Freedom of the Press: A Cornerstone of Democracy from LWVMA–watch now on YouTube!

The League of Women Voters of Massachusetts announces the release of a new episode, “Freedom of the Press: A Cornerstone of Democracy,” in the What Democracy Means in Everyday Life video series. This panel explores the true freedom of the press under the First Amendment amidst fading public trust and “fake news.” Media experts address unprecedented threats to journalistic independence and physical safety, highlighting why a free press is vital to democracy. This program carries forward the century-long commitment of the League of Women Voters to safeguard individual liberties guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States, as exhibited by First Amendment Protections Affirmed in FCC v. League of Women Voters of California.  The program was privately recorded at NewTV in Newton, MA and will premiere on Youtube, here, starting Friday, June 5 at 6:30 est. Click here to watch the program: Freedom of the Press: A Cornerstone of Democracy

Panelists include:

  • Dan Kennedy, professor in the School of Journalism at Northeastern University
  • Steph Solis, co-author of the Axios Boston newsletter
  • Sarah Stone, National Field Director at Free Press
  • Marlene O’Brien, Secretary of the LWVMA

We Pay–They Profit: Public Goods in Private Hands, on Thursday, May 28, at 7 pm

The League of Women Voters of the Northampton Area, Sudbury, Wayland and LWV Amherst Healthcare Committee will jointly host an interactive webinar, “We Pay–They Profit: Public Goods in Private Hands,” on Thursday, May 28, at 7 pm. Our speaker will be Donald Cohen, founder and Executive Director of In the Public Interest. While the program is being organized by health care advocates, we hope that people interested in private profiteering in other domains–such as utilities, prisons, or public lands–will find relevance to those issues as well.

Town Meeting Issues Forum for Wayland 2026 ATM

The League of Women Voters of Wayland hosted its annual Town Meeting Issues Forum on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, to help voters learn about the items to be discussed and voted on at Wayland’s Annual Town Meeting (ATM). Below, you can choose to link to the video, the audio only, and/or the written transcript of the forum.

Special thanks to Miranda Jones for hosting the meeting on Zoom for us!

Annual Town Meeting Issues Forum on Zoom, April 29th, 7 pm

The League of Women Voters of Wayland will hold its annual Town Meeting Issues Forum on Wednesday, April 29th.  We are grateful to Miranda Jones, our Town Moderator, for hosting us on Zoom.  She will talk about the use of the Consent Calendar and Abbreviated Presentation Procedures; she has made some changes to the Consent Calendar for this meeting.  This will be followed by presentations of articles 15 and 16, Wayland’s Long-Term Water Supply and 25 Holiday Road Study, and several other articles.  Please join us and bring your questions.

The Zoom program will begin at 7pm.  The link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4601807143?pwd=Z1B4a1VueC9TMk5SN0RjbkppTmFvZz09&omn=88192449500

Run For It: The Town Office Experience

The League of Women Voters and the Wayland Free Public Library hosted Run For It: The Town Office Experience in October, 2025. We talked with three elected officials on running for office–why they chose to do this and what their experiences have been. Watch the video and decide for yourself! Here is the link: Run For It: The Town Office Experience

Special thanks to our guests Erin Gibbons (Wayland School Committee), Doug Levine (Wayland Select Board), and Anette Lewis (Wayland Planning Board)!

Join the reading of “What to a Slave is the Fourth of July,” by Frederick Douglas, July 1st, Wayland Public Library

The League of Women Voters of Wayland is a co-sponsor of the reading of Frederick Douglass’s 4th of July speech, “What to a Slave Is the Fourth of July?”  It will be held at the Wayland Free Public Library on July 1st at 7pm

If you would like to read a line or two of the speech, please email Courtney Michael at the library, cmichael@minlib.net.  Otherwise please register (07/01/2025 | Reading Frederick Douglass Together | Wayland Free Public Library) and plan to attend the reading.

Get ready for 2025 Town Elections and Town Meeting!

UPDATED LINK: Town Meeting Issues Forum: Wednesday, March 26, 7pm

The League of Women Voters of Wayland will hold a public forum on some of the major issues to be discussed and voted on at Annual Town Meeting.  The hybrid forum will be held in the Wayland Public Library on Wednesday, March 26th at 7pm.  Articles included are the Accessory Dwelling Unit Bylaw, the pre-order food pick-up window bylaw, the transfer of 212 Cochituate Road, green burial, creation of a capital improvement committee, the sports center and feasibility study at 195 Main Street, the energy revolving fund, banning second generation rodenticide, creation of a finance department, and the library millennium fund.  Iryna Priester will moderate the discussion. 

To join the meeting virtually, please use this Zoom link: Zoom Link: https://wayland-ma-us.zoom.us/j/82622238840?pwd=bCqgebRsFrbdhMbWLPsVSs7a8bs2pV.1

Meet the Candidates: March 30, 2025 from 3:00-4:30 Wayland Public Library

There are no contested races for the 2nd year in a row. In lieu of our traditional Candidates’ Night, the League of Women Voters will be co-hosting with the Wayland Public Library a “Meet the Candidates Event.”  The event will be held on Sunday, March 30th from 3:00 to 4:30 PM in the round room of the Wayland Public Library.  It will be an informal gathering, with no speeches or presentations.  The public is invited and encouraged to drop-in and meet the future office holders of the Town of Wayland.  This is your opportunity to share any ideas and/or concerns with them.