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The League Update

April 23, 2020

Meredith,

This week is National Volunteer Week! Thank all of you for your commitment to the League’s mission. Our volunteers’ dedication has fueled the League for 100 years and is what will help us continue for 100 more.

We especially would like to thank you all for continuing to push work forward in unique ways amid the coronavirus outbreak. LWVUS staff has created resources to support the work that is being done in the field while we are practicing physical distancing. How to Use LWVUS Positions for Advocacy in Light of COVID-19 and Guidance for Voter Registration Activities During COVID-19 are available on the League Management Site. Our Coronavirus Prevention Guidance for Leagues is being updated as we develop new resources to help support Leagues. Please continue to refer to these guides as we navigate this unique time.

Additionally, the LWVUS Board and staff have been observing the COVID-19 pandemic closely and considering how it could impact our upcoming 54th LWVUS Convention. This was far from an easy decision but with the health and safety of our members as our primary concern, we have decided to transition Convention to a virtual event.

We are still working through the details of hosting Convention virtually and are dedicated to making this a celebratory and productive experience. All news about Convention can be found on the League Management Site and we will provide further announcements and instructions as we have them.

In League,

Chris

Making Democracy Work Campaign

In the Know: The Rise in Voter Purge Litigation

Leagues around the country have seen a rise in voter purge litigation over the past few years. State and local Leagues have joined litigation in response to actions filed by third-party think tanks seeking to force voter roll purges. Leagues have also initiated lawsuits to ensure that voter list maintenance practices are done reasonably and in compliance with the National Voter Registration Act. The NVRA requires list maintenance be undertaken with due care and respect for the right to vote. Read our blog.

League Joins Efforts to Support Funding in 4th COVID-19 Stimulus

LWVUS has actively been supporting additional measures for inclusion in the next emergency funding stimulus bills related to the coronavirus. The provisions the League support cover $4 billion in elections funding, economic measures, access to broadband internet, support for the classification of the District of Columbia as a state, and support for families in need of financial or healthcare assistance no matter their immigration or economic status. Read a summary and get links to the full letters.

Register Now: Beginner’s Guide to Social Media Tools Training!

In coordination with the expertise of all teams at the national office, the Organizing team will continue its bi-weekly training series with the help of the Communications Department! On May 7th from 3-4pm ET, we will be offering a training through GoToWebinar that focuses on the basics for how to use your available social media platforms to maximize your presence, power, and reach! Register today! For the latest updates on organizing trainings and resources to build League power, visit the League Management Site!

Resources for Voter Registration during COVID-19

Leagues’ in-person voter registration activities are heavily affected by unfolding events. We have compiled these tips for helping Leagues carry out virtual voter registration campaigns, including utilizing the 50-state tool available on VOTE411.org. For those working to continue high school or community college voter registration through virtual learning, we have created a Virtual High School Voter Registration Lesson that can be shared with the educators or presented virtually by League leaders to students.

April Policy Webinar: Update on Democracy Issues

Join us on April 28th at 3PM EST for a briefing on federal legislation on democracy reform. This webinar will walk you through the status of current democracy related bills such as H.R.4 and H.R. 1, planning advocacy for the next session of congress, and what you can do right now to make sure your voice is heard on democracy issues. Register for the webinar.

Talking Points: Protecting and Expanding In-person Voting and Vote-by-mail

Although large numbers of Americans will vote by mail this year, in-person voting options remain essential for the 2020 elections to be truly fair and accessible. Use these talking points when discussing the League strategy of making voting more flexible and providing options for voters.

League Co-Hosting Virtual Town Halls on Democracy

The League is working with the Declaration for American Democracy coalition to support virtual town halls in five states around the country. The town halls are pairing elected leaders, activists, and key elections officials to talk about how we can all work together to win funding and reforms to protect our democracy. The next town hall is Thursday, April 23 in Maine. Additional town halls are being scheduled in NC, AZ, GA, and CO. View the schedule and details.

The Census and Coronavirus

This is my favorite question to ask my friends, family, co-workers, and colleagues across the country when checking in on them as they work or stay at home. In these times of uncertainty and physical distancing, standing together with our communities is more important than ever. And it is so easy to take the census right from your own home. There are three ways that you can fill out the 2020 Census questionnaire, and the ways to do in compliance with social distancing protocols.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Now Accepting Applications for New Training and Grant Opportunity

In May we will be launching a new training program and grant opportunity with a focus on Equitable Leadership. Participating Leagues will receive access to online training provided by Leaderosity and a one-time $500 grant to help expand DEI efforts. Key goals of this program are to strengthen and support Leagues’ DEI work through training and financial support, build programs that incorporate DEI goals to support long term sustainability and further our mission, and enhance data tracking to amplify our story.

The program is limited to 50 Leagues and we are asking all interested to complete an application. Applications are due by May 14 and can be completed online.

The Untold Story of Women of Color in the League of Women Voters

On May 6 at 7pm ET, the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts will host Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins for a webinar about her new book, "The Untold Story of Women of Color in the League of Women Voters." Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins was the first (and so far, only) African American woman to hold the position of President of LWV. Her book explores the ways women of color have been marginalized and recognizes how their contributions will positively influence the League as it moves into its next 100 years. To register, please click here.

We want to hear from you!

Is your League embracing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in a new way? Do you have a special interest in this topic or expertise to share? The LWV DEI Committee, chaired by Dr. Deborah Turner, wants to hear from you. Share your questions, story, or feedback by email to cdavis@lwv.org. 

News of the Week

•	This week our CEO, Virginia Kase was announced as a board member of the Democracy Initiative, a coalition of organizations working toward a bright future in which all Americans participate fully and freely in the democratic process. Read more from Virginia and get to know some of the other leaders and organizations that are part of this great collaboration.
•	LWV of Virginia, ACLU, and the ACLU of Virginia are suing the Commissioner and the State Board of Elections in the state of Virginia to remove the witness requirement to cast absentee ballots in the upcoming election. Read what Deb Wake, the LWV of Virginia’s president, wrote about the case.
•	Yesterday the Arkansas Voters First and the Campaign Legal Center filed a lawsuit to amend the petition signature requirements for their redistricting ballot initiative due to the coronavirus outbreak. Read about their lawsuit.

Advocacy

League Supports H.Res 908, Denouncing Asian American discrimination

The League joined a letter drafted on behalf of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA), the Democracy Initiative, and more than 150 undersigned organizations to denounce the continued increase in racist attacks and discrimination against the Asian American community, and to express our support for H.Res. 908, introduced by Representative Grace Meng (D-NY-6) and its Senate companion to be introduced by Senators Kamala Harris (D-CA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) which condemn all forms of anti-Asian sentiment related to COVID19. Read the letter.

April 22 Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day!

Earth Day is a day meant to inspire all Americans to celebrate the living organisms that make up the environment around us and generate action to protect the planet. Since the founding of the League, we have been focused on protecting the environment and we continue to do important work in this area. Read our blog for recommendations on how you can strive to protect the earth every day.

Advocacy Guidance for Virtual Transparency of Government Bodies

LWVUS has put together guidance for Leagues to use when working with state legislatures or other government bodies regarding virtual meetings and transparency. We hope that these guidelines will help Leagues to advocate for open, transparent, and accessible processes for our government in the face of COVID-19 and future emergency situations that require limitation of in-person contact. Read the advisory memo on the League Management Site.

Membership

Convention Announcement

The LWVUS Board and staff have been observing the COVID-19 pandemic closely and considering how it could impact our upcoming 54th LWVUS Convention scheduled to be held at the end of June.

This was far from an easy decision but with the health and safety of our members as our primary concern, we have decided to transition Convention to a virtual event.   

While it is unfortunate that we cannot gather in person to celebrate our 100th Anniversary and all of the amazing work our Leagues have done over the past two years we are grateful to have technology available to us that will allow us to gather virtually. We are dedicated to making this a celebratory and productive experience.  Registration for the virtual Convention will open in early May and we will provide further announcements and instructions as we have them. 

More details can be found on the League Management Site.

Managing the Security of Your Website

Apple is changing the way it checks SSL certificates on September 1st of 2020 and even if you have a valid certificate Apple’s Safari browser may display a warning or error message when users visit your site. You can read more below but since SSL is used to encrypt the data between your site and your users the warning messages may cause users to distrust your site. You can use these general instructions to check your certificate. If your certificate is for more than 393 days (1 year and one month) you will need to renew it early with a one year certificate.

Additional Information:

PMP

Fourth-quarter PMP invoices will be mailed on April 24th. Please be aware that any payments received after April 3rd will not be reflected on this invoice.

Staff Highlight

Meet Morgan Murray

Morgan Murray is the Program Coordinator with the League of Women Voters. In this role, Morgan is responsible for administering pass-through grant programs and providing support to state and local Leagues. Morgan volunteered with her local League in college and has worked in non-profit and service organizations, coordinating and facilitating programming to underrepresented and underserved populations. Morgan loves to travel and learn new things.

LEAGUE LEADERS

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