Advocacy vs Education

The League wears two hats: one is advocacy and the other is education, including voter service. Avoiding confusion on the separation of advocacy and education is difficult. Please refer to the following information to make this distinction easier to understand and implement.

LWV MISSION STATEMENT

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

How can the League take a position on an issue and provide unbiased information on that same issue? The League is nonpartisan because we do not support or oppose any political party, candidates or elected officials. If the League takes a position on an issue, the advocacy activities work to influence citizens. Voter service activities are separate and work to educate citizens by providing them with unbiased information regarding governmental issues.

Non-partisanship is the foundation for the League’s highly regarded and valued reputation as a source of accurate and unbiased information on governmental issues and elections. Political YES! Partisan NO!

Can a League advocate on a high profile election issue and still remain nonpartisan? Yes! It is essential that members who are visible in an advocacy campaign should not be involved in education activities. Conversely, voter service chairs should not be involved in advocacy activities. When in the public arena, always keep the two activities separate. Voter Service information may not describe League positions and may not advocate for or against specific legislation or ballot issues, especially at community-wide meetings.

In its advocacy role, the League supports or opposes issues based on positions the League holds important. These positions are determined after study, discussion and consensus. They are then published in the LWVUS Impact on Issues, LWVCO Program for Study and Action and local League program books. The decision to support or oppose current issues must be in compliance with positions found in these booklets. The state board, with input from local Leagues, makes decisions on state-wide ballot issues while local Leagues make those decisions on local issues at the county or local level.

Over the years, the LWVCO has successfully initiated and passed many major citizen initiatives:

· 1972 -- The Sunshine Law required public officials to disclose their private interests, lobbyists to register and to file periodic informational statements and that all state meetings be open to the public.

· 1984 -- Motor Voter allowed voter registration when applying for a driver’s license.

· 1988 -- GAVEL (Give a Vote to Every Legislator) eliminated the House Rules Committee, the binding caucus and required every bill to have a hearing and vote.

EDUCATION and VOTER SERVICE

The role of education is to provide citizens with information and does not advocate or take a position on issues. The League voter service activities inform citizens about current issues providing unbiased, factual information to assist in making an educated voting decision. The League does this through the Ballot Issues pamphlet, Your Voice, Your Vote, an election information pamphlet and Send a Message a directory of elected officials, to name a few.

Voter service activities are a source of accurate, unbiased, nonpartisan information on governmental issues and elections. Over the years, League has successfully educated the public through various methods and activities including: