LWV ABC is a 2022 Finalist

LWV ABC is one of three finalist for 2022 Powering Democracy for our efforts in embracing technology to enhance and expand our voter outreach during the last bienium.

LWV ABC submitted the following "Embracing Technology for Voter Services" application:

Since 2020, LWV ABC has embraced new (to us) technologies to enhance our Voter Services activities. 

• Zoom has allowed us to continue voter education through our program meetings.
•  Our new Candidate Forum webpages gave the public a one stop, organized source for all our candidate forums, regardless of which of our cable television or city partners produced the video. 
• Our new YouTube Channel allowed our candidate forums and program videos to reach a wider audience, expanding our audience beyond our existing cable broadcasts and on demand services.
• Google Forms on our webpage allowed the public to submit questions for each of our 53 candidate forums. 
• Our new Instagram account increased our visibility to younger voters, augmenting our already established, active Facebook page. 
• Using the Map the Vote database, and the help of local high school students, LWV ABC sent 750 voter registration information post cards to households with unregistered voters, focusing our efforts on our two cities with the most diverse population. 
• Our student fellow, recognizing a need for young adults to “not feel stupid” when voting in person for the first time, created a video to share with her school using Webdeo technology.
•  QRC codes helped us quickly register graduating seniors at a high school graduation cap and gown pick-up. 
• Sign-Up Genius helped us organize volunteers for a return to some in-person outdoor voter registration at community events during the summer of 2021. 
• Electronic billboards at local libraries and purchased and created using BLIP on major highways helped us spread the word about National Voter Register Day. 
• Expanding our concept of “press” to include cable television resulted in three unique news stories about National Voter Registration Day featuring LWV ABC members on three different local cable channels.

The two other finalists are LWV of Amarillo and LWV of Southern Monmouth County.  LWV of Amarillo sent 40,000 voting reminder postcards to low turnout precincts,  resulting in increased turnout in all targeted precincts -- some of them by over 50% compared to the 2018 general election, and over 4 times the turnout of the 2020 primary elections.  LWV of Southern Monmouth County created "Energizing Young Voters" which offers a suite of nonpartisan, issue-agnostic programs designed to create a new generation of lifelong, active voters and engaged citizens. 

The Powering Democracy Awards will be presented at the 2022 Convention in recognition of Leagues for their work exemplary over the past biennium. This category showcases how Leagues activated their grassroots network to empower voters and advocate change around key issues, such as protecting voting rights or increasing voter registration and turnout.

Update:  Monmouth League Of Women Voters Wins National Award