Category: Campaign Finance Reform

State League Issues Groups

Mary

Do you know how the League of Women Voters works to shape and direct state law and policy? Issues Groups are the basis for League lobbying. Groups lobby from a position on an issue and stay on top of changes in the issue of interest.

Are you interested in any of these issues? Join the group if you are committed to learning deeply and applying that knowledge to the 2021 General Assembly. Learn to contact state representatives with experienced League members.

All meetings are virtual as these are state-wide groups.

Contact Joan Porte to get involved: FirstVP@lwv-va.org

  • Affordable Housing, chaired by Alice Tousignant, meets third Wednesday of the month at noon.
  • Behavioral Health meets third Tuesday of the month at 6:30pm.
  • Campaign Finance, chaired by Janet Boyd, meets second Wednesday at 2pm.
  • Child Care, just forming, will meet monthly on third Wednesday at 1pm.
  • DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion), chaired by Doris Bey, meets the second Tuesday of the month at 2pm.
  • Domestic Violence, still forming, contact Joan Porte for more information.
  • Education, meets second Friday at 1pm.
  • Election Security, chaired by Lisa Koteen Gerchick, meets third Thursday at 1pm.
  • Environment, chaired by Monica Florio and Carolyn Caywood, meets fourth Monday at 7pm.
  • GVP (Gun Violence Prevention), chaired by Christine Payne and Ruth Huffman, meets the second Monday of the month at 7:30pm.
  • Justice, chaired by Kit Murphy McNally, meets third Friday of the month at 11am.
  • Redistricting, chaired by Chris De Rosa, meets every Thursday at 2:45pm beginning December 3.
  • Transportation, meets third Wednesday of the month at 5pm.
  • Voter Access, chaired by Pam Berg and Don Craig, meets third Friday of the month at 1pm.

Advocacy Challenge 2021!

Mary

The new Advocacy Challenge is out, and your Local League could win! The challenge starts now. This friendly competition measures advocacy, proportionate to the size of your Local League. Winners will be notified at Convention in 2021.

The Virginia General Assembly is already filing bills for the Jan 13, 2021 General Session. Here is how you can prepare:

1. Find your state legislators. Click here: whosmy.virginiageneralassembly.gov and enter your address in the box. Contact info for your state (not U.S.) senator and delegate will appear at the end of the page. Save it or write it down.

2. Attend a town hall and ask your legislator if they will support priority issues. Visit the Virginia Town Halls tracker here: bit.ly/VATownHalls 
If your legislator is not holding a Town Hall, call or write to them. 
Reminder: when advocating, we speak as individuals. Only the president speaks on behalf of the League.

3. Look at our current top priorities and talking points; click here. Summary:

  • Help people access voting: make permanent the temporary legislation that allowed:

        -> Convenient drop off of absentee ballots
            -> Removing witness requirement for absentee ballots 
            -> Letting absentee voters correct procedural errors

  • State level pre-clearance of practices restricted under the federal Voting Rights Act
  • 100% Right to Vote Constitutional Amendment — protecting the right to vote so it is not taken away upon incarceration 
  • Campaign Finance Reform
  • National Popular Vote
  • More Broadband Coverage

4. Log your action! Each time you contact your state delegate and senator, go here to log your action. Bookmark the new link, bit.ly/LWVVAChallenge 

It’s time to contact your elected representatives! Start with Step 1 above.