As a people-led nonprofit, the League empowers voters and defends democracy through the impassioned work of our volunteers!

Their dedication has led to incredible accomplishments. In 2024, for example, this included: 

• Making 30 million bilingual voter contacts;
• Protecting the voting rights of nearly 10 million voters;
• Providing election information to 9.19 million people via VOTE411.org;
• Holding nearly 70,000 person-to-person conversations getting out the vote;

And so much more.

We decided to zoom in on the experiences of one of our volunteers, Cori Edgerton. Cori is a voter engagement volunteer for the League of Women Voters of the Red River Valley (North Dakota). A local university library technician, she hosted her League's first-ever National Voter Registration Day event, leads its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) book club, creates its bimonthly newsletter, participates in its election observation program, and assists with voter outreach. She also supports data collection for North Dakota’s VOTE411 voter guide

Read on for more about her volunteer advice, thoughts about the connection between Leagues and libraries, and DEI book suggestions!

What inspired you to start volunteering with LWV?

I was inspired to start volunteering with the League of Women Voters as a way to honor the women who fought tirelessly for our right to vote. I'm passionate about social justice, voting rights, and civic education, and I believe that protecting and expanding access to the ballot is essential to a healthy democracy. 

The League's mission deeply resonates with me. It offers a meaningful way to give back, help educate others, and actively defend the democratic values I care about.

As a library technician, do you see any connections between libraries and LWV? 

Libraries and the League have a lot in common! We both care about informed communities, access to information, and making sure everyone can make their voice heard. Libraries are trusted spaces where people come to learn and connect, and the League helps people get registered, understand the issues, and show up to vote. 

Working together just makes sense. Whether it’s putting on a voter registration event, hosting candidate forums, sharing nonpartisan election info such as VOTE411, or helping folks feel more confident about participating in democracy, we’re all about empowering people. When we team up, good things happen for our communities.

What is it like running your League's DEI book club, and what are some books you'd recommend?

Running the DEI book club for the League of Women Voters of the Red River Valley has been a rewarding experience. It creates a space for shared learning, deeper cultural awareness, and open conversations. 

I select books that explore a wide range of DEI topics and highlight voices from diverse backgrounds. Before each discussion, I remind everyone to engage respectfully and stay open to different perspectives. I come prepared with a few guiding questions, but I also let the conversation unfold naturally, as some of the best insights come from where the group takes it.

The books can take various forms, including fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, essays, and poetry. They address issues related to a wide range of social issues such as race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and socioeconomic status. I recommend the following titles:

• "So You Want to Talk About Race" by Ijeoma Oluo;
• “Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson;
• "Hood Feminism" by Mikki Kendall;
• "Tomorrow Will Be Different" by Sarah McBride;
• “Poverty, by America" by Matthew Desmond;
• "Sister Outsider" by Audre Lorde; and
• “Disability Visibility,” edited by Alice Wong.

What's your favorite memory or proudest accomplishment from your work with LWV?

My proudest accomplishment with the League of Women Voters was leading voter outreach efforts at Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) in Fall 2024. As part of the Student Voter Engagement Taskforce, I collaborated on a campus-wide social media campaign, helped develop a student-focused voter engagement webpage, and created a Civic Engagement LibGuide. 

I also co-hosted a voter registration drive at the Livingston Lord Library in partnership with MSUM Student Senate and supported MSUM’s polling place on Election Day. It was incredibly rewarding to connect with students, share vital voting information, and help foster a more civically engaged campus community.

You've worked on VOTE411's voter guides — what's one crucial service you see VOTE411 providing for its users?

One crucial service VOTE411 provides is acting as a one-stop shop for personalized, nonpartisan election information. By simply entering their address, users can access everything they need to vote with confidence — from candidate comparisons and ballot measures to voter registration deadlines, polling locations, and voting hours. 

Instead of searching across multiple websites, users can find all the essential information in one trusted place. This convenience and clarity are especially valuable for first-time or busy voters who might otherwise feel overwhelmed by the process.

Visit VOTE411

What would you like potential volunteers to know?

I’d like potential volunteers to know that the League of Women Voters is a welcoming, empowering space where your passion for civic engagement can truly make a difference. Whether you’re interested in voter education, advocacy, community outreach, or policy work, there’s a place for your voice and your skills. You don’t need to be an expert — just curious, committed, and ready to learn. The work is meaningful, the community is supportive, and the impact is real. 

Volunteering with LWV is a powerful way to support democracy at the local level and beyond.