Correspondent: Erin Estelle 
Invocation: John Schular  
Flag Salute: Justin Leland 
Song: “God Bless America” led by Jeff Gutierrez 
Greeter: Jean-Luc Slagle 
Roving Mics: Justin Leland

SPOKE EDITOR PROFILE:

Erin Estelle serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Valley Strong Credit Union, where she has led marketing strategy, product, digital, brand growth and community engagement for the past five years. 

GUESTS:

Jose and Kim  (Juan Bustamante)
Jeanette Bessam  (Bill Lever) 
Madelyn Abernathy (Cathy Abernathy)

GOOD NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Jeff reported that his wife recently had hip replacement surgery and she is recovering well. 
 

Steve Rodriguez reported that the Kern High School District graduated 9,800 students this year. 

Sheryl Barbich shared that the Kern County Museum has Summer Travel Memberships available for $125 per family. This membership grants access to hundreds of museums across the country and is the lowest cost membership in the nation. 

Congratulations are in order for Amy Travis as she reported that the Kern Community Foundation received funding for $50,000 this week. It is her 4th day on the job leading the organization. 

The Waterman Grant Fund will benefit Bakersfield ARC, Teen Challenge, Links for Life, Wounded Heroes and Kern County Youth for Christ.

PROGRAM

Downtown Rotarian and Politics expert, Cathy Abernathy presented on the recent election process, redistricting, and California’s political landscape. Cathy also highlighted the broader impacts of  ballot initiatives from the past. 
Abernathy provided an overview of recent primary election outcomes and discussed how California’s current election structure influences candidate advancement and voter choice. She highlighted how changes to the state’s primary process over time have altered campaign dynamics and shaped general election matchups across local and statewide races.

A significant portion of the discussion centered on redistricting and how district boundaries can influence political representation. Abernathy reviewed the role of California’s redistricting commission and explored perspectives on how district design may affect competitiveness, regional representation, and electoral outcomes.
 

The presentation also addressed evolving voting practices, including expanded vote-by-mail participation and the operational realities of modern election administration. Throughout the discussion, attendees were encouraged to consider how public policy decisions and ballot measures can create long-term structural impacts beyond a single election cycle.
 

The session concluded with questions and discussion around voter engagement, election processes, and the importance of staying informed and involved in civic participation at the local and state levels.