Democracy is facing uncertainty at the national level, but here in California, the League is taking action. Whether it's through local leadership, statewide advocacy, or strengthening our own infrastructure, we’re proving that real change starts in our communities. In this issue, you’ll find opportunities to connect, learn, and take action—from an inspiring conversation with League members elected to local office to updates on our legislative priorities and our upcoming biennial convention. Now is the time to stay engaged, and together, we’ll continue building a democracy that works for all.
Local Power, National Impact: Cities on the Frontlines of Democracy
With incessant attacks on our nation's democracy making daily headlines, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Many of our California cities, however, should also be making headlines. Cities are doing all they can to uphold democracy, and real change is happening at the local level—change that aligns with our values of inclusion, community, and equity. We are proud that some of our Leaguers have recently been elected to serve their cities, and they are stepping up to defend democracy, protect rights, and drive policy that ripples across the nation.
Join us on March 30 for a powerful conversation with three League members recently elected to local office:
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Adena Ishii – Mayor of Berkeley
- Lorrel Plimier – Piedmont City Council
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Natalya Zernitskaya – Santa Monica City Council
Our three panelists will share why local government is more important than ever, what they're working on locally to defend democracy, and why strengthening democracy starts at the community level.
Tickets for this unique event are only $10. Get tickets and learn more!
Our Biennial Convention is Virtual!
Every two years, the California membership gathers at the LWVC Convention to craft our policy priorities for the next two years, to enlighten each other by sharing our successes and learnings, to inspire a new generation of League leaders, and to celebrate our shared passion for making California a well-governed and vibrant state.
This year, our Convention will be held virtually from June 17-22, with workshops throughout the week. We will focus on bringing League members together to learn, share, and energize our membership as we continue to work toward strengthening democracy. More information will be available at lwvc.org/convention. We hope to see you there!
The 2025 legislative session has begun, and LWVC is already tracking key bills on reproductive rights, immigration, and voting rights.
We continue to lead in key areas. A few of our early sponsored pieces of legislation are:
- SJR 1 (Wiener): Calls for California to rescind past requests for an Article V Constitutional Convention, which could threaten core protections in the U.S. Constitution.
- Campaign Finance Reform: A new bill aims to let voters decide in 2026 whether to lift California’s ban on public financing of campaigns, reducing special interest influence and increasing candidate diversity.
- Voting in Jails: After last year’s veto of AB 544 (Bryan), we are exploring bringing back in-person voting in jails as a state budget request.
Find our latest bill positions in the Bill Status Report or check out the Advocacy Dashboard to learn more. Interested in joining our advocacy team? Email sjorgensen [at] lwvc.org (Savannah Jorgensen).
Coming Soon! In March, we’re launching a 3-part webinar series on key issues affecting California communities. Stay tuned for details!
MyLO: Simplifying Website Management for League Chapters
The League of Women Voters of California (LWVC) supports over 150 of the more than 800 local League chapters across the country with their website needs. MyLO, or My League Online, is a special website service created specifically for League of Women Voters chapters. This platform allows them to easily manage their websites without needing deep technical skills, offering an affordable and user-friendly experience.
League-wide, we are currently transitioning to a new way of handling membership dues through what we call the membership transformation. To assist with this change, the MyLO team provides guidance, resources, and dedicated sessions where Leagues can ask questions and learn how to update their websites to align with the new membership system. The MyLO team is dedicated to helping our subscribing Leagues through any issues their websites may face!
If you have questions about MyLO, email mylo [at] lwvc.org.
