(www.palwv.org) The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan grassroots civic organization. We encourage informed active participation in government and work to influence public policy through education and advocacy.
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The League of Women Voters began formally as an organization in February 1920 in Chicago, six months before the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment giving women the right to vote. The new organization was intended to be a means of teaching all the newly enfranchised women about the mechanics of registering and voting, nomination and election procedures, and our form of government. The members also wanted to work for certain "needed legislation." They thought that the League might accomplish its work in five years and disband! Over the years our mission has broadened. The League has evolved from an organization concerned with women's needs and with training women voters to one concerned with the Nation's needs and with training all citizens.
The League of Women Voters began formally as an organization in February 1920 in Chicago, six months before the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment giving women the right to vote. The new organization was intended to be a means of teaching all the newly enfranchised women about the mechanics of registering and voting, nomination and election procedures, and our form of government. The members also wanted to work for certain "needed legislation." They thought that the League might accomplish its work in five years and disband! Over the years our mission has broadened. The League has evolved from an organization concerned with women's needs and with training women voters to one concerned with the Nation's needs and with training all citizens.
Mission: Empowering Voters, Defending Democracy. The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan grassroots civics organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
Operating as usual
PA Department of State
The 59th Electoral College in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will convene for the business of casting, certifying and transmitting votes for President and Vice President of the United States.
It's time to end the Electoral College, "an old, ugly mess that should have been obviated some time ago."
We'll be joining the push to see PA join the National Popular Vote compact.
Rep. Chris Rabb introduced the 1st PA bill. We'll be supporting its reintroduction in the next session.
We're joining the fight for 270 by 2024.
When the Electoral College meets Monday, its detractors hope it marks the beginning of the end of a system that twice this century has vaulted the loser of the popular vote to the presidency.
The history of voting rights activism is far more complex than our histories suggest.
You don’t win the right to vote & then that’s just it.
For every expansion of voting rights that brings in more people, we have a corresponding backlash.
The more we understand that, the more effective we can be in building an inclusive democracy where every voice is heard.
Many of the Black voting rights activists who paved the way for Kamala Harris are not household names or even taught in U.S. schools
Yesterday the US Supreme Court dismissed Representative Mike Kelly effort to disenfranchise 2.5 million PA voters.
"The application for injunctive relief presented to Justice Alito & by him referred to the Court is denied," according to the court's one-sentence order.
By our count, this was one of 21 lawsuits so far surrounding the 2020 general election.
While one suit did result in addition and relocation of monitors observing the Philadelphia count, no suits have provided evidence of fraud and no justices have allowed votes to be discarded.
The lawsuit argued a 2019 state law authorizing universal mail-in voting was unconstitutional and that all ballots cast by mail in the general election in Pennsylvania should be thrown out.
Election 2020 was five weeks ago.
Misinformation & litigation over election results could have been avoided by legislation to allow pre-canvasing of ballots.
Any discussion of changes to Act 77 or lessons learned about mail-in voting must start there.
States that started counting ballots before Election Day didn’t spend sleepless days afterward catching up.
There are many reasons to oppose judicial districts for election of high court judges.
Partisan elections of judges invite accusations of corruption and cronyism. Only 2 states currently have regional high court districts: Illinois and Louisiana. Both rival PA in corruption among elected officials. Is that the direction PA wants to go?
For years PA State Rep. Bryan Cutler prime-sponsored legislation for merit selection of judges. While LWVPA supported those bills strongly, they never received a vote.
To date we have not seen public hearings, expert testimony or convincing evidence to support this constitutional amendment.
We ask Speaker Cutler to reintroduce his merit selection proposal & to use his significant influence to prevent this dubious amendment.
Has anyone ever tried to gerrymander courts? Is that even possible? Unfortunately, Pennsylvania voters may be about to find out.
The Pennsylvania election was fair & secure: 15+ lawsuits failed to produce any evidence of fraud. While Act 77 was an important step forward for PA voters, it was passed quickly without adequate input from election officials or review by experts & stakeholders. The resulting confusion was preventable.
In the next session we will be advocating for needed improvements but will work hard to prevent roll-back of the improvements gained in Act 77. We will NOT allow PA to go back to the 1930s.
Republican lawmakers in Pennsylvania who are still questioning without basis the validity of the Nov. 3 election are drafting a boatload of voting-related legislation, with top Democrats quickly accusing them of setting up a sham process and undermining faith in elections.
If you missed the Fair District PA Reform the Rules Town Hall, you can view it now on YouTube: youtu.be/b2lWQXTs-ts .
Watch for some valuable comments by women elected in 2018 about how the legislative rules block the ability to get bills enacted. Also of real interest: the comments about the quick passage of Act 77 without opportunity for in-depth discussion. We are harmed by delay in passing important bills but also harmed when bills pass without adequate stakeholder input or discussion.
Speaker Tony Crocamo shared FDPA research on legislative rules, then FDPA Chair Carol Kuniholm moderated a panel of legislators sharing their own insights & ...
TY LNP + LancasterOnline
The 2020 elections is, indeed, over.
Fini. Finito. Terminada.
Legislators who participate in stirring unfounded accusations do a great disservice to democracy & endanger courageous civil servants.
THE ISSUE
With the holiday season upon us, we hope you will consider the important work of League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania to inform and educate the public about policy issues that affect us all. We are 24 hour away from #GivingTuesday! We are getting closer to our goal of $3500, which will unlock a matching gift. This means that your impact today will be DOUBLED. Donate at the link below:
Your generous donation will go directly to our work of empowering voters and defending democracy by educating the public about and advocating for issues that matter.
Former director of U.S. cyber agency Chris Krebs, a lifelong Republican and Trump appointee, was fired after saying the 2020 election was the country's most secure ever.
Krebs explained on 60 minutes why he believes the vote was accurate and why saying otherwise puts the country in danger.
Chris Krebs, a lifelong Republican, was put in charge of the agency handling election security by President Trump two years ago. When Krebs said the election was the country's most secure ever, Mr. Trump fired him. Now, Krebs speaks to Scott Pelley.
Two lawsuits were dismissed this weekend: one on Friday, the other late Saturday.
Appeals continue but the evidence is clear: there was no fraud, no improprieties, heroic effort on the part of PA election officials, and a complete count in the most scrutinized election in PA history.
Elected officials who continue to stir speculation do a great disservice to the commonwealth, the common good and their own reputations. It's time to thank those who have borne the brunt of this election, certify results and look for ways to heal the dangerous divide.
The state's attorney general, Democrat Josh Shapiro, called the court's decision “another win for Democracy.”
“Free, fair elections are the lifeblood of our democracy,” U.S. Circuit Judge Stephanos Bibas wrote Friday for the unanimous three-judge panel. “Charges of unfairness are serious. But calling an election unfair does not make it so. Charges require specific allegations and then proof. We have neither here."
@LWVPA and partners League of Women Voters of the U.S. ACLU ACLU of Pennsylvania NAACP Common Cause Pennsylvania and BPEP (Black Political Empowerment Project) continue the fight on behalf of PA voters.
Leading a unanimous three-member panel, a federal appellate judge appointed by outgoing President Donald Trump upheld a blistering lower court ruling that said the Trump campaign and Rudy Giuliani's attempt to block certification of the election results in Pennsylvania was a meritless endeavor.
Planning some #BlackFriday shopping? Why not also consider a donation to protect democracy? League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania is a grassroots, volunteer-driven organization. Your donation shows support for our nonpartisan democracy initiatives, which don't end once elections are over! Donate with the link below.
Your generous donation will go directly to our work of empowering voters and defending democracy by educating the public about and advocating for issues that matter.
This Thanksgiving we're thankful for our democracy & all those who worked so hard to count every vote: election administrators, poll workers, postal workers, @PAStateDept & staff.
We are thankful for your time & care in a difficult election season.
A blog thanking election officials, workers, and volunteers.
We are less than a week away from #GivingTuesday! Your donation to League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania helps us continue making democracy work. Our $3,500 goal will be matched, making your donation twice as impactful. Make a gift to the League today! 🇺🇸
Your generous donation will go directly to our work of empowering voters and defending democracy by educating the public about and advocating for issues that matter.
County election officials say the 2020 general election went well, given the historic turnout, new voting rules and options and COVID health concerns.
They also say: election law changes are needed.
The Bipartisan Election Law Advisory Board must meet & recommend changes, then the PA legislature must enact those needed changes with continued input from county officials.
We'll be doing all we can to make sure voters' concerns are well-represented, and once again asking our legislative leaders to listen to county election officials.
There's much work still to be done to safeguard future elections.
The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania is calling for a a newly-created Election Law Advisory Board to be convened.
We spoke out about HR 1100 last week, an election audit proposed by the PA House. Here's our statement: https://www.palwv.org/news/statement-hr1100
That bill was pushed through quickly with little public notice, passed just two days after it was first proposed,
Yesterday, in a rare move, the Legislative Budget & Finance Committee rejected the request to conduct the audit, noting that it is outside the committee's area of expertise.
The Department of State had already promised an audit and a bipartisan Election Law Advisory Board has already been unanimously approved to review and offer recommendations.
It's essential that any review be carried out in a non-partisan way and include the mix of stakeholders already in place in the Advisory Board.
https://www.post-gazette.com/news/state/2020/11/23/Pennsylvania-legislative-committee-rejects-request-conduct-election-audit-Trump-Biden/stories/202011230107
HARRISBURG — A bipartisan, bicameral legislative service agency on Monday, in a rare move, rejected a request from the House of Representatives to...
We are 8 days away from Giving Tuesday, a global day of generosity in support of nonprofit organizations. If you follow our page, you know how hard we worked to protect voters and ensure election integrity during the #2020election. Show your support for League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania and our work to defend democracy with a #GivingTuesday gift. Donate by clicking the logo below!
Your generous donation will go directly to our work of empowering voters and defending democracy by educating the public about and advocating for issues that matter.
Yesterday Judge Matthew Brann rejected se arguments in the most recent Trump lawsuit, saying, “this Court has been presented with strained legal arguments without merit and speculative accusations...unsupported by evidence. In the United States of America, this cannot justify the disenfranchisement of a single voter, let alone all the voters of its sixth most populated state.”
LWVPA Co-President Terrie Griffin responds: “Pennsylvania voters have spoken in greater numbers than ever before, and today’s decision confirms the sanctity of the vote. It is time to move past the desperate accusations, stop the perpetuation of false claims, and accept the choices of Pennsylvania voters.”
A federal district court judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by President Trump’s reelection campaign against Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar and seven counties.
Nearly 75% of Pennsylvanians support idea of a @NatlPopularVote as alternative to the Electoral College.
@LWVPA has joined the effort for 270 by 2024.
15 states & DC have already passed the compact.
Thank you Rep. Chris Rabb & Saul Anuzis for your work on this.
State Rep. Chris Rabb (D-Philadelphia) has an idea that isn’t novel but could change the way a U.S. president is elected.
Official statement from League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania on PA #HR1011: PA Department of State has already made clear an intention to provide an audit of the 2020 general election. House Resolution 1100 would require a duplicative audit, adding extra work and confusion for election officials who have already gone above and beyond in ensuring the integrity of the election and subsequent time-consuming count. For that reason, we oppose House Resolution 1100. Read our full statement by clicking the logo below.
The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania celebrates the heroic work of county commissioners, election officials and staff, and the Department of State in administering a safe, secure election of record turnout in the midst of a global pandemic and unprecedented national attention. We urge our le
Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus ignored recommendations from the 2020 primary audit, attacked the PA Department of State for providing guidance in an attempt to standardize counting across the counties, failed to address needed legislative fixes & now will spend taxpayer dollars on a duplicative audit by a committee formed to oversee finance, not elections.
The highly partisan House Resolution 1100 bypasses the planned DOS audit and the bipartisan Election Law Advisory Board voted into place unanimously in September 2020.
Election oversight and policy-making should not be subject to partisan games.
Worth noting: this resolution was introduced on Nov. 17 and adopted on Nov. 19, with no opportunity for public comment or amendment. So much for transparency and accountability.
Constituent concerns about wrongdoing have been stoked by repeated frivolous lawsuits, not by any failure of PA election officials. It's time to thank them for their work and treat them with the respect they deserve.
A resolution tasks a bipartisan committee that holds subpoena power with compiling a report on issues and “inconsistencies,” and hiring a firm to audit the vote.
Since 1970 League of Women Voters of the U.S. has called for abolishment of the Electoral College & in 2010 voted to support the National Popular Vote compact.
The compact would guarantee the presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It has been enacted into law by 15 states and DC with 196 electoral votes.
The compact has now reached a critical tipping point, and has set a goal of 270 by 2024. It needs an additional 74 electoral votes to go into effect. Pennsylvania’s electoral votes would be a big jump toward that goal.
Last week the LWVPA board agreed to endorse the National Popular Vote campaign here in Pennsylvania and to join in advocacy for bills to be introduced in the 2021 session. We're encouraging PA voters to attend the 270 by 2024 Virtual Summit this Thursday from 3 to 5. Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vR3heVXuoVeJvsvTJ5aldklrveBzUv-LfB71VOQJMnsU7BF2Y86EZ7dA6o0R3A6lrC2ffmSOJHLzvrX/pub
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Just three weeks left to register to vote. YOU may be registered, but are your friends, family, neighbors? Not everyone knows they need to register beforehand. The deadline in PA is October 19. TODAY: think of three people you know who might need help getting registered and give them a call (people who have moved? recently become citizens? turned 18?) Here's the link: https://www.votespa.com/.../How-to-Register-to-Vote.aspx
Today is Women's Equality Day, the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Hard won, not done! Make voting a legacay for all women.
Your vote is YOUR RIGHT! Make sure you use it. Voting is an important way to ensure a more just future. Register at Votespa.com then like and share this with others. Video created by Radnor League of Women Voters
You gotta play if you want a say. Register to vote and give yourself a voice. In PA, you need to register at least two weeks before the November 3 election. If you've moved or changed your name you need to update your reegistration. You can register online (or check and correct your registration). ➡️ ➡️ https://www.votespa.com/Register-to-Vote Know someone who just moved, turned 18 or became a US citizen? Please share this!
Thank you to all who have helped present resolutions to local officials, who have gathered petition signatures or met with legislators. Our legislative leaders say none of that matters. Commitee chairs decide what bills get a vote. Leaders can help move bills forward or block them completely. PA voters have expressed overwhelming support for an independent citizens redistricting commission. Join the June 9 Day of Action and say "Give the bills a vote!" People Powered Fair Maps Your rights, your fight! https://www.fairdistrictspa.com/updates/day-of-action
Many local Leagues have helped fuel the work of @FairDistrictsPA. Our goal is to work even more closely on this as part of the LWVUS People Powered Fair Maps campaign. Informed, engaged citizens have always been the key to change. Watch Join the Movement, the last episode of Let's End Gerrymandering Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN) May 24 at 2:30 pm All previous episodes are available free at https://pcntv.com/meet-fair-districts-pa/
Democracy shouldn't be a game. When legislative leaders rig electoral districts AND legislative rules, we all pay a price. Watch Roadblocks to Reform on Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN) Sunday, May 17, at 2:30 pm. Fifth in the Let's End Gerrymandering five-part series, paid for in part by LWVUS People Powered Fair Maps. Find previous episodes here: https://pcntv.com/meet-fair-districts-pa/
Accountability. Trust. Transparency. Episode Four of Let's End Gerrymandering suggests ways to create voting maps that restore those key values. Sunday at 2:30 pm on Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN) (All episodes are available online after they air on PCN: https://pcntv.com/meet-fair-districts-pa/)
Don't miss Episode 3 of Let's End Gerrymandering: Why Fair Maps Matter on Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN) Sunday 2:30 pm It's not just about parties: it's about people, policy, power. Whose voices are heard. Whose aren't. Can't access PCN? See episodes here: https://pcntv.com/meet-fair-districts-pa/ Paid for in part by the LWVUS People Powered Fair Maps initiative.
LWVPA has been fighting gerrymandering in PA for thirty years. Democracy shouldn't be a game. Voters are people, not pawns. Watch Redistricting 101, the second in the PCN Pennsylvania Cable Network six-part series. Sunday, April 26, at 2:30pm. Missed episode 1- Meet Fair Districts PA? Catch it at 5:30pm Sunday. Or watch them here: https://pcntv.com/meet-fair-districts-pa/ Paid for in part by the League of Women Voters of the U.S. Citizen Education Fund as part of the People Powered Fair Maps Initiative.
LWVPA has been fighting gerrymandering in PA for thirty years. Democracy shouldn't be a game. Voters are people, not pawns. Watch Redistricting 101, the second in the PCN Pennsylvania Cable Network six-part series. Sunday, April 26, at 2:30pm. Missed episode 1- Meet Fair Districts PA? Catch it at 5:30pm Sunday. Or watch them here: https://pcntv.com/meet-fair-districts-pa/ Paid for in part by the League of Women Voters Citizen Education Fund as part of the People Powered Fair Maps Initiative.
Tune in to Let's End Gerrymandering, a six-part series about the fight to end gerrymandering in Pennsylvania. Broadcast on PCN (Pennsylvania Cable Network) beginning on Sunday, April 19 at 2:30 PM. Rebroadcast the following Sundays at 5:30 PM.
Get ready to vote this Tuesday. First time voter? Check here: https://www.votespa.com/Voting-in-PA/Pages/First-Time-Voters.aspx … Info on candidates? Check here: http://vote411.org Where they stand on redistricting reform? Check here: http://tinyurl.com/knowbeforeyouvote … #YourVoteYourVOICE
The League of Women Voters began in 1920 when women won the right to vote. But our roots go back to the suffrage movement. For over a century we've been advocating for equal elections, equal pay and equal rights. Use your vote! Check candidates here: vote411.org And join us! https://www.palwv.org/join/
Just a few votes can make a difference. This year, more than any recent elections, many PA races will be decided by a handful of votes. Check Vote411.org and make a plan to vote. Because YOUR VOTE COUNTS!
Just a few votes can make a difference. This year, more than any recent elections, many PA races will be decided by a handful of votes. Check Vote411.org and make a plan to vote. Because YOUR VOTE COUNTS!
Getting out to vote is hard. Right? And the system is not perfect. But it won't get better unless you get out and vote. Check VOTE411 for polling place and candidate info. Print a sample ballot and make a plan to vote. https://www.vote411.org/
Why should we vote? Because policy determines the details of our lives: tuition rates, property tax, minimum wage, quality of air and water, school programs, how quickly potholes are fixed. Leadership decides policy and without good leadership the policy we support will not be enacted or funded. So make a plan to vote. Check https://www.vote411.org/
Just ten days left to register to vote in PA. Register online (or check and correct your registration). SHARE this with anyone you know who recently turned 18. Register to vote and get in the game. http://www.votespa.com/en-us/register-to-vote/Pages/default.aspx
It's National Voter Registration Day! Check out this winning video from our 2018 High School video contest and remember: women spent decades fighting for the right to vote. We are still underrepresented in our state legislature, in Congress and in statewide offices. Speak up and be heard, and help LWVPA make voting a legacy for all women. Join us: https://www.palwv.org/join/ Be sure you're registered to vote: https://votespa.com/Register-to-Vote And share this! Make it a legacy!
Democracy works best when we ALL make our voices heard. Check that your voter registration is up to date. And remember: you can only vote where you're registered. If you're are away at school, make sure you're registered where you are, or request an absentee ballot. https://votespa.com
Do elections matter? Think about the policies that rule our lives. Check where candidates stand on these policies: start with www.vote411.org, then check candidates' web pages. Then get out there and vote!
LWVPA Executive Director Suzanne Almeida and Fair Districts PA Chair Carol Kuniholm spoke with From Both Sides hosts Michele Sellitto and Carol Aichelle about redistricting reform in the second of a series of interviews about gerrymandering in Pennsylvania. (The first is available here: https://youtu.be/qqPztbSHf4Y )
In case you missed it: here's a short video about the Reclaiming Our Democracy Rally to End Gerrymandering held on April 16 in Harrisburg. PCNTV will broadcast coverage of the rally today (Saturday) at 3:45 PM and again tomorrow (Sunday) at 8:00 PM. Thank you to LWVPA members who attended, spoke and are taking a lead in the fight to end gerrymandering in PA.
This International Women's Day, remember that the League of Women Voters grew out of the suffrage movement. The same women who worked so hard for the vote then shifted to registering and educating women so they could vote for candidates and issues that mattered most to them. The League is almost a century old and still registering new voters, educating about candidates and issues and advocating for fair elections and real representation for all of us. Honor that tradition with a donation to help us continue the work. https://www.palwv.org/donate/ Or join us! https://www.palwv.org/join/
You gotta play if you want a say. Register to vote and give yourself a voice. In PA, you can register online (or check and correct your registration). http://www.votespa.com/en-us/register-to-vote/Pages/default.aspx
President George W Bush won his election by just a few hundred votes. In state and local elections, the margins are much smaller. For information about PA higher court races, check here: www.votes411.org and here: https://pcntv.com/pacourts/ To learn more about the PA property tax ballot question, check here: https://whyy.org/articles/uncertainty-swirls-around-pa-property-tax-amendment/ And for For information on local races in PA, google your local League of Women Voters Guide 2017 with the name of your county. Some provide local information, some just county and statewide information. In Philadelphia check here: https://seventy.org/tools/elections-voting/2017-election-guide
Local elections matter. Even a few votes can change an election. Make a plan to vote. Check www.vote411.org and www.votespa.com for information.
Is voting important? Policies and leadership shape our daily lives. So make a plan to vote. Find info at www.vote411.org & www.votespa.com.
Defending Democracy. Empowering Voters.
The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania’s mission is protecting voting rights, advocating for reforms and issues important to our members, and educating voters about the structure and function of government and empowering them to participate in their government to effect change in their communities.
Through a rigorous study and consensus process, the League takes positions on issues that are important to its membership and advocates for change at the state level. As one of the country’s oldest and most respected nonpartisan grassroots organizations, the League does not support or oppose individual candidates or parties, but instead provides information for voters and the public to make informed decisions. Who Can Join? Membership is open to persons 16 years of age or older who adhere to the policies and positions of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania.
Water Resources Education Network
C/O LWVPA-CEF 226 Forster StCommunities In Schools Capital Region
800 N 3rd St, Ste 204East Shore YMCA Youth and Government
711 N Front StThe State Museum of Pennsylvania
300 North StCommunities In Schools Pennsylvania
234 State StreetRebuilding Together Greater Harrisburg
251 Verbeke St - mailing address onlyPennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs
501 N 3rd streetPennsylvania Licensed Beverage Association
213 State St Ste 300
Pennsylvania Kiwanis Foundation
2793 Old Post Rd, Ste 12
Harrisburg River Rescue and Emergency Service
725 S 22nd St
Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Educati
2986 N 2nd St
Democratic State Senate Campaign Committee
321 N Front St
Tiny Learners Early Learning Center
2328 Locust Lane
VFW Auxiliary - Department of Pennsylvania
4002 Fenton Avenue
Water Resources Education Network
C/O LWVPA-CEF 226 Forster St