The League’s 2025–2026 program prioritizes voter registration and civic engagement in high schools and colleges. It also reaffirms our commitment to act locally to protect voter rights and election integrity.
You’ll find the League is acting on both of these commitments at the October 2025 Membership Meeting. Join us for this important and timely meeting and connect with fellow members and community members who care about strengthening democracy.
We are continuing our local League tradition of celebrating community advocates of Democracy with the Democracy Works Award recognition. In addition, we are helping voters Understand the Prop 50 Special Election with guest speaker Jesse Salinas, Yolo County Registrar of Voters.
| When: October 9, 2025, from 6 pm to 8:15 pm Where: Davis Veterans Memorial Center Multipurpose Room 203 East 14th St.Davis, CA 95616 Additional notes: Carpool if possible or offer a ride to fellow members who may need a ride. Light appetizers, desserts, and beverages will be available |
Democracy Works Award Recognition
The League of Women Voters of Yolo County presents the Democracy Works Award to an individual and/or organization committed to empowering voters and strengthening democracy.
Honorees are selected from across Yolo County whose actions support our citizens and our democratic processes, such as;
- encouraging equal representation,
- promoting free and fair elections,
- expanding voter education and rights,
- advocating for legislation that benefits our communities,
- or leading grassroots political efforts.
This year, we are honored to recognize Dr. Lizette Navarette, President, and Dr. Shannon Reed, Dean of Arts & Sciences, both of Woodland Community College (WCC), for their outstanding contributions to our community.
Download Democracy Works Flyer (PDF)
Dr. Lizette Navarette
Dr. Navarette is the President of Woodland Community College. She is a passionate educator and a student-centered leader. She has previously served as Executive Vice Chancellor at the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, where she led the Office of Institutional Supports and Success. Dr. Navarette was selected to lead Woodland Community College in 2023, where she now brings her extensive history of championing student success, affordability and equitable education opportunity to both Woodland Community College and our local community in partnership with civic groups like our county League.
Dr. Shannon Reed
Dr. Reed is the Dean of Arts and Sciences at Woodland Community College, a position she has held since 2020. She entered the Woodland community with 30 years of experience in higher education at both private and public institutions. This career took her across the country before returning to her native California. As an accomplished faculty member whose background includes Gender Studies and English Literature, Dr. Read has been a faculty leader and advisor. As an administrator, Dr. Reed now oversees an office that provides invaluable support to WCC students, including providing students with community civic engagement opportunities such as election education and voter registration.
Promoting democracy and the importance of good governance and inclusivity is not new to Drs. Navarette and Reed.
The leadership of Drs. Navarette and Reed in advancing these opportunities for youth civic engagement truly exemplifies the qualities we seek to honor with our annual LWV Democracy Works Award.
Drs. Navarette and Reed have embraced youth civic education, opening new avenues at WCC for partnerships with groups like our league and others in Yolo County.
Woodland Community College Supports LWVYC
In the summer of 2024, both Navarette and Reed welcomed overtures from Voter Services Director Judy Higgerson to find opportunities for the League to support student civic engagement.
Two events that took place that fall at Woodland Community College (WCC) highlight this commitment. September 17, 2024—National Voter Registration Day—was the dedication day for WCC’s newly installed ballot box.
Dr. Navarette welcomed student participants to the event and emphasized the importance of accessible voting.
WCC leadership invited Jesse Salinas, Yolo County Registrar of Voters, and LWVW President Lorna Carriveau to speak during the event, focusing on the importance of voting accessibility and youth voter participation. The event was highly publicized on campus and drew strong student interest.
On October 15, 2024, WCC partnered with the League to host the first “Meet the Candidates” forum. Students engaged directly with candidates for local and state office, gaining a first-hand understanding of their priorities and perspectives.
This event showcased democracy in action and demonstrated WCC’s growing commitment to youth civic education.
The League is fortunate to be working with leaders like these Democracy champions at Woodland Community College. With this level of support, our voter services outreach opportunities could expand to engage students on all the county’s community college campuses in our district.
Understanding Proposition 50: Voter Education for Yolo County Voters.
Jesse Salinas will educate Yolo County voters about the November 4th Special Election ballot measure. He will give a brief history of redistricting in California and describe the impacts of outcome options on our county and state congressional districts.
Jesse Salinas
Jesse Salinas has served as the Chief Elections Officer for Yolo County since 2016. Following his initial appointment by the County Board of Supervisors, he has been twice elected to serve as Yolo County Registrar of Voters, holding this office for the past 9 years.
Under his leadership, the County Elections Office successfully implemented the state’s Voters Choice Act in 2022, completely transforming local elections operations, providing more days and ways to vote.
Mr. Salinas has been acknowledged for his outstanding public service both in state and nationally, especially for his creative strategies to outreach to underrepresented communities. He is the recipient of the 2019 Guardian Award from the National Association of Election Officials and a Clearing House award winner from the Election Assistance Commission for outstanding innovations in elections.
Mr. Salinas has led County Elections Office efforts to champion ballot accessibility innovations while promoting community youth voter registration and election participation.
The Special Election brings a heightened reminder from LWV of California to educate and inform without favor or bias. This ballot measure requires all League members to increase their own understanding of both the proposition issues and the impacts of the voters’ decision, regardless of the election result.
Despite the California League’s Statement that takes “No Position” on Proposition 50, the League continues to champion our active, visible voter education with the factual, nonpartisan information needed to promote robust election participation and ensure constituent representation.
The partisan divide amplified by the November 4, 2025, Special Election raises questions that go to the heart of our League’s Mission, Vision and Values. Therefore, we must remember:
- Our Mission is to empower voters and defend democracy.
- Our Vision seeks a democracy where every person has the desire, right, knowledge, and confidence to participate.
- Our Values call for nonpartisan, issue-focused education to inform voters, promote election participation and support good governance.
We are called upon to prepare voters for the November 2025 ballot measure and to uphold the League’s nonpartisan, democratic principles. We can best serve Elections Office officials and defend democracy by inspiring constituent engagement through factual presentations.
We hope all members will come out for this informative County Election Office presentation and follow up with the LWVYC Voter Services training to provide the highest quality voter information outreach for this election.
Agenda
6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Democracy Works Award Recognition
7:00 – 7:10 p.m. Break: Desserts, fruit, and beverages will be available
7:10 – 8:15 p.m. Member Meeting and Presentation by Jesse Salinas
Members and the Public are Invited
RSVP using Eventbrite or the form below.