LETTER FROM THE CO-PRESIDENTS
Since it was founded in 1920, the League of Women Voters has strived to protect and expand voting rights in this country, not just for 20 million newly franchised women, but so that all eligible citizens can select their representatives and express their views to those in power. The League established an Education Fund to promote informed voter participation and understanding of government and public policy issues, the foundational elements of a true democracy.  

More than a hundred years later, the League’s mission has taken on increased importance. Barriers to voting have been proposed in Congress, which, if successful, would impose onerous and duplicative requirements, such as providing proof of U.S. citizenship and a federal or state photo ID as part of the federal voter registration process. Mail-in ballots have come under attack, notwithstanding that they have been used in America since at least the 1800s and provide an unassailably reliable and accurate means for shut-ins, troops stationed away from their homes, and those otherwise unable to travel to polling places to exercise this essential constitutional right. The Supreme Court has diminished the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which was enacted to stop race discrimination in voting, and is likely to further erode the Act’s protections this term. In addition, it has become much harder for Americans to be fully informed about national issues because so much news is delivered not by widely respected journalists but by a patchwork of sources, each tending toward a distinctive view of the state of this country. 

The League is uniquely positioned to deal with these challenges. With a national, state, and local presence, it promotes voter education and defends voting rights at every level of government. The League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS) is actively engaged in litigation to thwart efforts to curtail or restrict voter registration and mail-in ballots. The League of Women Voters of Illinois (LWVIL) echoes and supports the LWVUS efforts. LWVIL also opposes gerrymandering efforts to predetermine the outcomes of elections in Illinois, arguing that voters should choose their legislators instead of allowing legislators to choose their voters. And at the local level, the League of Women Voters of Evanston (LWVE) continues to register voters, hold candidate forums, observe and report on local government meetings, and conduct studies on issues affecting Evanston and Skokie residents, all of which help to keep residents informed. LWVE members also participated in recent protests to demonstrate their support for democratic principles and opposition to efforts to degrade voting rights.  


We thank you for your support of these ongoing efforts. We also encourage you to join us as we continue our mission of promoting voter registration, education, and engagement. As Thomas Jefferson said, “The best defense of democracy is an informed electorate.” 
– Georgia & Lisa