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Friend, 

With more primary elections just around the corner, the League will continue to remain one of the most trusted organizations for voters. As Leagues gear up for November, LWVUS has created a series of election rapid response resources, from fighting voter intimidation and building a rapid response network to guidance on how to publicly respond on election issues. Do not forget, you can always find more election resources on the League Management Site. 

Additionally, a few weeks ago, the US Senate reintroduced the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (JLVRAA), which would restore provisions stripped from the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and prevent voter discrimination. Our mission is to empower voters and defend democracy, but we cannot do it alone: we need Congress to support the passage of the JLVRAA. We recently created a template for your local and state League to use to contact your members of Congress and ask them to support the JLVRAA. Access the template and review guidance on the League Management Site.

This morning, I shared Dr. Turner’s 2024 State of the League speech with all members via email. This speech is her final message to LWV membership. Among Dr. Turner’s many powerful and important words in this speech, she declares 2024 the “year of the first-time voter.” Dr. Turner was so excited to promote this concept among Leagues this year, and as we continue to honor her legacy, Leagues are welcome to join us in this proclamation. Feel free to use these social media graphics to engage first-time voters in your community. 

In other League news, I look forward to seeing many of you this June for our National Convention in Washington, DC. If you have not already done so, you can register on our Convention website. Local and state Leagues can host caucus and workshop sessions at Convention, with spaces available in-person and virtually. If you are interested in hosting a session, complete the application form before the deadline closes next Friday, March 29. Additionally, to assist Leagues in preparing for Convention, LWVUS launched a three-part webinar series to assist members in the Program Planning process. Our final webinar outlining the proposed program and process leading up to Convention is coming up next week. Interested members can register here. 

In League,

Sania

See all upcoming events on the League Management Site.

LWVUS is actively advocating in support of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (JLVRAA), but we need your help to elevate your unique perspectives from your state and local levels of government. Please use this template to write a letter to your members of Congress in support of the JLVRAA. As with all federal actions taken by state and local Leagues, communication is only permitted with the members of Congress who directly represent your jurisdiction.

• Blog: Empowering Women at the Ballot Box: Breaking Down Ballot Box Barriers With Help From VoteRiders
• Blog: REPORT: Trends from 2023's Legislative Sessions 

In early January of this year, LWVUS began preparations for Dr. Turner's annual State of the League speech. We had no idea when she recorded this video at the end of January that these would be Dr. Turner’s final words to the League. They are now even more meaningful than before. Members are invited to watch Dr. Turner’s last speech on our YouTube channel.

Our Convention website includes all up-to-date information on our National Convention and a link to the registration form. For those interested in applying for a caucus or workshop the deadline has been extended to March 29.

The groups.io platform for Program Planning is live and available for League members to review all program ideas and proposals for the 2024 National Convention.

New tools on our upcoming membership system changes are available on the ChapterSpot Resources page under “Communicating with Members.” These resources include sample text for newsletters or emails sent to members, as well as an additional document that provides more context, particularly for Leagues looking to prepare their members to vote on bylaws changes.

• Letter: LWVUS Joins Letter to Congress Supporting DC Autonomy 
• Letter: LWVUS Joins Letter to Congress Urging Increased Funding for HHS’ Office for Civil Rights

• Last week, LWVUS and the League of Women Voters of New Hampshire filed a federal lawsuit against the AI robocalls that happened ahead of the state's presidential primary. Learn more: The League of Women Voters is suing those involved in robocalls sent to New Hampshire voters.
• The League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Tulsa, OK, registered 75 new citizens to vote after their naturalization ceremony. Read here: 75 individuals become US citizens at Tulsa's first naturalization ceremony of 2024.
• The League of Women Voters in Albany, Rensselaer, and Saratoga counties launched a campaign to promote the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment to the New York State Constitution. Learn more: Local League of Women Voters unite to promote NYS Equal Rights Amendment.

Special Notifications: To help keep members informed, LWVUS sends this bi-weekly, internal email newsletter to state and local League presidents, as well as other highly engaged League members. The League Update includes important announcements about upcoming trainings and webinars, grant opportunities, messaging resources, stories from Leagues nationwide, and surveys to help LWVUS serve Leagues better. This newsletter is curated for League members specifically and is not intended for public consumption or distribution. 

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