Greetings from your St. George AAUW Public Policy Team! School’s back in and cooler temps are headed our way – hopefully. Here’s the latest update for your enjoyment and/or information.
9/15 – ‘Voter Registration Day’ – Learn about elections!
11am-1pm Washington County Administration Building, 111 E. Tabernacle, St. George
This public event is a chance to see behind the scenes, to learn how elections are conducted and what safeguards are in place to ensure elections are secure.
This is our chance to ask questions and learn more about the role our county clerks serve in support of Washington County voters.
Latest effort to stop mail-in voting!!
The Constitution gives Congress and the states — not the President — the power to regulate elections. In spite of this, on March 31, 2026, a presidential Executive Order was issued purporting to unilaterally impose nationwide changes to mail voting.
| Earlier this summer, in a lawsuit brought by 23 states, a federal court blocked the executive order in part of the country. The judge also blocked the order nationwide in a lawsuit the Brennan Center and others brought on behalf of the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts. On August 11, the district court granted the League Plaintiffs’ renewed motion for preliminary injunction. August 24, the U.S. Supreme Court jumped into the states’ case – not the League’s case. It issued an unsigned order holding that the states did not yet have legal standing to sue. In particular, it concluded the states had not suffered an injury, because the Postal Service had not implemented the policy. In other words, the trial court had ruled too early. Plaintiffs in League of Women Voters of Massachusetts v. Trump filed a motion on August 22 to enforce a federal court order in response to the U.S. Postal Service’s (USPS) issuance of a final rule to implement Section 3 of the President’s March 2026 executive order on mail voting. The USPS rule was effective on August 21, 2026, and makes clear that it will be implemented “immediately” for the November elections if injunctive orders against Section 3 are lifted. As Plaintiffs explain in their legal papers, this USPS rule defies a federal court order blocking the agency from “implementing” that section of the executive order and “completing rulemaking” for the November 3, 2026, election or earlier elections. It remains unclear how the president’s executive order can be put in place before the fast-approaching midterm elections. The court’s decision leaves room for additional court challenges that could further slow the executive order, and other similar cases have already been filed. In an earlier Supreme Court ruling, the court ruled against Trump-backed arguments on mail-in ballots, finding in a 5-4 decision that states can count ballots that arrive after Election Day. That case was decided after full briefing and arguments, rather than on the court’s emergency docket. For additional clarification: https://www.aclu.org/cases/league-of-women-voters-of-massachusetts-v-trump https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/court-cases/league-women-voters-massachusetts-v-trump-march-2026-mail-voting-executive https://apnews.com/article/trump-mail-voting-supreme-court-157afc3c195ce0a62c522da5ce904b04 |
| Braver Angels debate: Is new development in St. George doing more harm than good?Wednesday, September 16 6:30 PM – 8 PMKiln 1575 South River RoadSt. George, UT 84790 Braver Angels is an organization that helps bring people with different positions together to understand each other and discuss difficult issues. Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/resolved-new-development-in-st-george-is-doing-more-harm-than-good-registration-1997400396354?aff=oddtdtcreator |
| “Push” by Sapphire has been banned across Utah. Davis, Granite and Washington County school districts removed it initiating this new ban and bringing the total number of books banned from public schools to 37. The book is about the awakening and healing of a violent and violated child through acts of love, demonstrated by her teacher and classmates helping her to realize success. The Davis School District’s committee charged with reviewing book stated that the book, “has no serious value for minors.” |
Burden on women to have children – “No County for Mothers”
Politicians are encouraging women to have more children but the reality of doing that is no simple matter.
“No Country for Mothers” is a film that addresses this challenge.
Directed by Raeshem Nijhon and executive produced by Moms First founder Reshma Saujani, No Country for Mothers examines the systemic challenges facing American mothers. The documentary explores how cultural debates surrounding the “girl boss” and “trad wife” narratives often distract from broader issues, including paid family leave, affordable childcare, and workplace policies that fail to adequately support families.
The documentary is being shown exclusively through theatrical and community screenings across the United States. Audiences can attend screenings at participating theaters and venues, join public or virtual events, or host their own community screening through the film’s official initiative.
One person, one vote!
Electoral College – change is needed
Last month the Washington County League of Women Voters hosted an event at the St. George Library regarding the Electoral College and the need for reform.
Just in the past 26 years we have witnessed presidential elections in which the candidate who won the popular vote lost. Because the electoral college system treats votes unequally by giving votes more or less weight based on where voters live, it is a form of voter discrimination and suppression. It encourages campaigns to focus on a handful of swing states and to have candidates skew public policy toward those states.
The Electoral College system undermines our core democratic values. We all need to learn more about this system and track what is being done or can be done to rectify the situation.
Judges’ decisions touch all our lives
The rule of law and informed voters make up the backbone of a fair judicial system.
Know your judges!
Utah’s JPEC (Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission) website is now renovated and populated with info on all the judges running for retention. Learn how judges are evaluated and how this information can help inform your vote.
| The Hidden Ways Men’s Behavior in Leadership Teams Stalls Gender Equality by Dr. Susen Madsen Dr. Madsen addresses the issue of men’s behavior when it comes to more effectively supporting women’s advancement in a recent article published in Forbes. Many men honestly want to be supportive “but they don’t always recognize the dynamics that shape their behavior in male‑dominated environments.” The hidden dynamics she covers include: Hegemonic Masculinity Benevolent Hegemony Veiled Hegemony Challenging Hegemony |
Last month your public policy team reported on the challenges women are facing in the work place and in July’s report revealed that AI would be another challenge for women.
This Washington Post article challenges that and provides a bit of optimism during this challenging time of adjusting to AI in our lives.
Take a deep dive into what AI is really all about and how it will likely control our future as humans
An Economist interview with Yuval Noah Harari provides a deep-dive into what an AI future could very likely look like, and Harai offers important questions to ask candidates for the 2026 mid-term election. It’s a long but fascinating and troubling interview. Go to point 11:00 in the interview for questions for candidates.
Please support your St. George AAUW public policy team which includes Marsha Besch and Susan Ertel. Let us know what you want to hear about. Let’s support all women together.
Lisa Rutherford
St. George AAUW Public Policy Chair
