Program Planning
Our grassroots process for choosing the League Program for 2024-2026!
What is Program?
Program is the heart of the League of Women Voters and the basis for both education and action. Program consists of governmental and public policy issues chosen by members for study, consensus, and ultimate action. Action can be taken only after study, which must include factual research, member discussion, and member agreement (consensus). Ultimately, Program is the education and advocacy platform that the League of Women Voters adopts biannually at Convention to move our mission forward. Local and state positions must correspond to national positions. LWVCO reviews Positions for Action yearly, and LWVD can initiate study or adopt positions at Annual Meeting.
What is Action?
Action is a broad term; it can mean educating members and the public during briefings, testifying before a local governing body, expressing League opinions in the media or in letters to officials, holding town meetings, or simply talking to a friend about LWV positions. League action in support of League positions may be taken only in those areas where there is member understanding and agreement.
Where Can You Find Program?
National, state and local Leagues maintain Program documentation. These program resources provide the official statements of positions for each program area and briefly traces significant past actions and achievements and indicate links among positions. A clear understanding of LWV positions, how they interrelate and how they can complement and reinforce state, local and national positions, will strengthen the League’s ability to impact issues at all levels of government.
These are the program books from each level of the League:
LWVUS: Impact on Issues
LWVCO: 2022 Issues for Action LWVCO. Some past studies and important links are also collected on the Resources: Study Issues page.
LWVD: Denver Local Program and on our Advocacy page.
Program Planning Glossary (LWVUS)
What Happens Now?
In early 2024, we will work to choose our program recommendations to send to LWVUS. The LWVUS Program Committee carefully reviews the survey results and makes a report to the LWVUS Board which votes to support a selection of the program recommendations. The LWVUS proposed League program is then posted on lwv.org and shared with members according to the LWVUS bylaws. League delegates to the LWVUS Convention follow the process set by LWVUS bylaws to debate, consider, and vote to adopt recommended program items and non-recommended items. A similar review process will happen at the state level on Positions for Action.