The League of Women Voters of San Jose and Santa Clara spoke to our Campbell Area Chapter on Tuesday, September 20 and explained some of the ballot measures that voters will be confronted with this November.
- For AARP members who missed the presentation, the League has a website with an easy to read and brief explanation about each of the 17 state ballot measures, background, fiscal impacts and the “pros and cons” of each measure. To find that information, go to CAVotes.org At this website, the League has a publication called “Pros and Cons” which you can download in multiple languages, and has everything one needs to know about the upcoming November 8 elections.
- Another important resource for voters is the League’s website: www.voersedge.org/CA. There you can type in your address, see everything on your ballot, find your polling place and get unbiased information on all of one’s voting choices.
- The League of Women Voters is a nonprofit national organization with state and local leagues. The League never supports or opposes any political candidate or party, and the organization’s hundreds of volunteers are especially busy during election years providing programs to inform voters about candidates and making presentations about ballot measures.
- Throughout the year, the League focuses on promoting voting rights, voter participation and knowledge, and registration. The League has both an educational component as well as an Action and advocacy components.
- The California league’s priorities are voted on by its membership and its current priorities include: Money in Politics, Climate Change and California Water Resources. League members also conduct studies to learn about issues before they take action. Last year, the California leagues participated in a study on higher education.
- The league is nearly 100 years old; its beginnings go back to the suffrage movement as many women involved in getting the vote formed the League to ensure that the new women voters would be well-informed. Today, the League invites both men and women aged 16 and older to become members.
- For more information about the League, go to LWVC.org In Santa Clara County there are five local leagues: Cupertino/Sunnyvale, Los Altos/ Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose/Santa Clara, and the Southwest Santa Clara League (Campbell, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno and Saratoga).
- The League also has a regional level, the Bay Area League of Women Voters representing the nine Bay Area counties and its 20 leagues; LWVBA focuses on topics such as regional transportation, air quality, housing, water, etc.