League National Convention

Five of our League members were delegates to the LWVUS 2022 Convention held in Denver last month. While four attended virtually, Ellen Wheeler was there in person, when the Roe Decision came down, reversing nearly 50 years of privacy rights for women’s reproductive health. Delegates adopted the following resolution: “Be it resolved that the LWVUS supports the rights of women and those who can become pregnant to self-determination related to, and including, but not limited to bodily autonomy, privacy, reproductive health, and lifestyle choice.”

 After Friday’s session, Ellen and her fellow delegates made signs, put on their marching shoes and went to the Denver State Capitol, joining thousands of other protesters. See photo below.

• Dr. Deborah Turner was re-elected to serve a second biennium as LWV President. She said her “moonshot” project would be to apply LWV resources to achieve the elimination of the Electoral College.
  
• Making Democracy Work was reauthorized and amended to include the following. “direct election of the President by popular vote” as a prominent, listed component of ‘Making Democracy Work. Note: This motion includes both National Vote Interstate Compact and the Abolishment of the Electoral College by Constitutional Amendment.
• Equal Rights Amendment was added to the LWVUS program so that resources and focus be used to accomplish its passage and further our mission. Note: the ERA is already part of LWV’s work, but delegates asked that it be elevated with this motion. The ERA has been ratified by enough states to become the 28th Amendment, but didn’t do it by the deadline set by Congress. If Biden and the U.S. Archivist authorize it to be published (as LWV wants), it will go into effect— barring court challenge.
• Two new positions were adopted by concurrence: 
  • LWV California's Criminal Justice Position  
  • LWV Connecticut’s Digital Equity Position
• LWV’s existing Healthcare Position was updated with language from LWV New York
• Beginning in 2024, Per Member Payment (dues) by local and state leagues will be replaced by LWVUS collecting and distributing all dues. No more than ⅓ collected will be kept by LWVUS.
  
  To learn more what was discussed and decided:  2022 Convention Daily Briefing   
  
  Convention was inspiring and valuable for those attending in person and virtually. A large number of sessions were offered covering youth engagement, improving election systems, climate issues, social media and digital equity, diversity/equity and inclusion and much more. We will publish links to convention workshops when they are available. 

• We completed our years business by reviewing accomplishments, updating some of our local positions and electing our board for next year. If you would like to learn more about our decisions, the minutes of the meeting have been reviewed and are now available:  Minutes of the 2022 Annual Meeting
  

• Julie Yick, Ed.D., led us in a discussion about working together with students to promote civic engagement in our communities.   Dr. Yick shared her thoughts about building bridges between communities followed by the perspectives of two students who are dedicated to civic engagement, community service, and social justice.  Watch the recording: Engaging Students in Our Democracy