP changes enacted in the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Act. Our local league has studied the likely impacts of the OBBB Act on Ramsey County, and we want to raise awareness of the disastrous consequences this law will have on our county’s residents. While voter registration and outreach are the cornerstone of the League’s work, we also study and take positions on key policy issues. The League is nonpartisan, but we are not neutral on issues that deeply affect people’s lives.

The national League (LWVUS) and our Minnesota state League (LWVMN) have both proclaimed their vehement opposition to the OBBB Act. In a resource provided to League members, LWVUS wrote,

The law makes massive cuts to vital services, including Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP; formerly food stamps). It will make it harder for children, parents, pregnant people, seniors, and people with disabilities to enroll in and keep the benefits they need to survive. It is estimated to leave 11.8 million more people uninsured by 2034.

To which LWVMN added,

If all the provisions of the Federal OBBB Act are enacted, the Minnesota Department of Human Services estimates that up to 253,000 Minnesotans could lose Medicaid Coverage and 45,000 could lose their SNAP food benefits.

These are drastic, damaging, and cruel cuts. The law is likely to have additional ripple effects. For example, some health clinics and hospitals, reliant on Medicaid payments, may be forced to close, especially in rural areas where healthcare access may already be limited. Some healthcare workers may lose their jobs, and homeowners may see their property taxes increase significantly. In Ramsey County, for example, the County Manager has proposed a 9.75% percent increase in property taxes in 2026 to mitigate the loss of federal funding, with another 7.5% increase set to follow in 2027. Property tax hikes are likely to occur across the state as Minnesota counties grapple with how to continue vital services. 

Our League has action recommendations for Ramsey County residents and other County residents throughout Minnesota in response to the coming harmful effects of this law.

First, get informed. Read about the law at the LWVUS website and through credible news sources. Other actions include attending County Commission meetings; engaging with County Commissioners directly; and reading your County’s OBBB Act reports. These actions may enlighten you about the deeply damaging days ahead for Medicaid and SNAP services in Minnesota.

It behooves all of us to carefully disentangle facts and disinformation about this Law. Some residents might lose their Medicaid benefits not from direct funding cuts – cuts that some representatives may claim will not happen – but from new administrative barriers to enrollment and reporting that those who are eligible may be unable to navigate.

Secondly, know how each of Minnesota’s eight Congressional Representatives voted on the OBBB Act and hold them accountable for their vote. Representatives are responsible for actions they take on behalf of their constituents and on behalf of all Minnesotans; though they may each represent a single district, their votes on the OBBB Act affect all Minnesotans. The Saint Paul League implores Minnesotans to engage with their congressional representatives to learn the truth about the OBBB Act. Demand town hall meetings and detailed discussions about the Law and its consequences. The full repercussions of the OBBB Act may be felt for many years. The Saint Paul League hopes all Minnesotans will educate themselves about what will happen as this Act’s provisions are implemented.

To mark the 50th anniversary of the Icelandic women's strike, LWVSP hosted a screening of the award-winning film, The Day Iceland Stood Still, followed by an inspiring panel discussion. Over 300 people joined us at The O'Shaughnessy at St. Catherine University for an energizing evening of robust conversation and delicious Vineterta (Icelandic cake with prune filling). Special thanks to LWVSP member Christine Sarkes for her outstanding outreach and organizations skills, which made it all possible!

Christine coordinated with the filmmakers, arranged the venue, and brought together a spectacular group of panelists to speak after the screening, as well as co-sponsors to support and promote the event. We extend our HEARTFELT THANKS to everyone who made this event possible!

Thank you to our panelists: Jean Marie Entenza, Iceland's Honorary Consul to Minnesota; Kari Shogren, President, Icelandic Hekla Club; Thorunn Bjarnadottir, participant in the strike from 1975; Gloria Perez, CEO and President, Women's Foundation of Minnesota; and Beatrice Owen, LWVSP President and panel Moderator.

We also extend gratitude to our generous co-sponsors: the American Association of University Women (Minneapolis and St. Paul chapters); the Icelandic Hekla Club; the Honorary Consul of Iceland in Minnesota; the Minnesota Indian Women's Resource Center; Women's March Minnesota; Women Make Movies; St. Catherine University; and our fellow Leaguers at the League of Women Voters Minneapolis.

By Pamela Mercier

This year may not be a big election year, but it's not an off year. Local elections are on November 4 and we are reaching out to mobilize our St. Paul community. The Voter Service Committee (VSC) engaged with Keystone Community Food Shelf, the Meals on Wheels Program, and SPPS high schools. Thank you to all our volunteers!

Keystone: VSC volunteers do voter education, outreach, and registration 2-3 times a week at the Keystone Community food shelf on University Avenue. We engage with participants, checking in about voter registration and reminding them about the upcoming mayoral election and ballot initiatives.

We've found that the most effective strategy is to talk with people waiting to “shop.” People are generally receptive to our interactions, sometimes discovering important details of which they were unaware. For example: two women we spoke to told us that they were felons and thought they couldn't vote. We informed them of the recent 2023 law which enables non-incarcerated felons to register and vote.

SPPS High Schools: Our volunteers visited three St. Paul high schools and helped seniors get registered to vote.

Meals on Wheels: For Keystone and Open Arms (a nonprofit), VSC provided fliers from the Minnesota Office of the Secretary of State that staff can insert into the meal boxes distributed to their clients. This is a new opportunity to reach potential voters.

UPCOMING

Morning Book Club: In October, we read Dodge County, Incorporated, a firsthand account by attorney Sonja Trom Eayrs detailing her family's decades-long legal battle against the corporate takeover of farming in rural Minnesota. Using her family's inter-generational farm in Dodge County as an example, Eayrs exposes the devastation wrought by Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), or "Big Ag." This book tracks how industrial hog production not only leads to environmental disaster—including severe pollution, waste, and the threat of cancer clusters—but also corrupts local governance and erodes the economic and social fabric of small towns. Eayrs argues that this corporatization of agriculture is a direct threat to democracy and independent farming. It serves as both a memoir of her family's fight for their land and a demand for immediate reforms to curb corporate lawlessness in the American food system.

We were fortunate that the author could join us for our discussion! Sonja covered a lot of ground:

For more information:

Book by Sarah Vogel, The Farmer’s Lawyer: The North Dakota Nine and the Fight to Save the Family Farm.

Book by Christopher Jones, The Swine Republic: Struggles with the Truth About Agriculture and Water Quality.

Our next meeting is on November 12th at the Highland Park Library, 1974 Ford Parkway, St Paul at 10:00 a.m. Our book for November is The Demon of Unrest: a Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War, by Erik Larson.

Evening Book Club: Evening Book Club will next meet on Monday, November 10 at 6:30 pm on Zoom to discuss Rise to the Challenge: A Memoir of Politics, Leadership, and Love by Marlene M. Johnson. You are welcome to join even if you haven't finished the book. Email Heidi Kloempken (heidi.kloempken@gmail.com) for the Zoom link. 

Our full 2025-26 reading list is now available on the St. Paul Public Libraries BiblioCommons site! Check it out here.

If you are interested in joining either one of the LWVSP Book Clubs, contact:

• Morning Book Club: Mary Palmer at mgp2167@gmail.com.
• Evening Book Club: Heidi Kloempken at heidi.kloempken@gmail.com OR Sharon Slettehaugh at s.slettehaugh@gmail.com.

On September 8, LWVSP Evening Book Club discussed Muzoon: A Syrian Refugee Speaks Out. As a group, we really enjoyed it. It was an eye-opening read and we learned a lot about Syria, the civil war, and Syrian refugees. As the book was published in 2023, We wondered what the author is up to now, but also why it was written for a young adult audience; the book is categorized as young adult nonfiction. Perhaps the goal was to increase awareness of events in Syria among young people.

We look forward to reading and discussing our next book, Rise to the Challenge by Marlene Johnson. We will discuss it on Zoom on November 10. We are excited to read this book the month before Ms. Johnson will be our keynote at our annual December Luncheon.

In The Kingdom, The Power, and the Glory, Tim Alberta writes about the divisions tearing apart American Evangelicalism. As the son of a pastor himself, Alberta uses his perspective to explore how a faith rooted in eternal principles has become entangled with political power. He traveled across the country, interviewing a variety of American Evangelicals, from prominent televangelists to local pastors, revealing a movement increasingly defined by partisan animosity and political idolatry rather than biblical teachings. Alberta argues that the rise of Christian nationalism has not only tarnished the church's reputation, but also accelerated its decline, leaving many believers disillusioned and forcing a reckoning with its core purpose.

Our group discussed how politics in our country and the Evangelical Church have been increasingly meshed together. There no longer seems to be a separation of Church and State. It’s believed that government leaders are chosen by God. In Russia, Putin uses the Russian Orthodox Church in much the same way to stay in power. Project 2025 policies were defined by Christian Nationalist and religiously conservative ideals.

In every chapter, Alberta travels to a different city and then uses the last quarter of the book to pull it all together. The Evangelical Church leadership doesn’t support people who don’t share the Church’s definition of Christian values. They demonize groups of people who are different from themselves. Jimmy Carter left the church because women were treated as lesser than the men. Rick Warren was kicked out because he let a woman preach. Members are no longer allowed to have empathy for LGBTQ people. Tim Alberta himself is very religious and is concerned that Evangelicals are self-destructive. The group felt that if we label people we’re all losing. The only thing that overcomes hate is love.

Our next meeting is October 8 at 10:00 a.m. at the Highland Park Library . We’ll discuss the book Dodge County Inc.: Big Ag and the Undoing of Rural America. We’re even expecting the author, Sonja Trom Eayrs, to join us.

By Trudy Dunham

Did you ever have a major local, state, and national political leader join you for coffee and conversation? Joanne Englund did. In the late 1960’s, Hubert Humphrey came to Joanne’s home to meet with Shoreview Leaguers and neighbors to discuss the issues of the day.  As you know, Humphrey was a passionate supporter of civil rights, arms control, humanitarian aid, the Peace Corps, and programs to ensure Americans had food, health care, and education. Joanne held these same values.  She lived these values in her work with League, reaching out to political leaders, encouraging members to educate themselves, discuss the issues of the day, and get involved. Her dedication to public service also shined through in her work with the City of St. Paul (Public Works, Model Cities, etc.), as well as her later freelance work as a consultant and grantwriter for social justice programs. One of her last acts was to submit her absentee ballot for the Ward 4 Special Election for City Council.

Joanne was a member of the Shoreview League before moving to St. Paul and joining the St. Paul League.  She served as President of both local leagues. She won the Faye Lyksett Award in 1991, an accolade given to members of LWVSP who have demonstrated devoted service, performance excellence, and enthusiasm for many years in their League work. 

There are many things I enjoyed about Joanne in our long friendship. She loved to talk in depth about ideas and issues. These conversations often ran long, so I usually blocked out 3 hours for breakfast with Joanne.  She was a good listener, both patient and kind.  She asked good questions, but also wasn’t one to tell you what to do or give you “the answer.” 

Joanne was also an artist.  For many years, my inbox was graced by her “Haiku of the day.” I think she stopped the daily practice after she sent out 1,000 of them (!). Her photography, especially of insects, is magnificent.

One of her greatest passions was history.  She loved her Nordic heritage, travelling to Norway multiple times in search of family ties and to visit the homes and lands of her ancestors. Locally, she showed this appreciation of history and culture in her work with the Ramsey County Historical Society and Gibbs Farm.  One of her great contributions to our community is her interviews and write-ups of the history of many Black families of Rondo.  I can remember us researching the location of the “wild rice” trail route of the Dakota through Minneapolis and St. Paul to Gibbs Farm.

The many contributions Joanne made to League and to her community and friends will be missed. And if presented with this statement, I recognize that she would probably ask us what we are contributing, what will our legacy be, and wait to hear our answers.

You can find Joanne's obituary here .

Members of the Evening Book Club met on Monday, August 11, to plan the 2025-26 Book Club Season.  Agreeing that some months are particularly busy, this year's list is shorter than last year's but no less exciting. 

All Evening Book Club meetings will be on Zoom unless the reminder email says otherwise. If you are interested in joining the Evening Book Club, please contact Heidi Kloempkin for the Zoom link.

LWVSP EVENING BOOK CLUB 2025-26 SEASON

• Monday, September 8, 6:30 PM: Muzoon: A Syrian Refugee Speaks Out by Muzoon Almellehan with Wendy Pearlman
  
  
• Monday, November 10, 6:30 PM: Rise to the Challenge: A Memoir of Politics, Leadership, and Love by Marlene M. Johnson
  
  
• Monday, February 9, 6:30 PM: Radiance of Tomorrow: A Novel and A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah (One is a memoir and one is a novel. We plan to discuss both and compare. Feel free to join even if you have read one). 
  
  
• Monday, April 13, 6:30 PM: Perennial Ceremony: Lessons and Gifts From a Dakota Garden by Teresa Peterson and In Winter's Kitchen: Growing Roots and Breaking Bread in the Northern Heartland by Beth Dooley (We plan to discuss both but please join us even if you have read one). 
  
  
• Monday, June 8, 6:30 PM: The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us From Violence by Gavin de Becker

(From left to right: Chauntyll Allen, Molly Coleman, Cole Hanson, and Carolyn Will)

Ward 4 Special Election Candidate Forum Roundup (July 22)
SPNN and Livestreamed

 On Tuesday, July 22, the League of Women Voters of St. Paul – in partnership the Union Park District Council and the Midway Chamber of Commerce – hosted all four candidates running for St. Paul’s Ward 4 City Council seat in the Special Election following Council Member Mitra Jalali’s resignation earlier this year. Hosted by SPNN in their Midway studios, nearly 200 people attended in person and another 400+ viewed the forum online.

Candidates Chauntyll Allen, Molly Coleman, Cole Hanson, and Carolyn Will took turns speaking on a number of salient local issues, including housing construction near St. Thomas campus; the Summit Avenue bike trail project; property taxes; economic revitalization, both in Ward 4 and downtown St. Paul; and the complex social issues associated with public health, crime, and safety in the Snelling-University area. Moderator Max Sanders asked questions submitted by the public in advance and at the forum (via notecard). Click here to watch the Forum.

The Ward 4 Special Election will be held on Tuesday, August 12, alongside local primary elections. If you live in Ward 4 but don’t know your polling place, click here to access the Minnesota Secretary of State’s poll finder website. The election will also use ranked choice balloting; you can find more information on Ramsey County’s Ranked Choice voting website.

 Each election cycle, LWVSP holds nonpartisan Candidate Forums for local elected offices. These forums give constituents the opportunity to hear directly from their candidates and to have their questions answered.

The League of Women Voters U.S. and the League of Women Voters of Minnesota are hard at work defending democracy, both in court and out in public. Here are some of the latest action items:

July 2 - LWV Federal Judiciary Position

LWVUS U.S. has adopted its federal judiciary position after taking account of state and local judiciary consensus studies from across the nation. This is a critical time for the federal judiciary, and this position will enable the League to act on legislative and executive efforts toward its reformation.

The Federal Judiciary position was adopted using the long-standing League practice of grassroots study to arrive at member understanding and agreement. 321 Leagues representing 45 states and the District of Columbia participated in the study.

This and other League positions adopted during the 2024-26 period can be found here.

July 3 - Independence Day Call to Action

On July 3, LWVUS CEO Celine Stewart issued a call to action: "As CEO of the League of Women Voters of the US, it’s my professional and patriotic duty today to issue an urgent call. And while this is a rare move for our century-old organization, it is necessary."

Ms. Stewart also calls on League members to look toward the July 17 Day of "Good Trouble" -- so-named in honor of voting rights icon, the late John Lewis -- to stand up and publicly defend the right to vote and other small-d democratic norms. Numerous actions are schedule around the Twin Cities and throughout Minnesota. "We can fight for the free, representative nation we deserve in countless other ways. From supporting our local libraries to volunteering for environmental cleanup efforts, from registering voters with local Leagues to checking in on our neighbors, the power is in our hands."

July 4 - LWVUS Statement on the "One Big Beautiful Bill" Act

Calling it "unnecessary and disastrous," LWV issued a statement condemning the passage of the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," chiefly owing to the massive cuts to Medicaid that will harm millions of Americans by eliminating their health insurance. "Congress faced a choice: health care for millions of Americans, or tax cuts for the rich. It chose the latter. Now, all Americans — particularly seniors, Americans with disabilities, low-wage workers, pregnant people, veterans, and children — will suffer." Read the full statement here.

July 10 - Fired Up Fridays!

If you're looking for ways to take action as a League of Women Voters member, we highly encourage you to sign up for LWVMN's weekly Fired Up Friday! meetings (online at noon), where members meet to discuss current events and action items. Click here to sign up for the next meeting. Please note that Fired Up Friday! is members-only event.

July 18 - The SAVE Act Lunch & Learn

Join Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, Blue Earth County Elections Director Mike Stalberger, and LWVMN Executive Director Michelle Witte on July 25 at 12:00 p.m. for a lunch-and-learn session on the impact of the proposed SAVE Act on American voters and election administrators. Click here to register.