The LWVUS league met for its biennial convention in Columbus, OH in late June with over 1,000 delegates from around the country attending in person or virtually – including 72 delegates from 30 local leagues in Illinois. Representing the Wilmette League (in person) as delegates were Anne Treadway, Maureen Dulen, and Cindy Fey. Cindy also hosted a breakout session on Saturday.
The business of the meeting included the election of new Officers, Directors, and Nominating Committee to serve for the next two years, passage of by-law amendments, and approval of the next Program. The convention elected Sania Irwin, of Illinois as the new President The League reported that it gained over 15,000 new members in the last two years and now holds the status of the largest non-profit voter group in the US.
The Program is what the League commits to working on in the next two years. The new Program is titled “Defending a Democracy Under Siege” and includes six general focus areas: Voting rights, Protecting Elections, Redistricting, Immigration, Individual Rights, and the Presidency. In addition, the convention considered and voted in favor of two “concurrences” on “Respecting the Rights of Immigrants” and Religious Freedom. It also passed positions on several other matters: opposition to privatization of health care, to recognize civil service, to favor DC statehood, to reaffirm the declaration of a constitutional crisis, to favor the national popular vote, to seek appropriate oversight of surveillance technology, and to condemn human trafficking.
The business of the meeting included the election of new Officers, Directors, and Nominating Committee to serve for the next two years, passage of by-law amendments, and approval of the next Program. The convention elected Sania Irwin, of Illinois as the new President The League reported that it gained over 15,000 new members in the last two years and now holds the status of the largest non-profit voter group in the US.
The Program is what the League commits to working on in the next two years. The new Program is titled “Defending a Democracy Under Siege” and includes six general focus areas: Voting rights, Protecting Elections, Redistricting, Immigration, Individual Rights, and the Presidency. In addition, the convention considered and voted in favor of two “concurrences” on “Respecting the Rights of Immigrants” and Religious Freedom. It also passed positions on several other matters: opposition to privatization of health care, to recognize civil service, to favor DC statehood, to reaffirm the declaration of a constitutional crisis, to favor the national popular vote, to seek appropriate oversight of surveillance technology, and to condemn human trafficking.