Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA was passed by both houses of Congress in 1972 and the states were given a deadline of 1977 for ratification. The deadline for the ERA was later extended to 1982. The ERA was stalled when only 35 states ratified the amendment (three short of the 38 required). What caused the stall - the same thing that made the 19th Amendment and the right for women to vote so difficult to pass - were untruths, and most disturbing and dumbfounding, many were made by women. Most notably was Ms. Phyllis Schlafly - the social conservative from Illinois and jet-setting lawyer - who preached that the ERA would force changes on women’s preferential and traditional stay at home roles.  Since the Virginia vote, the LWVUS and other organizations have sent letters to the US Congress urging them to remove the ratification deadline on the ERA. If not, the process will need to start all over.

The LWVUS is again offering local leagues grants to register new citizens following their naturalization ceremonies.

The LWVUS has an updated Census Action tool kit for leagues to use in assisting the “get out the count” campaign. Information on these tool kits can be found at: https://www.lwv.org/league-management/voting-rights-tools/census-action-kit? utm_source=LeagueUpdate&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1162020

The LWV of Texas filed a lawsuit against the state demanding that the requirement of the motor voter law be extended to online users.

The LWV of Kentucky announced their People Powered Fair Maps campaign urging lawmakers to create a citizen-led redistricting advisory commission to recommend new state and federal legislative maps.