Where she’s from
Connie Taylor’s father was in the Air Force and, although her family didn’t really move often, she feels she didn’t really have one place she called home. Her several homes include Ohio, where she was born and proudly proclaims Buckeye status; Nebraska, where she grew up and moved to shortly after her marriage; and Mississippi, where her father retired from the Air Force, where her mother’s family lived and where she graduated from high school and college.
About her family
Connie and her husband Jeff have been married for 26 years. Jeff is a software developer for a telecommunications company. Connie earned her master’s degree from KU a few years ago and focuses on volunteering for nonprofit organizations. She reports that she and Jeff
“are owned by a 12-year-old Pembroke Welsh corgi” which they rescued three and a half years ago.
Why she joined the League
Voting is a passion for Connie and joining the LWV was for her a natural fit. She feels that the programs are informative and relevant and is impressed with LWVJoCo members’ friendliness and how well the meetings are run.
What she thinks the League does well
Connie feels that the League does incredible work registering voters, hosting candidate forums and monthly programs, and keeping up with all that is happening in the Kansas Legislature. League membership, in Connie’s estimation, is a great way to stay connected and learn how issues impact voters and Johnson County.
Where she would like to see the League focus in the future
More youth engagement and involvement with the League is an important focus for the future of the League in Johnson County.
What she does to strengthen our democracy
For the past few years, Connie has volunteered on several local political campaigns. Her work has been emphasizing not only a candidate’s platform but also informing people of the dates, times and places for voting and encouraging them to vote. She attends candidate forums and town halls and contacts her elected officials about the issues up for debate or vote.
Fun Fact
Living in Omaha the better part of her life, Connie reports that she is “a huge College World Series fan with t-shirts and an appearance by her alma mater in 2009 to prove it”. She anticipates the CWS annually by completing a bracket similar to her husband’s completing NCAA brackets for March Madness. She loves cheering for the underdog at the CWS!
How she’s coping with the pandemic
Connie learned to love to cook again and started experimenting with recipes using an Instant Pot. Her dog’s traditional walk/play time/training schedule was upended when the pandemic resulted in her husband’s working at home. Although the dog was quite confused initially, they now go on their evening walks together—a pandemic plus. She notes that they really miss visiting or going out with friends or hosting game nights.