LWVAA MISSION STATEMENT:

The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.  

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NON-PARTISAN POLICY:
The League of Women Voters Akron Area may take action on governmental measures and policies based on League Positions.  However, the League of Women Voters, as an organization, shall not support or oppose any political party or candidate.  The League encourages members to work as individuals in the political parties of their choice.  Political activity makes members more valuable to the League because of their political party experience; in turn, League members make valuable political party members because of their League experience.

While the League encourages political party participation by individual members, it must ensure that its actions as an organization, or the actions of those in leadership positions who are recognized in the community as spokespersons for the organization, are not in conflict with the League’s nonpartisanship policy.  To this end, League Board members must exercise care in their political activities during their term of office.

The guiding criterion in determining the appropriate activities for League Board members during their term of office is whether or not the League, as an organization, will become associated with specific political parties or candidates.  As circumstances vary from situation to situation and change over time, guidelines, rather than definitive rules have been established for the conduct of Board members with respect to political activities during their term of office.   

Guidelines

The President, Voter Service Chairperson and any other Board position deemed sensitive by the Board shall not:

·         run for or hold elective public office

·         work actively for a candidate's election campaign 

·         display signs, campaign buttons, etc. for a particular candidate

·         circulate  candidates' nominating petitions

·         engage in any political activity  that might reasonably be construed as League endorsement of a party or candidate

 Examples of political activities that LWVAA Board members may undertake include:

·         attend events to meet a candidate

·         make contributions in their individual name to the party or candidate of their choice

·         work as poll workers

·         sign nominating petitions for candidates

·         circulate petitions for ballot issues that are consistent with League positions 

Political activities of a Board member's spouse/partner or relative are considered to be independent of the political activities of the Board member and are not subject to these guidelines.  However, since the perception of an association of the League with political parties or candidates may be damaging to the reputation of the League for nonpartisanship, care must be taken to ensure that the League, as an organization, is not perceived by the community to be associated with a particular party or candidate. Specific situations in which there are concerns that the League appears to have endorsed a party or candidate shall be evaluated on an individual basis by the Board.                                          

Board members shall present questions about specific situations to the Board where the foregoing guidelines do not resolve the question.

Any announcements of Board members’ resignations or leaves of absence to pursue political activities should be carefully worded to avoid the appearance of endorsement of the activity of the resigning member.

Contributions to the League from individual office holders and candidates will be accepted; contributions from campaign funds will not.

Any LWVAA member engaged in a League activity or assignment shall maintain nonpartisanship in those situations.

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LEAGUE BASICS...Vision, Beliefs and Intentions:

The goal of the League of Women Voters is to empower citizens to shape better communities worldwide.

The League of Women Voters of the United States 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 

We believe in:

• respect for individuals

• the value of diversity

• the empowerment of the grassroots, both within the League and in communities

• the power of collective decision making for the common good

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 

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LWV CORE VALUES:

• We are a nonpartisan political membership organization.

• We believe that grassroots initiatives and consensus building are the strengths of our organization.

• We believe that our organization models the principles of good governance.

• We consider well before taking action and prepare well before beginning to act.

• We believe that citizenship requires knowledge, as well as the ability and will to act.

• We believe that the responsibility of good government rests on the shoulders of its citizens.

• We believe that the rights of citizens at home and abroad are interdependent.

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Glossary of League Lingo:
There are certain terms that are unique to the League of Women Voters- "League Lingo." Some are listed here to help new members.

ACTION: Promoting the League's positions on local, state and national public policy issues to government officials, the media and the public.

ACTION ALERT: Request from the LWVUS or state League to take action in support of a League position.

ANNUAL MEETING: Local year-end business meeting to elect officers and directors, vote on bylaw changes and adopt a budget and program of work for the next year.

ASSOCIATE MEMBER: A non-voting member of the League, such as a person under 18 years of age or a non-citizen.

CONSENSUS: Collective opinion of a substantial number of League members, representative of the membership as a whole, after objective study of an issue.

CONCURRENCE: Agreement by League members with a position on an issue reached by a small group of members or by another League.

CONVENTION: A state or national League meeting held every other year at which delegates elect officers and directors for the biennium, adopt program, make bylaw changes and adopt a budget, usually for one year. Local Leagues send delegates to state convention; local and state Leagues send delegates to national convention.

COUNCIL: An assembly of delegates held in alternate years to adopt a budget and assess program developments. Local Leagues send delegates to state council; state Leagues send delegates to national council.

EDUCATION FUND: The tax-deductible arm of national, state and large local Leagues, handling funds to be used only for educational purposes, not for action on issues.

HONORARY LIFE MEMBER: A person who has been a member for 50 years or more. Life members are excused from dues payment and their Leagues pay no per member payment (PMP) for them.

ILO: Acronym for an Inter-League Organization, formed by local Leagues within a county, metropolitan area or region to act on issues that are beyond the local League area in scope.

PMP: Acronym for Per Member Payment, the amount of money paid to the LWVUS and the state League on behalf of each member.

POSITION: A statement of the League's point of view on an issue, arrived at through member study and agreement (consensus or concurrence), approved by the appropriate board and used as a basis for League action.

PRINCIPLES: Governmental standards and policies supported by the League as a whole. They constitute the authorization for adoption of program at all levels.

PROGRAM: Selected governmental issues chosen by members at the local, state and national levels for study and action.

PROGRAMS: Plans for speakers, discussion or other activities for League meetings.

UNIT: Groupings of members within large local Leagues to provide more opportunity for discussion.
Units may be time-oriented (day, evening, lunch hour), geographically oriented, or both.

VOTERS GUIDE: Nonpartisan publication giving candidates' qualifications and positions on selected issues.

VOTER SERVICE: Year-round activity to help citizens be politically effective and to encourage their participation in the political process. Registering voters and presenting factual, nonpartisan information on candidates and election issues are basic voter service activities.

VOTING MEMBERS: All League members who are U.S. citizens and at least 18 years old.

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DISCLAIMER

This web site and the materials found on the site have been prepared by the League of Women Voters of the Akron Area (LWVAA) for informational purposes only.

• Nothing contained in this site is intended to be confidential and no representations are made about the accuracy or completeness of the information.
   

• Transmission of the information found on the site, and the use of electronic mail associated with the site, are not intended to create or establish, and do not constitute, a privileged relationship between LWVAA and anyone else.
   
• Any links to other sites are provided because we believe they may be useful or informative. We do not intend, and no reader should infer, any endorsement, sponsorship, or recommendation of any of these sites or the information found at those sites by League unless explicitly stated by League.
   

• Any materials found on our site may be downloaded or copied for the personal, noncommercial use of the visitors to our site, provided that all copies bear any copyright, trademark, or other notice posted on the site that is applicable to the copied information.

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