FAQ

WHERE DID THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS COME FROM?

Had its roots in the Women Suffrage movement, 1850 to 1920.
Women got the vote in 1920 when the 19th amendment was ratified.
Once women got the vote, they formed the League of Women Voters to promote knowledgeable voting among women.
League has expanded to include men, anyone of voting age. The name has not changed because if we release the name " League of Women Voters," anyone can use it.

WHAT IS THE BASIC STRUCTURE OF THE LWV?
1. Tax-Exempt Nonprofit Organization - pays no taxes on its income.
2. Three levels of League local (LWVPPR), state (LWVCO), national (LWVUS).
3. Mission Statement same for each level:The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages the informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy."
4. Distinction between education (501c(3)) and advocacy (501c(4)).
5. Education activities use contributions that are tax-deductible for the donor, BUT the money has to be given directly to the LWV Education Fund. (Ballot pros and cons; voter registration; candidate forums; voters guides.)
6. Advocacy activities use funds that are not tax-deductible, such as member dues. We lobby for issues on which the League has achieved consensus. Study always precedes consensus, and our advocacy positions are based on consensus.
WHAT'S THIS I HEAR ABOUT LWVPPR'S UNIQUE TEAM STRUCTURE?
1. History Most local Leagues have a Board of Directors, elected to 2-year terms, to conduct the general business of the organization. Until 1999, LWVPPR had a board. However, it became increasingly difficult to find someone to serve as President. We looked at a model originated by the Larimer County league, which is based on an Administrative Team. We studied their methods, documented them and gave them serious consideration. Because we are a larger League, we had to modify their model to suit our needs. We drafted the necessary bylaws changes, which were adopted at the April 1999 annual meeting.
2. Admin Team functions - Each year, each member of the Admin Team selects from a set of functions, which they then serve for the year. (Examples may be seen in the Voter.)
3. There are certain offices that are legally required for nonprofit organizations. To meet this requirement, the Admin Team serves as the legal Board of Directors; the Spokesperson serves as President; and the Financial Officer serves as Treasurer.
4. As part of the reorganization, we organized all our League activities into Teams and Committees. (This may be seen in a chart in the every-member handbook.)
5. Each year at the Annual Meeting we vote on what is called "program," meaning the issues we are going to be focusing on in the coming year (May to April is our year). Individual members form teams to accomplish each of the selected program items such as county government, parks, caucus study. A study or action team MUST have five members, or that aspect of the adopted program is simply dropped.
6. We also have organizational support teams, which require only three members (although there is usually enough work for many more team members).
7. Committees pick up the very routine jobs such as bylaws review and mailing of the Voter. Most of the committees are ad hoc, meaning they are formed only when needed.
8. Finally, we have informal interest groups that form just for discussion purposes. From these, new program items often emerge, to be adopted in future years.
9. We have about 150 members locally.
HOW DOES MEMBERSHIP WORK?
1. Dues are generally paid locally, and are $60 per year. A household membership is $90 per year.
2. Everyone renews in September. Those joining between Feb 1 and July 31 pay only $30.00, and then pay the normal $60 that September when they renew. We also accept donations!
WHAT MEMBERSHIP TOOLS ARE AVAILABLE?
1. Local, state, and national Voters Bulletins that come out periodically to inform you of events at the local, state, and national levels. The local Voter lists all our meetings, along with the contact person for the associated team.
2. LWVPPR Member Handbook Lists all the information you need for planning the year, including local, state, and national positions on issues; budget; member roster; bylaws; and a general calendar for the year. Published each fall.
3. LWVCO Handbook shows how issue decisions are made, how we reach consensus.
4. LWVPPR Guidebook A manual available to every member, either electronically (free) or hardcopy ($15). Takes you through the procedures for everything the local league will do during any given year. The Guidebook is a living document, in that there is still in place a Policies and Procedures Committee, which updates the Guidebook whenever needed.
5. Legislative Letter A periodical published every two weeks during the state Legislative session. It tracks bills of interest to the League. Subscriptions are $17 per year, but only $10 if you subscribe to the e-mail version. Prices subject to change.
6. Member Profile Form We maintain a member database indicating each member's stated interests. It is particularly helpful when we need to find people with specific skills, such as public speaking, producing labels, or database management.
7. Local Web Site www.lwvppr.org.
WHAT KIND OF EXPECTATIONS DO NEW MEMBERS HAVE?
1. New members have a variety of expectations, and we understand that most people have limited time to devote to activities outside of their family and job. We make every effort to accommodate their particular areas of interest.
  1. Some want to learn about the political process, how to affect policy.
  2. Some want to meet new people with similar interests.
  3. Some are interested in specific issues such as transportation, trade, or water.
  4. Some want to be involved in League study groups.
  5. Some want to help register new voters, or to encourage younger voters to get involved.
  6. Some want to help with our outreach at numerous community events.
2. Often people become members but are not able to actively participate. They choose to support LWV financially because they believe in the League's purpose and goals. We understand this, we value their membership, and we make a point of not intruding if they say they just can't be active.
HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?
1. Attend an Orientation meeting. (You're essentially doing that by reading this document.)
2. Read the Voter. In addition to the calendar, the Voter contains articles about the activities of various study and action teams. If you find a team of interest, call the contact person for that team. They should be able to adjust their meeting schedule if you show interest but cannot meet at their normal time.
3. Attend a variety of team meetings to determine which best meets your needs and interests. Call the contact person to say you'd like to attend.
4. Peruse the Volunteer Opportunities section of the Guidebook. (It will be available to you after you join.) If you don't have time to take on a big project, there are committees where you might want to serve, which meet only certain times of the year.
5. Participate in our social activities. We hold a couple of potlucks during the year, typically one associated with Equality Day (August 26) and one for the holidays. Spouses and even children may attend these, depending on the location.
6. Participate in some of LWVCO's functions. Those of most general interest are the Legislative Conference each January, the State Convention (in odd numbered years), State Council (in even numbered years), and League Day (late September).
7. Special Projects The League is involved in many special projects that may take only a few hours to complete. These projects are especially good for people who are not able to be part of a team, but do want to participate. The League welcomes all new members and we believe that there is an activity for all members that will satisfy their expectations and also help make the League more vibrant so that we can continue to have an impact on our community.