The Learning Center offers a way to stay abreast of current topics about our government, voting rights, and the state of our democracy. This page serves as a library for past lectures and virtual events that have been put on by the League.
Library of Events
2024 Events I 2023 Events I 2022 Events I 2021 Events
LWVNC Statewide Briefing & Dialogue on Citizen Initiative, May 14, 2024
Citizen initiatives (CI) give voters a powerful “direct democracy” tool, enabling them to collect signatures and put a proposed law or constitutional amendment directly on the ballot for state voters to consider. About half of states have some form of CI; North Carolina does not. The LWVNC Board authorized a study which is currently underway. The CI Study Group received input in the virtual small- group sessions from League members from across the state.
Briefing: Asher Hildebrand, Associate Professor at the Duke Sanford School of Public Policy, provided a briefing on Citizen Initiative and its role as a direct democracy tool, reviewing pros and cons.
Small Group Dialogue: League members participated in virtual breakout rooms to discuss what they wanted the CI Study Team to consider as their work continues toward a state-wide position on CI.
To learn more, view this Youtube Video of this event.
Today’s Challenges and Victories for Educators and Staff, March 20, 2024
Our guest speaker for this Happy Hour and Hot Topics Zoom event Rani Dasi, a member of the Chapel Hill Carrboro Board of Education, discussed her background, her experiences on the CHCCS Board, and her take on today's challenges and victories for educators and staff. To learn more, view this Youtube video of this event.
NC State & Local Tax Policy Webinar Series, June 6, May 9, April 4, February 20, & January 23
Sponsored by the LWVNC Tax Policy Review Committee
- Working toward Member Agreement, June 6, 2024
Members worked toward member agreement on a revised LWVNC tax policy statement for submission to the LWVNC Board for review and approval. Result: the revision to the LWVNC tax policy position was approved by the state board.
The updated position along with recordings of the webinars and documents offered as information to members prior to the concurrence meeting are available at: State and Local Tax Policy Committee | MyLO (lwv.org)
We appreciate our guest speakers and moderators who shared their expertise and knowledge and others who provided assistance and input to help us build member understanding of the principles that guide good tax policy.
View slides from June’s concurrence session
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Navigating Tax Policies: Insights from Three State League of Women Voters, May 9, 2024
Representatives from SC, VA, and TN State Leagues discussed their respective state tax-policy positions and how successful their advocacy has been. Youtube video of this virtual meeting.
- South Carolina - Dr. Holley Ulbrich, a member and past co-president of the LWV of South Carolina, and a respected economist specializing in SC local and state government revenues
- Virginia - Denise Harrington, a member and current Advocacy Director of the LWV of Virginia. She is a retired school teacher who has advocated for the largest teachers union in Virginia.
- Tennessee - Ethel Detch, a member of the LWV of Tennessee and former legislative and policy analyst for the state auditor’s office
- Benefits and Drawbacks of Lower Corporate Taxes, April 4, 2024. A panel discussion was moderated by Deborah Goldstein, Executive Director, NC Leadership Forum, Duke University. The panelists were:
- Gene McLaurin, Chairman, Economic Development Partnership of NC.
- Holley Ulbrich, Alumni, Distinguished Professor Emerita of Economics, Clemson University
- Alexandra Forter Sirota, Executive Director, NC Budget & Tax Center.
View April's webinar. LWVNC Tax Policy Review Webinar: Benefits and Drawbacks of Lowering Corporate Taxes (youtube.com)
- NC State & Local Tax Policy Equity. February 20, 2024
This is the second in a series of monthly sessions to work to league member agreement on a revised LWVNC tax policy position. Ken Klase, LWV member, provided information on the types of state and local taxation – plus, their pros, cons, and equity issues. View slides (pdf) from webinar. View Youtube video of webinar: LWVNC Tax Policy Review Webinar: The Pros, Cons, and Equity Issues of NC State and Local Tax Policy (youtube.com) Q&A with Ken Lase.
- Drivers, Influencers & Impact, January 23, 2024
The first in a series of monthly sessions to work to member agreement on a revised LWVNC tax policy position. Do you know what is driving NC’s current state and local tax policies, who are the influencers, how state tax legislative proposals are evaluated, and the impact on the state’s economy and residents? To find out the answers to these questions and more, you will want to view this webinar session on YouTube. Alexandra Forter Sirota, Executive Director, NC Budget & Tax Center was the guest speaker. More Information can be found on the LWVNC State and Local Tax Policy webpage.
Citizen Initiatives: The path forward to reforming redistricting, December 13, 2023
All states that successfully reformed redistricting in the current cycle did it through citizen initiative and referendum (CIR). This mechanism enables reformers to collect signatures to put a proposed reform (a law or constitutional amendment) on the ballot without going through the legislature. It is currently not an option in North Carolina. For NC voters to be able to have a CIR option will require amending the NC Constitution.
LWVODC's Jennifer Bremer and Ellen Reckhow will lead a statewide league study, reporting to LWVNC board member Sandra Mowell. The study will examine League positions in other states with the aim of identifying position(s) that we can adopt by concurrence, enabling us to add CIR to our statewide program at next year's convention. If approved, CIR would be added to our LWV statewide action program. View the Youtube video of this discussion.
In addition, if you would like to get up to speed on this issue, please look at the video of our previous presentation on May 4 that is listed below, "Do We Need the Power of Citizens' Initiatives," with guest speaker Dr. Asher Hildebrand, Associate Professor of the Practice at Duke's Sanford School of Public Policy. As well, take a look at the special report, Investigating Citizen Initiative Process for North Carolina Voters, prepared for LWVODC by a team of Sanford graduate students, which is included in the information about the May 4 presentation.
Redistricting and the Impacts of New State Maps, November 1, 2023
Voting Changes Under Consideration by the NC General Assembly, Oct. 11, 2023
Representative Marcia Morey discussed the impact of extensive new voting changes in Senate Bill 747 and Senate Bill 749 that would go into effect January 1, 2024. The provisions in these bills will greatly impact how elections are administered in NC both at the state and county levels. Representative Morey has represented Durham in the General Assembly for 3.5 terms. Prior to running for the legislature, she served as the Chief District Court Judge in Durham. View Youtube video of this event.
Do We Need the Power of Citizen's Initiatives, May 4, 2023
Many states that have successfully reformed redistricting have done so through citizens' initiatives. Citizens' initiatives may be used to amend the constitution, repeal or amend an existing law, or adopt (or require the legislature to adopt) an entirely new law. This mechanism involves collecting signatures to put a proposed reform on the ballot without going through the legislature. It is currently not an option in North Carolina. The guest speaker was Dr. Asher Hildebrand, Associate Professor of the Practice, Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University. View the Youtube video of this event.
Students in the Master of Public Policy Program at Duke University authored Investigating Citizen Initiative Process for North Carolina Voters, for the league. This Duke policy team provides best practices in this report and recommends components for designing a citizen initiative process that could empower North Carolina voters. How the Court System Works. April 19, 2023
We heard from our three distinguished judges below, who discussed the basics of the court system, how cases come to them, how changing laws affect cases, obstacles to obtaining justice, and what happens once a ruling is handed down. Learn more from the Youtube video of this event.
- Judge Allen Baddour of the Chatham and Orange Counties’ Superior Court
- Judge Samantha Cabe of the Chatham and Orange Counties’ District Court
- Judge Shamieka Rhinehart of the Durham Superior Court.
The State of Our Democracy Spring Lecture Series: The Electoral College and Your Vote, January 5, 2023
The President of the Asheville-Buncombe County League of Women Voters and leader of the National Popular Vote Action Team, Suzanne Fisher Ph.D, discussed and explored how using the popular vote affects the US presidential elections. She compared the merits of the Electoral College to direct election through popular vote for the President. In this YouTube video of the meeting, she discussed the:
- History and purpose of the Electoral College
- Interactions of our Electoral College System
- Effects of battleground state campaigning
- Changes in our voting process over time
- The National Popular Vote effort
LWVODC Special Happy Hour & Hot Topics - What Happens After You Vote? November 2, 2022
Participants viewed and discussed What Happens After You Vote, a video created by the League of Women Voters of North Carolina that explains the post-election process to further voters’ understanding of how ballots are counted and how election results become official in the days after the polls close. The objective of the video – as well as a YouTube playlist consisting of excerpts from the longer video – is to help citizens feel confident in the election process and to counter messaging that causes voters to doubt the integrity of the elections process.
Voting in NC & Vote 411, September 21, 2022
Krishna Mondal, ODC Voter Service Chair, discused current NC voting procedures, laws, apps and the details about VOTE411 and how to use it on your computer and/or smart phone. To view this important LWVODC Zoom discussion view this YouTube video.
LWVODC Celebrates It's 75th Anniversary! September 15, 2022
LWVODC’s celebrated it's long history of accomplishments and renewed it's commitment to the League’s mission of "Empowering Voters and Defending Democracy." Our guest speaker was Deborah Ann Turner, MD, JD, currently serving as the 20th President of the League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS). Learn more about the presentations at the ceremony by viewing the YouTube video of this exciting event.
Post-Roe Roadmap: Where do we go from here? August 17, 2022
Jillian Riley, NC Director, Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, provided an update on what is happening now with abortion within NC and the impacts on providers, such as Planned Parenthood. Learn more about the meeting by viewing the YouTube video of the event.
Why We Can’t just Get Along: The Partisan Divide in a Period of Intense Polarization, May 18, 2022
Dr. Marc Hetherington, Raymond Dawson Distinguished Bicentennial Professor of Political Science at UNC, was the guest speaker for this Zoom event. His areas of specialization are public opinion about polarization and trust in government. He has published several books and a range of articles on these subjects over the last 25 years and won several teaching awards. His Curriculum Vitae. He provided insight as to why Americans could not unite when faced with a pandemic and shared ways that we can work together to overcome our differences. Learn more about the meeting by viewing the YouTube video of the event.
A View From the Top: Local Superintendents Discuss School Budgets & Resources, April 27, 2022
- Dr. Nyah Hamlett, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School Superintent
- Dr. Anthony Jackson, Chatham County School Superintent
- Dr. Pascal Mubenga, Durham Public School Superintent
- Dr. Monique Felder,Orange County School Superintent
They discussed how school budgets are created and approved, and how spending is connected to educational quality and equity. Learn more about the meeting by viewing the YouTube video of the event.
Our Rights, Our Democracy: A Two-Part Series on Reproductive Rights and theSupreme Court, March 29 - 31, 2022
- Rebecca Kreitzer, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Public Policy at UNC-Chapel Hill spoke on March 29 about Women’s Health and Reproductive Rights. Her session provided a history of the legal struggles regarding reproductive rights, statistics on current views, the impacts on women of different socio economic backgrounds andmuch more. You can view her presentation on YouTube.
- A history and in-depth look at the US Supreme Court was provided by Whitney Manzo, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Political Science at Meredith College on March 31. She answered questions like who/how the Supreme Court was given the right to determine the constitutionality of cases and whether or not politics is a recent phenomenon with regard to the Court. Her presentation at can be viewed on YouTube.
Let’s Talk Civics: Get to Know your Local Government, February 22, 2022
Mayor Elaine O'Neal of Durham, Mayor Jenn Weaver of Hillsborough, and Mayor Cindy Perry of Pittsboro spoke about how local government runs, decisions made, funding resources, citizen involvement, etc. Learn more about the meeting by viewing the YouTube video of the event.
Helping First Offenders Find an Alternative to Jail and Police Record, February 16, 2022
Caitlin Fenegan, Director, Orange County Criminal Justice Resource Department, discussed the mission of the department to safely reduce unnecessary pretrial incarcerations, increase jail alternative and diversion opportunities, reduce number of individual behavieral health issues facing justice involvement and incarceraties, reduce recidivism, reduce racial and economeic disparities, and to increase public safety by previding treatment and support for individuals lnvolved in the Orange County criminal justice system. Learn more about the meeting by viewing this YourTube video of the event.
