HomeAbout the League

About the League

Our Mission and Roles

The League of Women Voters does not support parties or candidates. We encourage informed and active participation in government, and we influence public policy through education and advocacy. The League of Women Voters has two separate and distinct roles.

Voters Service/Citizen Education: we present unbiased nonpartisan information about elections, the voting process, and issues.
Action/Advocacy: we are also nonpartisan, but, after study, we use our positions to advocate for or against particular policies in the public interest.

To conduct our voter service and citizen education activities, we use funds from the League of Women Voters Education Fund, which is a 501(c)(3) corporation, a nonprofit educational organization. The League of Women Voters, a membership organization, conducts action and advocacy and is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation.

What We Do

Who represents you? How can you contact your representatives? Your Elected Officials

The League of Women Voters Education Fund conducts voter service and citizen education activities. It is a nonpartisan nonprofit public policy educational organization, which:

Builds citizen participation in the democratic process.
Studies key community issues at all government levels in an unbiased manner.
Enables people to seek positive solutions to public policy issues through education and conflict management.

Donations to the Education Fund, a 501(c)(3)corporation, are fully tax-deductible where allowed by law.

Find contact information for elected officials

Find your elected officials at Your Elected Officials

Vision

The principles that guide our organization...
The goal of the League of Women Voters is to empower citizens to shape better communities worldwide.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political membership organization which:

acts after study and member agreement to achieve solutions in the public interest on key community issues at all government levels.
builds citizen participation in the democratic process.
engages communities in promoting positive solutions to public policy issues through education and advocacy.

The League of Women Voters Education Fund is a nonpartisan public policy educational organization which:

builds citizen participation in the democratic process
studies key community issues at all governmental levels in an unbiased manner
enables people to seek positive solutions to public policy issues through education and conflict management.

We believe in:

respect for individuals
the value of diversity
the empowerment of the grassroots, both within the League and in communities

We will:

act with trust, integrity and professionalism
operate in an open and effective manner to meet the needs of those we serve, both members and the public
take the initiative in seeking diversity in membership
acknowledge our heritage as we seek our path to the future.

Action & Advocacy

We are truly a grassroots organization...
Education Study

The League of Women Voters takes action on an issue or advocates for a cause when there is an existing League position that supports the issue or speaks to the cause.
Positions result from a process of study. Any given study, whether it be National, State, or Local, is thorough in its pursuit of facts and details. As the study progresses, a continuing discussion of pros and cons of each situation occurs. Prior to the results of the study being presented to the general membership, study committee members fashion consensus questions that are then addressed by the membership.

Additional discussion, pro and con, takes place as members (not part of the study committee) learn the scope of the study. After the members reach consensus, the board forms positions based on that consensus.

It is the consensus statement -- the statement resulting from the consensus questions -- that becomes a position. Firm action or advocacy can then be taken on the particular issue addressed by the position. Without a position, action/advocacy cannot be taken.