Happy Birthday to Us! The League of Women Voters Turns 102 

The League of Women Voters will be celebrating its 102nd year with events that include: 

• The LWVUS will gather as one League on Monday, Feb. 14, at 8 a.m. PT to celebrate its expansive history and its pro-voter future in a virtual rally featuring speakers from partner organizations like Black Voters Matter and the Worker's Circle. RSVP for the rally. 

• Join the LWVUS on Tuesday, Feb. 8 at 1 p.m. PT as it kicks off its 102nd birthday action with a friends and family National Friendbank. OutreachCircle will be used to invite LWV networks to upcoming birthday actions and activities. Registration. 

• Discuss D.C. statehood and the movie The Last Battlefront with the LWV of D.C. on Monday, Feb. 14 at 4 p.m. PT. 

Voting Rights Roller Coaster 

After escalating actions demanding that President Biden do all within his power to promote voting rights legislation, the League was thrilled to see POTUS stand up for the freedom to vote and call for the end of the filibuster. His shift was a direct result of all the work activists undertook in 2021.January also saw disappointments, such as the Senate's failure to pass the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act. During this time, we're reminded of the many obstacles that the Voting Rights Act faced before passing; we know that our current fight, though no less challenging, will be successful. 

Tackling Gerrymandered Maps 

State Leagues and partners across the United States are taking legal action to counter gerrymandered maps. The League has joined cases in Baltimore County, MD, and the state of Georgia opposing racial gerrymandering. To stay up to date on this work, sign up for our People Powered Fair Maps newsletter. 

New Staff and Digital Design in 2022 

The League kicked off the new year by welcoming several new team members to the national office, including Press Secretary Shannon Augustus and Senior Director for Voting and Elections Adam Ambrogi. The recruitment process isn't over yet—the League is currently searching for organizers, analysts, marketers, and more to join our team. 

The national League also launched a fresh new website design to better showcase the League's priorities and promote resources like VOTE411 and its legal cases. This is just the first in a series of digital enhancements, so stay tuned! 

Leagues in the News 

• The LWV of Houston was featured on ABC’s This Week as they worked to inform voters of changes in voting laws in time for upcoming elections. LWV of Houston president Annie Benifield spoke to Martha Raddatz about how they're doing it. 
   

• LWV of Salt Lake student board member Arundhati Bonney Oommen was recently selected to represent Utah at the U.S. Senate Youth Program. Check out this impressive student League member! 
   

• In a piece from Politico, LWVUS CEO Virginia Kase Solomón commented on the "ripple effect" that the failure to pass federal voting legislation will have on women voters. 
   

• LWVUS Chief Counsel and Senior Director of Advocacy and Litigation Celina Stewart spoke to the Associated Press about how and why Black women want federal voting legislation. Watch the video.