Your Local League

This local chapter of the League of Women Voters covers Orange, Durham and Chatham Counties in North Carolina.

• LWVODC has ongoing studies and programs for citizen education, participation and advocacy.
• A local, state, or national position is arrived at through lengthy membership study of an issue. After the study, a position on the issue is debated and either approved or disapproved by the membership. If a position is approved, the League may then develop advocacy plans to support their position.
• The League sends a monthly electronic update to its membership highlighting its activities and programs.
• Our service to voters includes sponsoring candidates forums, information on ballot initiatives, voter registration, and absentee voting.

Our Mission and Roles

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government. The League influences public policy through education and advocacy. We never support or oppose any political party or candidate and strictly adhere to the League's Nonpartisan Policy.

The League of Women Voters has two separate and distinct roles.

• Voters Service/Citizen Education: we present unbiased nonpartisan information about elections, the voting process, and issues.
• Action/Advocacy: while we are nonpartisan, after studying issues and adopting a position, we use our positions to advocate for or against particular policies in the public interest.

Action and Advocacy

The League of Women Voters takes 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 at the Local, State, and/or National level. 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.

• 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.
• Vertical Action: the ability for the League to act under positions from another League level. It can undertake action at the Local, and/or State level under a National position or positions.