WESTWOOD—The League of Women Voters Northern Valley, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering voters and defending democracy, invites the public to a Constitution Day panel discussion on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. at the Westwood Community Center, 55 Jefferson Ave. Light refreshments will be served, and all are welcome.
The program comes as the League intensifies its call to action. In May, the national League declared that the United States is facing a constitutional crisis and launched Unite and Rise 8.5, a campaign to mobilize 8.5 million voters in defense of democracy. The effort responds to declining turnout and growing threats to voting rights: in 2024, only 65.3% of registered voters (154 million people) cast ballots, despite 73.6% of the voting-age population being registered.
The Sept. 17 panel will be moderated by Tomasina Schwarz, president of the League of Women Voters Northern Valley, and will feature:
- Representatives from Northeast NJ Legal Services (immigration and civil rights)
- Bob Hennelly, interim station manager, WBAI Radio
- Dr. Kyle T. Kattleman, associate professor of political science, Fairleigh Dickinson University
Panelists will address issues at the heart of democracy, including independent journalism, immigration rights, presidential powers, civil rights, and reproductive rights.
The League encourages residents to attend, learn more about the Unite and Rise 8.5 initiative, and join in protecting and preserving the democratic process through informed civic engagement.
About the League of Women Voters
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization that works to expand voter participation, fight voter suppression, and ensure free and fair elections.
Founded in 1946 as the Closter League, by 1964 it included 11 municipalities in the Northern Valley and was renamed the LWV of Northern Valley. Today the Northern Valley League draws members from Alpine, Bergenfield, Cliffside Park, Closter, Cresskill, Demarest, Dumont, Edgewater, Emerson, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Fort Lee, Hackensack, Harrington Park, Haworth, Hillsdale, Leonia, Montvale, New Milford, Northvale, Norwood, Old Tappan, Park Ridge, River Vale, Rockleigh, Tenafly, Washington Township, Westwood, and Woodcliff Lake.