First-Time Voter Checklist (Blog) 5/12/2022 Casting your first vote is exciting -- and sometimes confusing. But it doesn't have to be. Follow this easy guide from VOTE411.org to make your…
Remarks on the Leaked Roe v. Wade Draft Opinion (Blog) 5/5/2022 On Tuesday, May 5, the League's national organizing director, Alma Couverthie, spoke on the steps of the Supreme Court regarding the leaked draft…, Those of us who believe in the promise of our democracy also believe in the power of elected officials to protect the rights of the people. Yet this…, Abortion rights are rooted in the implied Constitutional right to privacy. If Roe and Planned Parenthood are overturned, other personal…, Our ability to participate in our democracy is dependent on our autonomy over our own bodies. The League of Women Voters signed on as amicus…
Arab American Women in Democracy You Should Know (Blog) 4/26/2022 April is Arab American Heritage Month! This month (and all year long), we celebrate the rich and diverse culture and contributions of the Arab…, Charlene Mekled Elder: Judge In 2006, Judge Charlene Mekled Elder was appointed to the Wayne County 3rd Circuit Court by Michigan Governor…
Women's Equality and Ending Sexual Violence (Blog) 4/13/2022 Content Warning: This blog discusses sexual violence and assault. Over the years, the United States has made significant social and legal…, Our role in ending sexual violence mirrors our role in making democracy real for all of us — we must continue to uphold our values of equity…, Even with the above laws in place, it is clear – we need the Equal Rights Amendment. While the ERA doesn’t focus on sexual violence, it sets a…
Being an Election Worker: 101 (Blog) 4/11/2022 One of the most important ways you can get involved in promoting the freedom to vote and keeping our elections fair and accessible is by serving as…, IL: All the way through college there was never an inkling that I would work in government. Then the perfect storm came along in 2011; there…, Did anything surprise you about the experience? What did you learn? PS: I never expected the work to be so satisfying. To see firsthand how…
3 Cases of Redistricting Reform: 2018 vs. Today (Blog) 4/5/2022 Partisan gerrymandering, i.e., designing electoral maps to benefit a particular political party during the redistricting process, goes against the…, Missouri: The Clean Missouri Initiative and Amendment 3 In 2018, voters in Missouri passed the Clean Missouri initiative, a ballot measure…, Bramer and Steiger also voiced concern that Amendment 3 broke with 150 years of precedent by only counting voting-eligible adults as part of the…, Proposal 2 also included several other pro-voter reforms, including automatic and same-day voter registration, as well as no-excuse absentee voting…, Utah: Proposition 4 In 2018, voters in Utah passed Proposition 4, which created a seven-member independent redistricting commission empowered…
Racial Gerrymandering and the 2021-2022 Redistricting Process (Blog) 3/31/2022 Every ten years following the census count, our nation undergoes the redistricting process. Redistricting is the process of drawing state, local, and…, Previously, voters of color were protected from gerrymandering by the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA). Yet in the last decade, the Supreme Court…
Women Creating Their Own Histories: Staff Spotlight (Blog) 3/29/2022 Every day, we're creating women's history. The League is fortunate enough to have been a part of women's political power for over 100 years,…, When you think of incredible women, who comes to mind? Jessica Jones Capparell – Director of Government Affairs: I think of women who are fighting…, What is a challenge you've faced, personally or professionally, as a woman? Maggie Bush – Program and Outreach Director: I think most successful…, What is your favorite thing about the women in your life? MB: Women get the tough work done and then look around to see how they can support others…, What role do you think women have played and/or will play in our democracy? AG: Our Constitution was first crafted by white, land-owning men, who…
The Woman Who Argued 'Rucho v. Common Cause' Looks Back (Blog) 3/25/2022 March 26th marks the anniversary of the landmark Rucho v. League of Women Voters of North Carolina (also known as Rucho v. Common Cause) Supreme…, Ultimately, the Supreme Court ruled that gerrymandering based on political party was not unconstitutional. What does this mean for voters? The case…, Tell us about your current work with the Southern Coalition for Social Justice (SCSJ). What made you decide to be a lawyer and focus on voting…
Legal Trends to Watch in 2022 (Blog) 3/15/2022 With the new year comes more litigation. In the past year, the League has continued our work of fighting against anti-voter bills and purges,…, Recently, the League had two wins in Ohio in Adams v. DeWine and League of Women Voters of Ohio v. Ohio Redistricting Commission. Both lawsuits…