Non-Partisan Policy

Non-Partisan Policy

The League of Women Voters promotes political responsibility through informed and active participation of citizens in government. The League of Women Voters is nonpartisan in that it does not support or oppose any political party or candidate; it is political in that it takes positions on selected governmental issues after member study and agreement.

While the League urges its members to be politically active, certain constraints are necessary in order to maintain the nonpartisanship of the organization. Only to the extent that the public and elected officials are convinced of the League's genuine nonpartisanship will the League be able to render effective voter service and gain a wide base of support for its positions on governmental issues.

The Board of Directors of the League of Women Voters of the Charleston Area has established the following political activity policy for LWVCA Board members:

1. Elected Office

  • A Board member shall not run for, nor hold, any partisan elective office at any level of government.

  • A Board member may run for or hold a local nonpartisan elective office after consultation with LWVCA board.

2. Political Party Office

A Board member shall not serve in any official position in a political party at any level of government.

3. Political Campaigns 

A Board member shall not chair a political campaign or administer fundraising for a partisan political campaign event, be a spokesperson, or work in any other significant way in the campaign of a candidate for a partisan office at any level of government.

4. Campaign Contributions

The President, Co-President (if any), Voters Service Director, and Citizen Education Director shall not make contributions to campaigns or candidates for any partisan elective office.

5. Social and Other Media

  • The President, Co-President, Voter Services Director, and Citizen Education Director shall not indicate their political affiliations or candidate preferences at any level of government in the media, including social networking sites or public venues.

  • Other Board members shall not indicate their political affiliations or candidate preferences at any level of government in the media, including social networking sites or public venues, when prominently identifying as members of the LWVCA Board.

    6. Additional Clarification

Board members shall present questions about specific situations to the LWVCA Board where the foregoing policies do not resolve the questions.

Revised 9/20/2019