The League of Women Voters of New Castle County (LWVNCC) President Richard Johnson's message for April 2024 is included below...

I felt that this issue of the Voter should review the League of Women Voters action items. Below are the key areas that we as an organization support and are focused on achieving.

Protect Our Youth from Climate Change
Climate change and its effects threaten the physical, psychological, and economic well-being of our nation. It disproportionately impacts vulnerable communities, including youth, who have contributed the least to climate change-causing emissions.

The League of Women Voters (LWV) believes that climate change is a serious threat facing our nation and planet. LWV supports climate goals and policies consistent with the best available climate science to ensure a stable climate system for future generations.

Defend Equal Access to the Ballot
More than 50 years after the Voting Rights Act was passed, full protections for voting rights are not guaranteed for all voters. While we have made progress in expanding voter access, many people still face challenges to participating in elections due to factors including income, health, age, race, disability, and gender.

Increased accessibility to the electoral process ensures that every eligible voter can exercise their right to vote. Congress must know how the people feel: empowering eligible voters to cast their ballot strengthens our democracy.

Tell Congress That Equality Belongs in the Constitution
More than 100 years after some women gained the right to vote, people in the United States are still not constitutionally guaranteed equality based on sex. The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) will update the US Constitution to protect the equality of rights under the law regardless of sex. The ERA has met all ratification requirements, and now we are urging Congress to act to ensure that the ERA is published.

In April 2023, the Senate brought this resolution to the floor. A bipartisan majority of senators supported it but failed to reach the 60-vote threshold to overcome a filibuster. We will keep pushing to gain support for this resolution in both chambers of Congress, but we need YOUR help.

Encourage Democrats and Republicans to Work Together for the Vote
More than 50 years after the Voting Rights Act was passed, full protections for voting rights are not guaranteed for all voters.

The history of voting rights is largely one of bipartisan cooperation. For example, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) has been reauthorized every time with support from representatives and Presidents from both political parties. This landmark piece of civil rights legislation responded to legal barriers at the state and local levels that prevented Black voters from exercising their right to vote. It remains necessary to this day to prevent voter discrimination.

Tell Democrats and Republicans to work together on voting rights.
The time has come for the US Congress to return power to the people. Corporations and wealthy individuals should not have the power to make undisclosed political contributions that influence elections. Disclosure of large political spending should be the bare minimum requirement to provide voters with critical information about who is spending money in our federal elections.

-- Dick Johnson