As New Hampshire prepares to draw new voting maps for the state, we're holding a short workshop on the critical elements of fair redistricting.

The workshop will take place via Zoom on Monday, July 26th at 4 p.m., and will last about an hour.

RSVP Below

Who Should Attend

• NH Legislators
• Members of the press
• Participants in the Map-a-Thon Citizen Mapping project
• Citizens

Best Practices for Legislator-Drawn Maps

We’ll discuss the best practices used by states still using legislator-drawn maps, including the collecting and using communities of interest data, and nationally-recognized standards for mapping criteria. We’re pleased to have with us one the nation’s leading experts on redistricting policy, Yurij Rudensky of NYU’s Brennan Center, to lead this presentation.

Discussion of Communities of Interest, Criteria & Software Technology

We’ll also have a discussion and demonstration on how communities of interest data and criteria are applied to create fair maps, using modern software. This will also include a discussion on how mapping software can also be used to create unfair maps, how to analyze maps, and what questions to ask.

Demonstration of Map-a-Thon's Mapping Project by Our Tech Team

Finally, the technical team of engineers, GIS mapping experts and database specialists from the Map-a-Thon citizen mapping project here in New Hampshire will share what we’ve learned from our NH Communities of Interest Survey, our mapping criteria developed with our full Map-a-Thon team of over 200 NH citizens from throughout NH, and how our mapping software and process will work, given New Hampshire's Constitutional requirements.

We hope you’ll join us for this informative conversation and demonstration via Zoom on July 26 at 4 p.m.

Regards,

Brian Beihl, Deputy Director, Open Democracy

For the Map-a-Thon Coalition

Join us on Thursday, July 29, 4-7 pm in Lebanon, NH for a short walk and visibility in support of the S.1 For the People Act, which will  be voted on in the U.S. Senate on or near that date.  This is a nonpartisan event and open to all.

RSVP Below

We'll be gathering democracy-minded folks from throughout the region to walk around the park, hold signs, and have conversations and share literature with folks coming to and from the Lebanon farmers' market.

The event will be held in an around Colburn Park, also known as the "Lebanon Green," but apart from the farmers' market itself.  We will walk on the sidewalk around the park, and reconvene in the park itself, doing a visibility near the parking areas.   We'll have signs for you, as well as literature to share with anyone who would like to learn more. 

This event has three goals:

• Educate the community on NH's new proposed "Texas-light" anti-voter bills targeting students, seniors and lower income voters, and how the S.1 For the People Act could neutralize those laws
• Get voters to call their U.S Senators to pass the For the People Act at 888-453-3211
• Get the attendees of the rally and the community to take action to mobilize their friends and family, using our For the People Act Action page, https://www.opendemocracyaction.org/forthepeopleactaction

We hope you'll make plans to come for this great event!  

Please join us on August 7 at 11 am for a Sign Making Party!  We'll be creating  positive messages that DEMAND DEMOCRACY! for our Annual Granny D Walk (to be held August 15 in Keene).  

The Gazebo at Depot Square, Peterborough

Please Save the Date for our Annual Granny D Memorial Walk.  The date this year will be August 15, 2021 and we will again be in Keene, NH.  

The walk will start at 2 pm at 10 Gilbo Ave, Keene and walk to Central Square for a 3:30 Rally. 

Guest Speakers:

James  Rousmaniere.  Jim is a longtime journalist, having covered national economics in the Washington bureau of The Baltimore Sun before being named editor and president of The Keene(NH) Sentinel, positions from which he recently retired. 

Larry Welkowitz is Professor and Chair of Psychology at Keene State College.  He is the NH State House Representative for Cheshire District 4/Keene Ward 1 and the City Democratic Chair for Ward 1.  He is also an active member of the  Scores Runners Group in Keene and enjoys running what many consider too many miles and participates in local races as often as possible.  When time permits he likes to sneak out to Colorado to visit his daughter, Annika, who was born and raised in the Monadnock Region.

David Blair has been active in peacework in NH since moving here in 1973, partnering often with AFSC-NH on campaigns such as the nuclear weapons freeze.  He has traveled with the Karuna Center for Peacebuilding to Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa.  After overseas work with refugees in the Philippines and rural development in Vietnam, David co-founded the Mariposa Museum in Peterborough in 2002, whose mission is to celebrate the cultures of the world and to bridge divides between peoples.  He is now active in social justice work as a peacekeeper, facilitator and writer.  

He and Doris Haddock lived a  mile apart and their morning walks often coincided.  Her training loop came up the steep hill below his house and sometimes he would be walking behind her and hear Doris rehearsing her speeches!

We're also planning a  "Quote Brigade", where attendees read Granny D quotes.  If you would like to be a part of this, please email Kate.

We'll have a table with hats, books,  pins and ivies available.  If you would like a Granny D hat to wear on the walk, they are just $20 each.  Email Doreen and let her know you want one and she will have it at the beginning of the walk for you.  If you already own one, make sure to wear it!

Live music will be provided by FolkSoul, which is comprised of Leslie Vogel and Fred Simmons, who live in Greenfield, New Hampshire.
With their home umbrella organization, Folksoul Music, which includes their Folksoul Duo, the band Tattoo and the Folksoul Band, they have been bringing American Roots music of all styles to the communities of the Monadnock Region and beyond for the past three decades.

During Doris “Granny D” Haddock’s run for US Senate in New Hampshire Fred and Leslie and a couple of other friend musicians decided to become Granny D’s personal marching band as she walked into the many towns of this state to give her memorable campaign speeches in the village squares.

There will also be FREE Ben & Jerry's ice cream!

Cosponsored by the League of Women Voters - NH and the Peterborough Plus Chapter of LWVNH

Join us for the fourth meeting of Map-a-Thon.  

We're assembling a team of citizens called Live Free, Map Fair who want to create fair maps to show the NH public what fair maps ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE!  Called the Live Free, Map Fair project, we need both technical and policy volunteers to hash out our fair maps, then get them into the hands of policy members and the press. 

After the Map-a-Thon, and seeing first-hand how the process is done, you can: 

• Volunteer as a technical member of the Live Free, Map Fair Team using your knowledge of spreadsheets, databases, geography, GIS software and other tech tools to help draw our maps, or
• Volunteer as a policy member of the Live Free, Map Fair Team helping to identify communities of interest, conduct a Community of Interest Survey, and negotiate some of the compromises and challenges we'll face due to geography, communities of interest, and other factors.

Our maps will be distributed to legislators, town officials, the press, and to the Special Committee on Redistricting itself to draw a comparison with the unfortunately less-than-fair maps we expect from the Special Committee on Redistricting.

Be a part of the process that will change New Hampshire's voting maps for the better!  Sign up for the Map-a-Thon below!

Hosted by Open Democracy, League of Women Voters-NH, Kent Street Coalition, and Granite State Progress. 

Join us for the fifth meeting of Map-a-Thon.  

We're assembling a team of citizens called Live Free, Map Fair who want to create fair maps to show the NH public what fair maps ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE!  Called the Live Free, Map Fair project, we need both technical and policy volunteers to hash out our fair maps, then get them into the hands of policy members and the press. 

After the Map-a-Thon, and seeing first-hand how the process is done, you can: 

• Volunteer as a technical member of the Live Free, Map Fair Team using your knowledge of spreadsheets, databases, geography, GIS software and other tech tools to help draw our maps, or
• Volunteer as a policy member of the Live Free, Map Fair Team helping to identify communities of interest, conduct a Community of Interest Survey, and negotiate some of the compromises and challenges we'll face due to geography, communities of interest, and other factors.

Our maps will be distributed to legislators, town officials, the press, and to the Special Committee on Redistricting itself to draw a comparison with the unfortunately less-than-fair maps we expect from the Special Committee on Redistricting.

Be a part of the process that will change New Hampshire's voting maps for the better!  Sign up for the Map-a-Thon below!

Hosted by Open Democracy, League of Women Voters-NH, Kent Street Coalition, and Granite State Progress.