2020 Local Action Priorities
We will focus on education and advocacy in support of LWV positions and principles in the following areas:
Criminal Justice – We will focus on sentencing reform, re-entry programming, and educating offenders and detainees about their voting rights and the voting process. We will also focus on partnering with other local group on issues relating to Domestic Violence.
Education – We will emphasize the importance of local school boards and advocate for a high quality public education system that includes adequate funding, transparency, and accountability. We will support the LWVSC on Education Finance Reform legislation.
Healthcare – We will advocate for the equitable distribution of comprehensive health care services (medical, dental, behavioral, and preventative) that are effective, efficient, and affordable, while improving the patient and provider experience (quality of and satisfaction with care) to improve the health outcomes of all US residents.
Money in Politics – We will educate our communities on Campaign Finance and support the LWVSC on Ethics Reform legislation.
Natural Resources – We will focus on citizen education, public awareness, and local advocacy of issues such as sea level rise, flooding, offshore drilling and seismic testing, regulatory reform, and transitioning to sustainable energy sources. We will work with local partners.
Redistricting – We will educate our communities about Gerrymandering and Redistricting. We will also focus on monitoring the upcoming redistricting of local government lines.
Voters Service-Citizen Education - We will continue our focus on the Campaign for Making Democracy Work® to engage tri-county citizens in our nation’s democratic processes, including increased informed voter participation in all elections and ensuring a free, fair and accessible electoral system for all eligible voters. We will educate members and the general public about strategies to increase voter turnout and representation, such as single-member districts and ranked-choice voting. Priorities include:
- Advocate for electoral methods that increase voter representation and participation, particularly in communities with low registration and turnout (for example, “no excuse” absentee voting; increase in days, locations, and hours for absentee voting)
- Work to inform and engage underrepresented voters, such as youth and in rural and low-income communities
- Work to increase numbers of poll workers
- Increase participation in VOTE411 voters guide by candidates and voters, such as outreach in health centers.
- Work to expand our presentation team and topics, such as methods of electoral and voter representation; how government works in SC
Race and Gender Equity We will partner with women’s empowerment groups on issues such as ratification of the ERA and Domestic Violence with a focus on education. We will make Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) inherent in all our internal operations and consider DEI across all programs.
How Does The League Select Issues for Emphasis?
LWV is organized at three levels. Members of the League of Women Voters of the Charleston Area (LWVCA) are also members of the League of Women Voters of South Carolina (LWVSC) and the League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS). Positions may be adopted by national, state and local leagues.
In League, Program means the issues that we choose for concerted study, education and action at local, state and national levels. Program can include both education and action. National positions serve as the basis for action at the state and local levels, as well as nationally. In general, positions already exist at the state and national level on issues we care about -- from healthcare to the environment to voting rights. They give us a common platform on which we take action on behalf of our members.
Local studies and positions are undertaken to address an inherently local issue, or to fill in a gap where a state or national position does not exist or to focus on a specific aspect of a national position that is relevant to our community.
The Program Planning process is part of what makes the League a grassroots organization; each League member has the opportunity to influence the selection of issues where the local, state, and national League will focus time, talent and money.
Every two years, members of local Leagues engage in Program Planning. Based on the results of this, the Board of Directors makes recommendations to the biennial convention delegates about the program to be adopted for the coming two year period.
