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Editor's Note: The Berkeley/Albany/Emeryville League of Women Voters yesterday sent the following letter to Berkeley's mayor and City Council, refuting claims in the Measure S ballot arguments placed there by city officials that the League participated or agreed to have its name used in support of the measure: nhh

October 23, 2014

Dear Mayor Bates and Council Members,

On behalf of the League of Women Voters of Berkeley, Albany, and Emeryville, we wish to bring to your attention that the arguments for measure S and again in the rebuttal against the arguments against Measure S, the Redistricting Measure, incorrectly state that the League of Women Voters was a participant in the creation of the Council’s Redistricting Ordinance and plan and imply that the League was a major participant.

We were not asked nor did we approve the inclusion of our name in the argument and rebuttal. In fact, the LWVBAE is neutral on Measure S. The proponents of the measure and/or the City Clerk should have asked us to sign to give permission for the use of our name. 

Our participation in the adoption of the redistricting plan was brief and superficial. Our past president, Sherry Smith, at the request of the City, officiated as moderator at two or three meetings. The League had no role in arranging the meetings nor in the Council’s decision to adopt its plan. 

The proponents of the measure were not correct in stating “The City Council and the League of Women Voters held seventeen (17) forums, community meetings, and public hearings on redistricting. ” This statement is highly misleading. We were not involved in 17 meetings. We did not hold any community meetings devoted to just this issue. We merely officiated at a very few meetings that we did not plan. 

We hope and expect that our name will not appear on any literature, door hangers, or other material implying that we support Measure S. 

Yours truly, 

Nancy Bickel, President 

Carol Stone, Action Coordinator