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THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS |
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Nonpartisan advocacy (letter to the Los Alamos Monitor)During the campaign season many citizens rely on the League of Women Voters to provide unbiased voters’ guides, candidates’ forums, and opportunities for voter registration. We do not endorse candidates. The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan organization that promotes informed and active citizen participation in government. These educational activities are supported by tax-deductible contributions to the League’s Education Fund. The League also seeks to influence public policy through advocacy. We begin at the grassroots level by educating ourselves through study, analysis, and consensus-building to develop the positions that form the basis for our response to specific issues under consideration by our governing bodies. Over the years the League has taken positions in the areas of representative government, international relations, natural resources, and social policy. When lobbying, the League focuses on the merits of the legislation, not on the political affiliation of the sponsors. Contributions used to fund this activity are not tax-deductible and are paid into the League’s General Fund. Examples of our lobbying efforts include clean air legislation and election finance reform at the national level and a state plan to promote the development of a recycling industry in New Mexico. At the local level last year we supported the County Council’s decision to pass the Resolution Concerning the Patriot Act, basing our comments on the national League’s position on citizen rights. Our comments on the Downtown Development Code were based on local positions on affordable housing and sustainability and on the national position on natural resources. Using our sustainability position, we continue to encourage the Utilities Board to promote local generation of renewable energy. At all levels of government we fight for the citizen’s right to know, which is essential for effective participation in government. The positions supporting these actions may be found on our local League web-site, www.lwvlosalamos.org, which also provides links to the state and national sites. Barbara Calef |