Convention, Council & Member Events

Meetings and events are important aspects of the LWV. They provide an opportunity to meet other members, learn about new programs and initiatives, discuss activities, debate issues and have some fun.

Convention and Council: The two-day LWVMA Convention is held in the spring during odd-numbered years; LWVUS Convention is held in even-numbered years.  In even-numbered years, LWVMA also holds a one-day event (formerly Council).  The next LWVMA Convention will be held on June 7 and 8, 2019.  More information is available here.

League Leader Lunches: These fall events provide an opportunity for League leaders from around the state to come together informally to share ideas and learn about activities and resources sponsored by LWVMA.

Schedule for 2019-20: Just click on the calendar to check for upcoming events.

 

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June 13 Council 2020 Recap

The League of Women Voters of Massachusetts conducted its 2020 Council on June 13 via Zoom. Over 150 members representing 32 local Leagues and Units attended the meeting.
One of the key events of Council was the election of Officers, Board, and Nominating Committee members, completing the LWVMA Board’s transition to staggered terms. At the 2019 LWVMA Convention the Bylaws were changed to move to this staggered term approach.
We would like to report on the election and introduce the slate of Officers and Board members and Nominating Committee members elected at Council.
Officers of LWVMA:
  • Elizabeth Foster-Nolan, a Member at Large, for the office of Co-President for a two-year term
  • Amy Smith, from LWV of Topsfield-Boxford-Middleton, for the office of 2nd Vice President, for a two-year term
  • Tanya Roy, from LWV Wellesley, for the office of Treasurer, for a two-year term
  • Courtney Rau Rogers, from LWV Norwood, for the office of Secretary, for a one-year term
Directors for a Two-Year Term:
  • Marie Gauthier from LWV Franklin County
  • Vedna Lacombe-Heywood from LWV Plymouth
  • Susan Millinger from LWV Amherst
  • Brenda Safford from LWV Worcester Area
Directors for a One-Year Term:
  • Jo-Ann Berry from LWV Acton Area
  • Karen Callanan, a Member at Large
  • Susan Flicop from LWV Wayland
For the Nominating Committee:
  • Sharon McCarthy, as chair from LWV Harvard
  • Sharyn Roberts from LWV Newton

We thank the Board members who have completed their terms: Mary Ann Ashton (Co-President), Lee Bona (Second Vice President), Andrea Kozinetz (Treasurer), Kate Boland, and Nancy Brumback. Their years of dedication and leadership have strengthened LWVMA. We appreciate their service.

Direction was provided to the new Board via the chat function in Zoom and is shown in the Council minutes . If you would like to provide direction (a specific program item, project, or about the management and goals of LWVMA), please send it to  lwvma@lwvma.org . The newly elected Board will review this direction and report back to the membership on the actions taken.

After the business meeting was adjourned, Ricardo Ramírez, from the Voting Rights and Election Center of the Brennan Center for Justice, was the keynote speaker on “Voting during a pandemic: What we need to do over the next 5 months and beyond.” You can review Mr. Ramírez’s presentation here.

On behalf of the LWVMA Board, we look forward to working with you over the next year to empower voters and defend democracy for all.

LWVMA 2019 Convention Overview

The New Officers and Board: Delegates to convention approved a change in our bylaws to create staggered terms for board members. Going forward, half the board will be elected at Convention and half at Council, in alternate years. To get this system going, several board members were elected to one-year terms instead of two-year terms; […]

2018 League Leaders Lunch Explores Partnerships, Governance

The October 20, 2018 League Leaders Lunch in Harvard brought together 66 leaders from around the state for a day of learning and sharing.  The day’s agenda included an update on what’s been happening at LWVMA and LWVUS, presentations on League advocacy and voter service, a preview of the Ballot Question study, and an interactive […]

2018 LWVUS Convention Report

  Massachusetts sent 33 delegates to the 53rd LWVUS Convention in Chicago during the last steamy days of June.  Over half of our delegates were attending their first convention, a good mix of new and veteran attendees. Total convention attendance was one of the highest ever, with an overflow crowd of more than 900 delegates.  In […]

“Beyond the March” Speakers Share Insights, Inspiration, and Ideas for Action

Women have long played a key role as agents of change here in Massachusetts, and today women especially are feeling energized to “do something” to fix political institutions that are widely perceived as broken. Our full-day conference on April 28, 2018, Beyond the March:  Women Leading the Way in Massachusetts, brought together elected officials, an historian, political scientist, and […]