Public Policy Issues
Find our updated positions in the Guide to State Action 2023-2025.
Click here for the National Public Policy Positions in the LWVUS Impact on Issues.
LWVMO’s top legislative priority is ensuring that laws encourage and protect all citizens’ fundamental right to vote and ensure free and fair elections at all levels. The top advocacy priorities for 2023 are:
- Citizen initiative petition
- Reproductive freedom
- Campaign finance
- Public education and local control of curriculum
- Gun Safety
- Access to affordable health care
- Environmental protection and climate policy
- Sound budget and tax policies
Other issues for members include equal rights and pay equity and public libraries.
To learn about a new LWVUS initiative to adopt the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact and eventually abolish the electoral college, go to Turn Up for One Person, One Vote! (youtube.com). Click here for a brochure from LWVUS.
The League of Women Voters is nonpartisan, but, after study, we arrive at positions on issues and advocate for or against particular policies in the public interest. League members take action on an issue or advocates for a cause when there is an existing League position that supports the issue or speaks to the cause.
Positions result from a process of study. Any given study, whether it be National, State, or Local, is thorough in its pursuit of facts and details. As the study progresses, a continuing discussion of pros and cons of each situation occurs. Prior to the results of the study being presented to the general membership, study committee members fashion consensus questions that are then addressed by the membership.
Additional discussion, pro and con, takes place as members (not part of the study committee) learn the scope of the study. After the members reach consensus, the board forms positions based on that consensus.
It is the consensus statement — the statement resulting from the consensus questions — that becomes a position. Firm action or advocacy can then be taken on the particular issue addressed by the position. Without a position, action/advocacy cannot be taken.
