The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization encouraging informed and active participation in government. It influences public policy through education and advocacy.

Unite and Rise 8.5: An Initiative to Defend Democracy

Since the Trump administration took office in January 2025, we’ve seen increased attacks on our democratic systems and a failure by Congress to intervene. Unite & Rise 8.5 aims to build a movement of 8.5 million individuals to unite and rise up against the anti-democratic actions of this administration.  The number 8.5 million is the estimated number of voters it would take to bring about change through nonviolent protest, based on findings from the Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights.  This initiative is part of LWV’s Women Defend Democracy campaign. 

The California Fair Elections Act of 2026 Signed by Governor Gavin Newsom

Governor Gavin Newsom has signed SB 42 (Umberg), the California Fair Elections Act of 2026, and now it will head to the November 2026 ballot. This is a huge milestone. By putting the California Fair Elections Act on the ballot, California has sent a clear message: our democracy belongs to the people. With Senator Tom Umberg’s leadership, the Governor’s signature, and the steadfast commitment of Principal co-authors Senators Allen, Cervantes, Becker, Blakespear, and Stern, along with Assemblymembers Berman, Kalra, Lee, and Pellerin, communities across the state will finally have the chance to decide how campaigns are financed.

For the League of Women Voters of California, this has been a fight many years in the making. We’ve always believed elections should put voters - not big donors - at the center of our democracy. SB 42 moves us closer to that vision, where candidates spend more time listening to voters instead of chasing money. It opens the door for women, people of color, and working-class Californians to have a fairer shot at running and winning, and it strengthens the very foundation of our democracy.

The League was proud to sponsor SB 42 alongside the California Clean Money Campaign and California Common Cause. Together, our coalition worked to put voters back in charge of our elections, reduce the outsized influence of wealthy donors, and restore trust in government.

PROP 50 EASY VOTER GUIDE is available now.