LWVMA sent 32 delegates to Washington, DC, last month for the 52nd LWVUS National Convention. Our delegates joined over 700 other League members for workshops and caucuses, riveting speakers and panelists, and a hands-on election 2016 training, plus a banquet featuring author and journalist Ari Berman, who spoke about his book on the Voting Rights Act. We also elected new national leadership, adopted a budget (no US per-member-payment increases this year or next), and committed to strategically align around our national program – the campaign for Making Democracy Work®.
Key themes of convention were change, focus, engagement, and urgency. In her speech, LWVUS CEO Dr. Wylecia Wiggs Harris emphasized the need to embark on an organizational change journey that focuses on accelerating the pace of change within the League and adopting a bias toward action, taking advantage of alternative engagement opportunities, focusing our agenda, and wrestling with the tough questions of whether our current structure and approaches reflect a 21st century organization. Over the next few weeks, LWVUS will be posting materials, handouts, transcripts and videos in the Convention 2016 section of the LWV.org website. You can view LWVMA’s submission to Roll Call of the States here.
Six LWVMA members participated in the national Lobby Day, speaking with Senators Warren’s and Markey’s staffs, as well as with Congressmen on the need to restore the Voting Rights Act.
