Election Protection Summit 2025
2025-09-20 10:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Encova Building, 471 East Broad Street, Columbus, OH, 43215
Event of Interest: From the Ohio Voter Rights Coalition:

Please join the Ohio Voter Rights Coalition for our 2nd annual Election Protection Summit.

This event is intended for Election Protection poll monitors, Election poll workers, Peacekeepers, and Boards of Election monitors. We will have various break out sessions throughout the day. We will send out a detailed agenda and list of speakers prior to the event. Lunch is provided.

More information at https://actionnetwork.org/events/election-protection-summit-2025

Our Constitution is Under Threat: Speak Out!
2025-09-21 14:00 | College of Wooster Learning Garden Pavilion, 437 East Pine Street, Wooster, Ohio, 44691
Event of Interest: This event is being organized by the Wooster Advocacy group, in collaboration with student organizations on campus, and with the support of community organizations including the NAACP, League of Women Voters of Wayne County, and OSCILiO Immigration Litigation Center.

Some of these organizations will have speakers at the event, addressing various aspects of Constitutional rights under threat. And everyone – campus and wider community – is invited to participate in the speak-out portion of the event to share their concerns about the current state of our Constitutional rights – and ideas for how to organize together to protect our democracy.

Food and light refreshments will be provided.

Parking is available on Pine Street.

NAACP Wooster/Orrville Freedom Fund Dinner
2025-09-28 17:00 | Greystone Event Center, 50 Riffel Road, Wooster, 44691
Event of Interest: From the Wooster Orrville NAACP:

On Sunday, September 28, 2025, Greystone Conference and Event Center, located at 50 Riffel Road in Wooster, Ohio, will be hosting the Wooster/Orrville NAACP Annual Freedom Fund Dinner and the 60th Anniversary of our branch. We invite you to join us in this celebration.

We will have a reception at 5:00 pm, where you can take time to review and bid on the donated items for our Silent Auction, along with a visual presentation of the accomplishments over the years. At 6:00 pm we will prepare for dinner.

Our Keynote Speaker for the evening will be Professor Mark P. Denbeaux, a graduate of the College of Wooster. He is an American attorney who holds the position of law professor at Seton. He is also an author and had a profound involvement with Guantanamo issues with Torture and National Security. He was co-founder of the NAACP at the College of Wooster which led to the current Wooster/Orrville NAACP Adult Branch.

More information at https://www.wooster-orrvillenaacp.org/event-details/2025-freedom-fund-dinner

Political Rhetoric and Misinformation in Democracy
2025-09-30 19:00 | Lean Lecture Room in Wishart Hall, 303 E. University Street, Wooster, OH, 44691
LWVWC Event:

In a world rampant with misinformation and political polarization, The League of Women Voters of Wayne County is presenting “Political Rhetoric and Misinformation in Democracy”, a program designed to inform attendees on how to recognize, sort through and identify this bi-partisan phenomenon. Free and open to the public, the event will be held on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at 7:00 p.m., in the Lean Lecture room, lower level of Wishart Hall, 303 E. University Street, on the College of Wooster Campus.

A panel of noted published experts, will present a non-partisan look at how different political strategies and data can be used to sway and confuse the public.

Featured will be the following speakers:

Elora Agsten – Learning Engagement Librarian, College of Wooster

Denise Bostdorff – Professor of Communication Studies, College of Wooster

Lauren Copeland – Principal Consultant, Data and Dialogue Insights

“As always, the League’s focus continues to be educating citizens to use their voice and their vote by making informed choices that truly reflect their wishes on both issues and candidates,” Brenda Linnick, league member, said. “Our goal for this event is to enable attendees to recognize how both sides of the political spectrum are equal opportunity offenders and use data and words to sway and polarize voters.”

The League understands that polarization created by political rhetoric and misinformation leads to divides within society and can undermine the democratic process. The group strives to present educational opportunities which can help community members engage in real, informed civil discourse.

LWVWC Candidates Forum 2025
2025-10-05 15:00 | Shisler Conference Center, 1680 Madison Ave, Wooster, OH, 44691
LWVWC Event:

Candidates Forum 2025
Questions & Answers with candidates for:

Wooster City Council
Wooster School Board

Deadline for Voter Registration
2025-10-06 20:30 | Wayne County Board of Elections, 200 Vanover Street, Wooster, OH, 44691
You can register to vote online in Ohio. Go to VoteOhio.gov to register, check your registration, download an absentee ballot for printing, see Early Voting times, and to learn about voter ID requirements. A link to the Wayne County Board of Elections is also provided below.

Early In-Person Voting Begins
2025-10-07 08:00 | Wayne County Board of Elections, 200 Vanover Street, Wooster, OH, 44691
Go to VoteOhio.gov for details or visit the Wayne County Board of Elections website at https://www.waynecountyoh.gov/. If you are outside Wayne County, you can find your Early Voting location by going to https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/toolkit/early-voting/.

In addition, the first absentee ballots will be mailed out on this day.

Wayne County Board of Elections - Board Meeting
2025-10-09 10:30 | Wayne County Board of Elections, 200 Vanover Street, Wooster, OH, 44691
Event of Interest: On the agenda: Final Allocations (ballots, ICX, PEO)

Let's Talk About School Finances & Levies (online event)
2025-10-09 19:00 - 20:00 | Online event
Event of Interest: From Red Wine & Blue: School board seats are on the ballot this fall—and who we elect really matters. These folks make big decisions about school budgets, and those choices ripple out to affect every student, every family, and our whole community.

That’s why on Thursday, October 9 at 7:00 PM, we’re sitting down with John Espy, Treasurer for Loveland City Schools in Southwest Ohio. He’ll walk us through the ins and outs of school district finances—budgets, bond issues, levies, and more—so you’ll leave feeling confident about how it all works. Susie Kaser, with the League of Women Voters, will share her expertise in school financing by discussing the background of school funding in Ohio and how it got us to where we are now.

And because we know how important it is to choose candidates who will make smart financial decisions, we’ll also share our School Board Elections Toolkit—a handy resource to help you research and support strong, qualified candidates.

This will be a virtual event hosted on Zoom. Details will be emailed to you after registration.

For more info and to RSVP, go here: https://secure.everyaction.com/S0fzd060v0uJ7yyKUGj_1A2

Democracy and Academic Freedom: A Forum - Session 3
2025-10-15 19:30 | Gault Recital Hall of Scheide Music Center, 525 East University Street, Wooster, Ohio, 44691
Event of Interest: The College of Wooster will welcome three speakers for a series of lectures and dialogues titled Democracy and Academic Freedom, A Forum. Speakers will address a range of topics, reflecting on academic freedom in global, institutional, and educational contexts, with a Q&A session to follow. The series, which begins Wednesday, Sept. 3, includes the annual Constitution Day and Bell Lecture in Law on Sept. 17, and the Annual Lindner Lecture on Ethics on Oct. 15. Open to the public, the talks will take place in Gault Recital Hall of Scheide Music Center (525 E. University Street) at 7:30 p.m. and will also be live streamed on the College website.

The Annual Lindner Lecture in Ethics will conclude the series with “Academic Freedom and Academic Responsibility” featuring Robert Talisse, W. Alton Jones Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University. An American philosopher and political theorist, Talisse will explore the responsibilities that correspond with the guarantee of academic freedom and the liberty of professors to pursue and teach their areas of expertise, “developing the idea that academic responsibility includes helping to equip students to navigate a social world that does not yet exist.” Talisse earned his Ph.D. in philosophy from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York in 2001. His principal area of research is political philosophy, with an emphasis on democratic theory and the civic responsibilities of citizenship. Among his many other works, Talisse recently published Civic Solitude: Why Democracy Needs Distance with Oxford University Press.

More information is available at https://wooster.edu/2025/08/07/wooster-to-welcome-speakers-for-democracy-and-academic-freedom-a-forum-beginning-in-september/

Redistricting Shenanigans
2025-10-15 19:30 - 21:00 | Online event
Event of Interest: From Red Wine & Blue, Common Cause Ohio, and League of Women Voters of Ohio: Join us for a virtual dive into the messy world of Ohio’s redistricting process. We’ll unpack how politicians drew the lines to protect their power instead of our voices, explore the real harm caused by split communities, and call out the tricks and traps that keep our maps unfair.

We’ll connect the dots between gerrymandering and the issues that impact our communities—and we’ll talk about how we can push for maps that actually represent us.

It’s time to draw the lines—together.

For more info and to RSVP, go here: https://secure.everyaction.com/DKkmszJEY0O0D5xp1Ikg9A2

Litigating for Liberation
2025-10-24 18:30 | Mackey Hall – Westminster Presbyterian Church, 353 East Pine Street, Wooster, OH, 44691
Event of Interest: Litigating for Liberation with OCSILiO

Friday, October 24, 6:30 pm, at Westminster Presbyterian Church Mackey Hall

Learn more about OCSILiO’s mission in action in defending detained Ohio immigrants in their high-stake deportation proceedings “….rooted in the belief that no one should be imprisoned for seeking safety.” Hear from OCSILiO Executive Director, Brian Hoffman, plus first-hand stories from OCSILiO staff, College of Wooster Interns, and OCSILiO clients, with Q/A to follow. Enjoy Central-American finger foods provided by Immigrant Worker Project AMIGAS co-operative. Free-will offerings for OCSILiO will be accepted (with gifts of time and talent also appreciated).

The Ohio Center for Strategic Immigration Litigation and Outreach (“OCSILiO” – pronounced “auxilio”) was formed in 2020 as the first litigator-founded nonprofit legal services organization in Ohio focused primarily on clients seeking release from detention. OCSILiO recognizes that the current immigration crisis in the United States is as much a problem of democracy as it is of litigation, and welcomes the opportunity to address the public about relevant topics in the rapidly developing field of immigration law and prospective reforms. Many of Attorney Hoffman’s clients enjoy the opportunity to participate in public outreach events as well, and their experiences and images have been featured in media ranging from local community theater productions to the covers of United Nations publications.

Deadline to Request Absentee Ballots
2025-10-28 21:00 | Wayne County Board of Elections, 200 Vanover Street, Wooster, OH, 44691
The deadline to request absentee ballots is at the close of business (9:00 pm at the Wayne County Board of Elections), seven days before Election Day.

You can learn about absentee ballots and download the form to request your ballot at https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/how-to-request-your-absentee-ballot. A link to the Wayne County Board of Elections is also provided below.

Postmark Deadline for Absentee Ballots
2025-11-03 23:59 | Wayne County Board of Elections, 200 Vanover Street, Wooster, OH, 44691
Absentee Ballots for the November 4 election may be returned by mail or personally delivered to your county Board of Elections. If mailed, absentee ballots must be postmarked by November 3, 2025. If hand delivered, they must be received by received by your Board of Elections by 7:30 p.m.

November 8, 2025 is the last day for Boards of Elections to receive non-UOCAVA (Uniformed And Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act) absentee ballots (returned by U.S. mail) that have been postmarked on or before November 4. UOCAVA absentee ballots must be received (by mail) by Boards of Elections by this date to be counted.

The Wayne County Board of Elections website and office location are provided below, to assist you in returning your absentee ballot.

Election Day / Receipt Deadline for Non-Mailed Absentee Ballots
2025-11-04 06:30 - 19:30 | Wayne County Board of Elections, 200 Vanover Street, Wooster, OH, 44691
Go to VoteOhio.gov for details. You can verify your Election Day polling place by going to https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/toolkit/polling-location/.

Wayne County Board of Elections - Board Meeting - Election Day
2025-11-04 15:00 | Wayne County Board of Elections, 200 Vanover Street, Wooster, OH, 44691
Event of Interest: On the agenda: GENERAL ELECTION – Hospitals

Wayne County Board of Elections - Board Meeting - Election Night
2025-11-04 19:00 | Wayne County Board of Elections, 200 Vanover Street, Wooster, OH, 44691
Event of Interest: On the agenda: GENERAL ELECTION – Election Night

Deadline for Receipt of Mail-In Absentee Ballots
2025-11-08 23:59 | Wayne County Board of Elections, 200 Vanover Street, Wooster, OH, 44691
Absentee Ballots for the November 4 election may be returned by mail or personally delivered to your county Board of Elections. If mailed, absentee ballots must be postmarked by November 3, 2025.

November 8, 2025 is the last day for Boards of Elections to receive non-UOCAVA (Uniformed And Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act) absentee ballots (returned by U.S. mail) that have been postmarked on or before November 3. UOCAVA absentee ballots must be received (by mail) by Boards of Elections by this date to be counted.

The Wayne County Board of Elections website and office location are provided below, to assist you in returning your absentee ballot.

How Local Government Works for Us - Part 2
2025-11-10 18:30 | Wayne County Public Library – East/West Conference Room, 220 West Liberty Street, Wooster, OH, 44691
LWVWC Event:

The League of Women Voters (LWV) of Wayne County invites the community to attend Part 2 of the “How Local Government Works for Us” series where the audience will hear from Wayne County Commissioner Matthew Martin and County Planning Director Jennifer Kiper on Monday, November 10, 2025.

The speakers will explain the responsibilities of their positions, share the vision for the county, and explain what long-term goals guide their decision making. These county roles can require a balancing of not only budgets and requests of Wayne County voters, but also other competing priorities like development vs maintaining rural community, attracting industry and/or housing vs preserving prime farmland, etc. Attendees can also learn how the county generates revenue, how environmental conservation influences activities, and how land annexation decisions are made.

County offices are responsible for areas that impact all county voters – from mental health care to waste disposal, from parks districts to veteran services, from animal control to juvenile court, and more. What are the greatest challenges currently? Do recent federal budget cuts affect county programs? Find out at this event.

The audience will be welcome to ask questions of Commissioner Martin and Planning Director Kiper following their presentations. This event will occur at the main branch of the Wayne County Public Library (220 W. Liberty St., Wooster, OH) at 6:30pm on Monday, November 10, 2025. The LWV of Wayne County, a local chapter of the national LWV organization, is a nonpartisan organization with the mission of empowering voters, protecting voter rights, defending democracy, and educating voters on how their government functions. The League works to encourage active and informed participation of local citizens in our democracy and our government.

Slides from November 10, 2025 presentation (use controls at bottom of slide to advance or zoom)

WayneCountyCommissioners-Presentation-LWVWC-2025_1110

You can also view slides on their own page (large pdf)

Medicaid in Schools: A Resource at Risk
2025-11-12 19:00 | Online event
Event of Interest: Medicaid, the federal health insurance program for low income families including children with disabilities, is an important funding source for schools to provide health related services mandated in a student’s Individual Education Plan.

Right now, Medicaid in Schools only applies to children with disabilities from low-income households with who are enrolled in Medicaid.

This is an important moment for Ohio’s children and for public schools as they attempt to meet the needs of their students. Ohio is in the process of seeking federal approval to extend Medicaid in Schools coverage to all students who are enrolled in Medicaid – not just those with disabilities.

At the same time, the federal government has started to cut support for Medicaid which will inevitably lead to reduced enrollment and reduced coverage.

During this forum we will learn more about how these programs work; their contribution to health services schools are able to provide; the benefits of expansion to all Medicaid enrolled students; and the danger to school district budgets of federal decisions that constrain Medicaid access.

This will be a virtual event hosted on Zoom. Details will be emailed to you after registration.

For more info and to RSVP, go here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/lEnXU3kgTs6mpBFm2eU_JA#/registration

Wayne County Board of Elections - Board Meeting
2025-11-17 10:30 | Wayne County Board of Elections, 200 Vanover Street, Wooster, OH, 44691
Event of Interest: On the agenda: Address provisional and absentee ballots

Toasting Democracy - November Event
2025-11-17 19:00 - 21:00 | Montavino Wine Market, 2017 Portage Rd, Wooster, Ohio, 44691
Event of Interest: From Toasting Democracy:

Toast Democracy will be holding its next public event on November 17 from 7-9 PM at Montavinos in the Portage Square Plaza. Please join us to enjoy a glass of wine or a beer (at your expense, of course) and engage in conversation. We will have complimentary snacks to enjoy while you are there. Hope to see you on the 17th!

Wayne County Board of Elections - Board Meeting
2025-11-24 10:30 | Wayne County Board of Elections, 200 Vanover Street, Wooster, OH, 44691
Event of Interest: On the agenda: Certify General Election 2025

Wayne County Board of Elections - Board Meeting
2025-12-11 10:30 | Wayne County Board of Elections, 200 Vanover Street, Wooster, OH, 44691
Event of Interest: On the agenda: To be determined

Trailblazing Women in Ohio Politics
2026-01-11 23:00 | Online event
Broadcast/Online: Trailblazing Women in Ohio Politics digs deep into the personal experiences and challenges of women who took the risk to run for office when women’s candidacies were exceedingly rare. The purpose of this project is to bring their lived experiences to life for a broad public audience to inform, inspire and, perhaps, prompt others to run.

This program will be broadcast on Sunday, January 11 at 11 PM on Channels 45/49 PBS Western Reserve. You may also find it on your PBS app.

Also watch online here: https://video.westernreservepublicmedia.org/video/trailblazing-women-in-ohio-politics-iouz8a

Wayne County Board of Elections - Board Meeting
2026-01-12 10:30 | Wayne County Board of Elections, 200 Vanover Street, Wooster, OH, 44691
Event of Interest: On the agenda: Preliminary Allocations (ballots, ICX, PEO) > 90 days

Breaking Barriers, Making Waves
2026-01-13 18:00 - 19:00 | Wayne County Public Library – East/West Conference Room, 220 West Liberty Street, Wooster, OH, 44691
Event of Interest: Celebrate the trailblazing women of Wayne County! This program highlights local pioneers—the first to break barriers, achieve milestones, and make history in our community. Discover their stories, their accomplishments, and the legacies they left behind, inspiring future generations to make their mark.

Registration is required. Go to https://wcpl-oh.libcal.com/event/15328127 for more information.

Wayne County Board of Elections - Board Meeting
2026-02-12 10:30 | Wayne County Board of Elections, 200 Vanover Street, Wooster, OH, 44691
Event of Interest: On the agenda: Certify Candidates & Issues for Primary

Earth's Greatest Enemy: Documenting The Environmental Cost of History's Biggest Empire
2026-02-17 18:45 | Lyric Theatre, 116 East South Street, Wooster, Ohio, 44691
Event of Interest: Free film viewing at 6:45 pm, followed by 9:00 pm virtual Q&A with director Abby Martin and theater attendees.

Democracy Defense: Akron Teach-In for Civic Engagement
2026-02-28 10:00 - 14:30 | First Congregational Church of Akron, 292 E Market St, Akron, Ohio, 44308
Event of Interest: Are you tired of wringing your hands about the state of the world and ready to go out and make a difference? We’ve got you!

The biggest way to make democracy work is to help more people participate in it, and that starts with voting. This is a huge year in Ohio elections—Ohioans are voting on a US Senate seat and all 15 US House seats at the federal level, half the Ohio Senate seats and all the Ohio House seats at the statehouse, the governorship, every statewide office, 2 Ohio Supreme Court seats, county judicial court seats, and local taxes and issues. And this starts in our primary, just a few months away.

For more info and to RSVP, go here: https://www.mobilize.us/lwvohio/event/901461/
