National Convention Summary 

The LWV of the United States hosted its biennial convention June 23-26. More than a thousand delegates from all 50 states and the District of Columbia joined either virtually or in person in Denver, Colorado, to listen to leaders in the voting rights movement, march in support of abortion justice at the Denver Capitol building, elect the 2022-2024 Board of Directors, and share goals for the next two years. 

Notably, the 2022 Convention coincided with the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the constitutional right to abortion. In her opening remarks, re-elected Board President Dr. Deborah Ann Turner reflected on her experiences as an obstetrician/gynecologist and the League's dedication to reproductive justice. "We hold the power to create a more perfect democracy. Women’s rights are human rights, and we will continue to fight until the right to abortion is restored," Dr. Turner stated. "This is the work that the League of Women Voters does." 

Dr. Turner closed her speech by announcing the League's next "moonshot" goal: abolishing the Electoral College. The League has long supported this goal due to the Electoral College's many shortcomings and racist history. Dr. Turner noted that the “direct popular vote for electing the president and vice president is essential to representative government,” and that the Electoral College has been a “vehicle to weaken democracy.” 

Highlights from the convention: 

• Convention attendees joined Denver activists on Friday evening in a march to the Colorado State Capitol Building to rally for abortion justice. 

• MSNBC political analyst Joy Reid reflected on the essential nature of our work in her keynote address. 

• The 2020-2022 biennium report showcased the League's impact over the past two years. 

• Delegates voted on several motions, including the LWVUS budget and various bylaws amendment proposals. Read the decision summaries. 

• Delegates attended dozens of workshops and caucuses throughout the convention on topics as diverse as mis- and dis-information, activating young voters, using Outreach Circle, and more.  

Due to time constraints, the Powering Democracy Awards ceremony was postponed until July 13 (see below).  

The 55th LWVUS Convention was a time of community, action, and inspiration. It was a reminder of both the urgency of League work and the power of League members to create a more perfect democracy. 

Recordings of all convention events will be available on the LWVUS website for at least the next month. The LWVUS is also working on collecting additional information from each event, getting video files to presenters, and opening up access to them to more League members. Stay tuned for more information on all of this. 

Response Plan on Supreme Court Decision on Dobbs 

On June 24, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled 6-3 to overturn the constitutional right to abortion. Their decision foreshadowed the erosion of other well-established rights, including access to abortion, marriage equality, and the ability to engage in private, intimate conduct. 

"When women and those who can become pregnant can no longer make reproductive decisions for their own bodies, they are no longer equal individuals in our democracy," LWVUS Board President Dr. Deborah Ann Turner and CEO Virginia Kase Solomón said in a joint statement. "This harm will exacerbate societal inequalities and fall disproportionately on people of color and low-income communities." 

The League stands in power with our reproductive partners, many of whom are already planning to take action. In response to the Supreme Court’s June decision, the LWVUS and its partners have the following response plans and resources: 

• Abortion talking points and messaging guidance for Leagues has been updated on the League Management Site. Use this guidance to speak with one voice on issues of reproductive justice. 

• Mobilization: Nationwide mobilizations are included on a map of actions with a unique registration link for the LWV. 

• Partner Toolkit: Messaging, graphics, and additional content. 

Powering Democracy Award Winners 

On July 13, the LWVUS presented its Powering Democracy Awards. The 2022 awards offered separate subcategories for state and local Leagues. While the LWVWA didn’t win an award (this time!), we can be proud that two Washington state projects were award finalists:

• The LWV of Washington's Be a Voter Campaign for the Powering Democracy Award.  

• The LWV of the Spokane Area for the Increasing Power Through Partnerships Award for its Civics Bowl.  

DEI Webinar: Native American Women and the Suffrage Movement 

Join the LWVUS and special guest presenter, Dr. Sally Roesch Wagner, on July 21 at 4 p.m. PT when Dr. Wagner will give an extended presentation of the one scheduled at the LWVUS 2022 Convention. Dr. Wagner will discuss the influence and role of Native American women in the suffrage movements. 

Dr. Wagner was awarded one of the first doctorates in the country for work in women’s studies and was a founder of one of the first college-level women’s studies programs in the United States (at CSU Sacramento). She has taught women’s studies courses for 50 years and currently serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Syracuse University Renée Crown University Honors Program. Dr. Wagner is the founder and executive director of the Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation and Center for Social Justice Dialogue in Fayetteville, New York. 
 
A prolific author, Dr. Wagner’s 2019 anthology, The Women's Suffrage Movement, provides a new look at the 19th-century woman’s rights movement. Her book Sisters in Spirit: Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Influence on Early American Feminists documents the surprisingly unrecognized authority of Native women who inspired the suffrage movement. It was followed by her young reader’s book, We Want Equal Rights: How Suffragists Were Influenced by Native American Women. 

Registration required. 

Other Resources 

Messaging Calendar: Suggestions and important dates to celebrate and promote throughout the year.