2024-2025 Study Inalienable Right to Vote

The study on the Inalienable Right to Vote began several years ago and is reaching its consensus stage during the winter of 2024-25. The materials below will be very useful in forming our consensus results.

Register here for the zoom meeting, Nov. 12, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Right to Vote presentation for LWV-PWFA This was given on Sept. 8, 2024 during our Tea for Democracy kickoff Meeting.

Right to Vote script for slides This is the script for the presentation.

Final Draft of Inalienable Right to Vote study

The following is a recording of the study briefing:
September 12: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pZBU3slLfV4vsomjQAVkCMoEwkeMpzTe/view?usp=sharing

What is a consensus meeting? Why is it important?

The League of Women Voters takes action on an issue only when we have a position addressing it. If the members have not studied and come to consensus on it, the League has no position and therefore cannot take action.

What Is the Study Process?
Study Committee members fashion consensus questions that are then asked of the membership as part of a study kit. Kits often include articles, books, data in the form of charts and graphs, videos, suggested speakers, discussion questions, and other resources. Members use the study kit internally and often with their community to better understand the issue.
Consensus is the overall decision-making process by which substantial agreement among members is reached on an issue. Often this happens over the course of several meetings but may include surveys and other methods. If the members reach consensus, the board forms recommended positions based on that consensus. Those recommendations are submitted to the Study Committee.
The Study Committee then reviews all the submissions. It works to form a consensus statement – the statement resulting from the consensus questions – that becomes a recommended position.
That recommended position is then reviewed and voted on by our members (usually by delegates at our Convention). The proposal may be approved, amended, or be rejected at that time.
If a position is adopted, firm action can then be taken on the particular issue addressed by the position. Without a position, action cannot be taken on that issue.