A New Name Reflects More Inclusive League

The LWV Upper St. Croix Valley is now officially recognized by the Wisconsin state League and LWVUS as LWV St. Croix Valley  Its formal name change is the culmination of an ambitious, year-long effort to become a more geographically inclusive League by expanding its jurisdiction south into St. Croix County. Since the League's formation in 2015, its area of service has been limited to Polk and Burnett counties, the northern region of the St. Croix Valley.  Dropping “Upper” from the name signals an expanded reach to more Wisconsin voters in the larger St. Croix Valley. 

LWV St. Croix Valley was recognized for its transformative work in this area with the receipt of a 2020 Membership & Leadership Development award. Becoming a more inclusive League brought more than a name change. The League created a St. Croix County liaison seat on their board, extended programming equally into the new county and enhanced their visibility with a new website and facebook page, which has already resulted in membership gains; a testimony to the impact of these new measures.

If your League is contemplating a change in boundary and/or name, please contact the LWVWI office for state guidance. In the Guide to LWVUS Services to Local Leagues, under “Organizational Changes,” you will find instructions for national approval of organizational change requests.