LWV Core Principle: Citizen’s Right to Vote
Voting is a fundamental right that must be guaranteed; all eligible citizens should have equal access to register and vote and have their votes counted.
Key Positions Related to Voting Rights
Election Administration and Access
- Voter registration: Support accessible, accurate systems (including same‑day or automatic registration where feasible) while protecting roll integrity.
- Early, absentee, and mail voting: Support secure, accessible options to expand participation.
- Polling place management: Ensure properly staffed, supplied, accessible polling places with fair provisional ballot procedures.
- Ballot security & counting: Transparent chain of custody, secure handling, reliable tabulation, and post‑election audits.
Legal Protections & Enforcement
- Support federal and state laws and enforcement mechanisms to prevent disenfranchisement and ensure equal access; back remedies including litigation and federal intervention when necessary.
Redistricting and Apportionment
- Apportionment based substantially on populations; oppose partisan gerrymandering; support independent/nonpartisan commissions; public participation, transparency, and objective criteria; protect minority rights.
- Advocate for fair maps and remedies to protect minority voting strength and prevent dilution of votes
LWV Core Principle: Representative Government
Promote election protections that support open government that is representative, accountable, and responsive.
Key Positions Related to Election Protection
Election Administration and Access
- Voter registration: Support accessible, accurate systems (including same‑day or automatic registration where feasible) while protecting roll integrity.
- Early, absentee, and mail voting: Support secure, accessible options to expand participation.
- Polling place management: Ensure properly staffed, supplied, accessible polling places with fair provisional ballot procedures.
- Election Observers and Poll Monitoring: support standards for fair observation and monitoring.
- Ballot security & counting: Transparent chain of custody, secure handling, reliable tabulation, and post‑election audits.
- Post‑Election Audits and Recounts: support audits to ensure accuracy
- Nonpartisan election administration with adequate resources and training
Legal Protections & Enforcement
- Support federal and state laws and enforcement mechanisms to prevent disenfranchisement and ensure equal access; back remedies including litigation and federal intervention when necessary.
Redistricting and Apportionment
- Apportionment based substantially on populations; oppose partisan gerrymandering; support independent/nonpartisan commissions; public participation, transparency, and objective criteria; protect minority rights
- Advocate for fair maps and remedies to protect minority voting strength and prevent dilution of votes.
Money in Politics
- Advocate for campaign finance reform to mitigate the influence of money in politics.
- Support protections that mitigate undue influence on electoral integrity and political equality
Citizen’s Right to Know / Citizen Participation
- Support nonpartisan voter education, public information about procedures and ballot content, and measures that promote informed participation.
LWV Core Principle: the Constitution Guarantees Individual Liberties
Individual rights now protected by the Constitution should not be weakened or abridged.
Key Positions related to Individual Liberties
Civil rights and Equal Protection
- Support for nondiscrimination laws and enforcement
- Protections across race, sex, religion, national origin, disability, and socioeconomic status
Voting and Political Rights
- Universal access to the ballot
- Protection of political participation and free expression in civic processes.
Freedom of Expression, Assembly, Press, and Religion
- Defense of free speech and press freedoms
- Protection of rights to assemble, protest, and petition government
- Support for religious liberty balanced with nondiscrimination obligations
Reproductive Health and Bodily Autonomy
- Protect the constitutional right of privacy to individuals to make choices oon reproductive health care including abortion and contraception
- Support for access to abortion where it is allowed by law and protections for physician and patient decision-making
- Privacy and confidentiality in health care decisions
Criminal Justice and Due Process
- Protection of constitutional rights (search/seizure, counsel, speedy trial)
- Fair policing, accountability and oversight
- Limits on pretrial detention, excessive sentencing and punitive practices
- Protection against discriminatory enforcement and racial profiling.
Immigrant and Refugee Rights
- Due process and humane treatment in detention and removal proceedings
- Protection of family unity and access to counsel
LGBTQ+ Rights and Gender Equity
- Nondiscrimination protections in employment, housing, education, and services
- Protections against harassment and violence
- Access to affirming healthcare and legal recognition of gender identity
Privacy, Surveillance and Technology
- Strong protections for personal data and informational privacy
- Limits on government surveillance
LWV Core Principle: The Constitution creates a balance of power among legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
The powers of the Presidency must be exercised within the constitutional framework of a balance among the three branches of government.
Key Positions related to The Presidency
The direct-popular-vote method for electing the President and Vice President is essential to representative government.
The Electoral College should be abolished.
Support for Separation of Powers
- Preserve congressional oversight, judicial independence and limits on executive overreach
- Checks and balances among branches of government
Support for campaign finance reform to reduce the impact of money in politics and increased campaign transparency
Support for congressional consultation and authorization for use of military force and oversight of national security policy consistent with democratic control
Support for strong ethics rules, disclosure requirements, recusals and restrictions that prevent conflicts of interest for the president, vice president, and administration appointees.
LWV Core Principle: Education is Essential to Democratic Society
Quality education should be accessible to everyone, including supporting programs that enhance educational opportunities, particularly for disadvantaged groups. Education should equip individuals for employment and active citizenship, promoting lifelong learning.
Key Positions Related to Education
Support for equal access to quality education for all children and adults regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation or disability.
LWV Core Principle: Citizen's Right to Housing
All individuals should have equal access to safe, decent, affordable housing. The League believes that housing is a fundamental need and supports policies that promote fair housing opportunities without discrimination. The League emphasizes the importance of community planning that ensures housing is accessible to all, integrating affordable housing within communities to reduce segregation and promote equality.
Key Positions Related to Housing
Support for equal opportunity in housing regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, or disability.
Advocacy for federal, state, and local policies that increase access to safe, decent, and affordable housing.
Support for housing programs that meet the needs of low- and moderate-income families.
Encourage integrated housing patterns to combat segregation.
Promotion of community planning that includes affordable housing development.
Support efforts to eliminate discrimination and barriers in housing access.
LWV Core Principle: A Healthy Environment is Crucial for Community Well-Being
Environmental protection and wise management of natural resources are crucial for the well-being of the community. Public participation in decision-making and reforms encouraging responsible land use are also vital components.
Key Positions Related to Environmental Protection
Support for efforts to address climate change and protect air and water quality.
Support for comprehensive regional and national planning that includes enforceable environmental protections.
Advocacy for preservation and acquisition of open spaces and natural resources.
Promotion of pollution control and waste management programs.
Support for land use policies that encourage sustainable development and conservation.
Endorsement of study and reform of tax policies to promote responsible land use.
Note: ChatGPT summary of information in Impact on Issues: A Summary of Positions of the League of Women Voters 2024-2026. Reviewed for accuracy and edited by Barbara Lamb and Curt Hansman, Co-Presidents of LWVLGA.
