50 Years Of The Freedom Of Information Law
Where are we now?

  • Date: Thursday, November 13
  • Time: 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
  • Place: Buffalo History Museum, 1 Museum Ct, Buffalo

New York’s Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) was created to ensure public access to government information, enabling citizens to participate meaningfully and hold officials accountable. But where does it stand today, 50 years later?

Join fellow advocates for a special evening commemorating the 50th anniversary of FOIL.

Event Highlights:

  • A conversation on FOIL’s history and effectiveness with New York Coalition For Open Government President Paul Wolf, North Tonawanda Mayor Austin Tylec, and West Seneca Supervisor Gary Dickson
  • Practical tips on using FOIL to access government information and improve transparency
  • A look at current challenges in the FOIL process and how we can address them through legislative action

This New York Coalition For Open Government event is co-sponsored by The Buffalo History Museum, the League of Women Voters Buffalo-Niagara, and the Partnership for the Public Good

This event is free and open to the public -- bring a friend! Please RSVP so we can gauge attendance.

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Training

  • Date: Thursday and Friday, November 21 and 22
  • Time: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
  • Place: 768 Delaware Ave, Buffalo

Your LWVBN Healthcare committee has arranged for our members and interested ccommunity members to participate in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Training by Best Self Behavioral Health at no charge.

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) teaches you how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges.

This training teaches you common signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges; how to interact with a person in crisis; how to connect a person with help; and content on trauma, substance use, and self-care.

Both dates comprise the training: this is a split up of an 8-hour program. Please call the League office at (716) 986-4898. for registration and further information.

LWVNY's Erica Smitka on Prop 1

Look TV, a regional YouTube program, conducted an interview with our own Erica Smitka, Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of New York State.

In the interview, Erica dispels the untruths and dispenses clarifications on what Prop 1 covers and what protections it offers to all New Yorkers.

Watch the interview at the Look TV website.

Watch the Webinar: Your Health Care and the Election
What's at stake

On October 28, 2024, the Health Foundation for Western & Central New York and the League of Women Voters – Buffalo/Niagara presented a nonpartisan, informational virtual panel presentation on how the outcome of the presidential election could have an impact on health care access and affordability.

The discussion was moderated by Ryan Zunner, reporter for WBFO. Panelists included:

  • Maria Alvarez, Executive Director, NY Statewide Senior Action Council
  • Mark Hannay, Director, Metro New York Health Care for All
  • Danise Wilson, Executive Director, Reproductive Health Access Project

Watch the Webinar on Vimeo.

Volunteer Opportunities

Photo of two LWV voluneers from Pasadena, California sitting at a voter registration table' both are smiling widely

Photo Credit: League of Women Voters via Flickr,
All rights reserved

2024 OCTOBER CANVASS IN BUFFALO’S NORTH DISTRICT

Each year in October LWVBN organizes a door-to-door canvass to distribute materials and encourage registered voters who are 40%-60% likely to vote to actually vote in the November election. There are two ways to volunteer:

  • Write postcards to go in the voting material doorknob hangers to encourage recipients to vote. These need to be written and collected by October 11 so they can be included in the hangers.
  • Walk a route with a partner to knock on doors and distribute materials. If you volunteer for this with a partner, great. If you’re alone, we can probably match you up with a partner. You have a choice of days to walk your route: Saturday or Sunday October 19, 20, 26, or 27. You’ll pick up your route map, list of addresses, and materials to distribute at the distribution point in the parking lot of the League office, 1272 Delaware, at designated times on these dates, and return material at other designated times. Routes consist of 50-75 “doors,” most of which are in the same neighborhood.

Please get in touch with Barbara Gunderson as soon as possible to volunteer. LET’S WORK TO GET OUT THE VOTE THIS ELECTION CYCLE!

More information

To volunteer, email the League office at lwvbn@lwvbn.org.

November 5, 2024 General Election

  • Election Day: November 5, 2024
  • Early Voting: October 26 - November 3, 2024
  • Last Day to Register before the November election: October 26

New Yorkers have a lot of choices on the ballot this year: not only voting for the President of the United States and all US congressional seats, but also one US Senator, all NY Senate and Assembly seats, a number of local offices, and one statewide ballot initiative. As always, you can see what's on your ballot at Vote411.

You can check your district online at the New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment's maps page.

For more information on elections this year, including the text of the New York State Equal Rights Amendment see our Voter Information page.

What's New

State League on New Congressional Districts

Read the LWVNY League Statement on New Congressional Districts Adopted by the New York State Legislature (02/28/2024)

State League: Call for Transparency

After Redistricting Commission Vote, Civil and Voting Rights Organizations Call for Transparency and Call for the Legislature to Hold One Public Hearing Before Vote on New Congressional Maps: Read the statement (02/15/2024)

LWVNY Legislative Hot Topics

See the State League's "Hot Topics" for 2023 (PowerPoint presentation); this information is also available as a YouTube video (LWVNY via YouTube, 01/23/2023)