| June 2026 update to St. George AAUW members |
Greetings from your public policy team.With so much happening, deciding what would be our focus for this update was a bit difficult. So many challenges face women and girls. It was a bit like triaging: figure out what’s most pertinent at this time and focus on that. We hope that the information and resources we’ve provided are useful and engage you in working towards a better future because that’s what AAUW is all about – putting our energy into helping the lives of girls and women. |
 Let’s lead with book banning, a complex issue that is not new, as the “earlier book banning cases” link below reveals. But it’s been in the news over the past several years and is gaining momentum. Two more books have been banned in Utah. The total of banned books is now 34 and is being driven by three counties: Washington County, Toelle and Davis. A few individuals in these three counties are controlling the lives of many young readers in Utah. Determining whether a book’s content qualifies as objectionable is a very subjective thing given the wide range of human perspectives, but H.B. 29 – Sensitive Material Review Amendments passed in 2024 has opened the window for those who want to make their opinion “the” opinion in Utah. Book & Links banning update:Legislation of concern in 2026Court cases to watch in 2026Earlier book banning casesWhat you can do. Utah is one of the 20 states that filed the Amicus Brief in a significant Florida book-banning case. Write Utah’s AG Derek Brown who is appointed and emphasize that he doesn’t represent your beliefs and explain why:350 N. State Street Salt Lake City, UT 84114(801) 366-0260Leave a comment on line Review H.B. 29 Sensitive Material Review Amendments enacted 3/18/24 to help with understanding the law.Contact Washington County School Board members.Attend June 8 School Board Meeting or June 22 Special Work Meeting – both are open to public and public comments allowed:Members of the public may address the Board during the time allocated for public comment. Prior to the start of the meeting, persons wishing to speak must complete District Form 50 – Public Comment – Request to Address the Board. The public comment form requires the patron to identify his or her name, address, and the item or items on which he or she intends to speak. If the matter is listed as an item for Board action, the Board will not take action until persons who have requested to speak have done so.Everylibrary – to learn more about book banning |
| Susan Madsen, Utah Women and Leadership Project (UWLP), UPR/Access Utah interview: In 2026 the legislature pulled money from UWLP. Many legislators didn’t even know about the bill. There was no transparency and it came up late in the session. USU-bridge funding is being discussed, but if that doesn’t happen, only Madsen and one other employee will be funded. Covered during the UPR interview: Utah women and skilled tradesUtah childcare desertHidden ways language undermines women:(This Forbes article by Dr. Susan Madsen deals with issues such as calling women “girls” or using “female” rather than women – reinforces gender hierarchy. “Male” is not used for men generally. Men are not the only ones who fall victim to doing this – women do it, too!) Lots more to be found at Utah Women and Leadership Project including Bolder Way Forward areas of focus. |
 AI and women’s futures: AI, Artificial Intelligence, is with us and the risks to women are becoming apparent. Learn what’s at stake and how women can start adjusting to help take control of their futures. AI and Emerging Risks for Women WorkersAI Poses A Greater Job Threat to Women Than Men New Data ShowsWomen At Greater Risk of AI Job Loss, Study Finds —Here’s How to Stay AheadAI in the workplace is nearly 3 times more likely to take a woman’s job as a man’s, UN report finds |
| Helping women in Washington County: The Utah Women and Leadership Project has researched how citizens can help women in their own counties in Utah. What Washington County Leaders and Residents Can Do to Strengthen the Impact of Girls and Women in Their Area (from UWLP)Building alliances with men to strengthen the impact of Utah women in the workplace (from UWLP) |
| Primary season is upon us leading to the 2026 mid-term electionLearn about upcoming elections in general at Vote.Utah.gov (election details and dates at end of update)Team up with League of Women Voters Washington County for November general election voter registration. AAUW National Two-Minute Activist – don’t forget to check in regularly and be active at the national level |
| Finally, attached is a pdf of an Atlantic article titled The Men Who Want Women to Be Quiet The article presents a challenging scenario for women and may be difficult for some to read but is information about which we need to be aware. Your Public Policy team, which includes Marsha Besch and Susan Ertel, appreciates you being engaged and actively involved in these important issues facing and affecting women’s and girls’ lives and futures.Lisa RutherfordSt. George AAUW Public Policy chair |
 Primary Election Details & How to Be Involved! If you are a registered Democrat:Nothing extra is required. Your ballot will arrive automatically in the mail starting June 2. Return it by mail, drop box or in person at a voting center by 8 p.m. on June 23.Because the party switch deadline has passed, it’s not possible to request a Republican primary ballot this year.If you are a registered Republican:Your GOP ballot will arrive automatically starting June 2.However, if you’d like to vote in the Democratic primary, you can do that. The rule is simple: you can only vote in one primary. So, if you want the Democratic ballot, you give up the Republican one.To make the switch, contact your county clerk by June 16 and tell them you’d like to request a Democratic primary ballot. You can do this by phone, email or, in many cases, through your county clerk’s website. The specific options vary slightly by county.If you are unaffiliated or with a third party:If you’re unaffiliated with a party, your primary voting options are wide-open.Want to vote Democrat? Request a Democratic ballot from your county clerk by June 16, or show up to vote in person. Casting a Democratic ballot won’t change your registration — you won’t become a Democrat just for voting in their primary.Want to vote Republican? You still have time to vote Republican. The deadline to affiliate with the Republican Party and receive a mail ballot is June 12. You can update your registration at vote.utah.gov or by contacting your county clerk. You may also be able to affiliate in person on Election Day at a vote center, but it’s wise to first confirm with your county clerk.Since primary elections are partisan this year, unaffiliated voters won’t receive a primary ballot by mail unless they affiliate with a party or actively request to receive a ballot for a party with an open primary.Key dates at a glanceJune 2: Primary ballots begin mailing to registered voters.June 9–19: Early voting at select locations.June 12: Last day for unaffiliated voters to affiliate with the GOP for a mail ballot.June 16: Deadline to request a Democratic mail ballot if you’re not a registered Democrat.June 23: Primary election day.Some mail ballots will also now include a space where voters must write the last four digits of their Social Security number, per a recent law in the Utah Legislature.If you are not already registered to vote and are voting with a provisional ballot, please reference this list posted on Utah’s voting website.Contact your county clerk or visit vote.utah.gov for more information. |
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