BB – Advocate – League of Women Voters White Bear Lake Area

OATH TO DEMOCRACY

WE WILL EMPOWER VOTERS AND DEFEND OUR DEMOCRACY.

WE WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE OUR CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY AS NONPARTISAN ADVOCATES.

What does “nonpartisan advocacy” mean?

The League never supports or opposes any political party or candidate
The League’s advocacy work is on issues
We arrive at our policy positions through careful study and member consensus. Click here to see our positions.
We never ask our members’ political affiliation
We never derive our positions from politicians, and even when candidates or parties support the same issue, we never endorse them

Strengthen Democracy

Strengthen Our Communities

Strengthen Democracy

Election Administration and Security

Multiple levels of oversight—federal, state and local—ensure our election process is safe and secure. In Minnesota, we have seven key steps:

Step 1: Voting machine selection and certification

Step 2: Pre-election testing

Step 3: Election day security measures

Step 4: Data transmission post-voting

Step 5: Post-election audit and certification

Step 6: Recount and Complaint Process

Step 7: Secure storage of election materials

For more details click here to read the Minnesota League of Women Voters paper on Election Security in Minnesota.

Money in Politics

This is an issue fought on the state and national level.

Minnesota LWV (LWVMN) supports campaign finance regulations that enhance political equality for all citizens, ensure transparency, protect representative democracy from distortion by undisclosed contributions and big money, and combat corruption and undue influence in government. We also support public financing, full disclosure, abolishing SuperPACs, and creating an effective enforcement agency.

Learn more on the LWVMN website.

The US LWV is fighting cases and promoting legislation to oppose dark money and increase financial transparency in elections.

Learn more on the LWV website.

Civic Engagement

Civic Engagement: Why It Matters for Democracy (September 2025)

Watts, Water and Secrecy: the Hidden Cost of Data Centers (April 2026)

Civil Discussion: Should Free Speech Be Curtailed to Combat Disinformation? (April 2025)

Strengthen Community

Health Care

Access to Local News Reporting

DECLINE OF LOCAL NEWS AND ITS IMPACT ON DEMOCRACY

The League’s Position Statement of Position on Decline of Local News and Its Impact on Democracy as adopted by concurrence by delegates to Convention in June 2024:

The League of Women Voters of the United States believes it is the responsibility of the government to provide support for conditions under which credible local journalism can survive and thrive. The League defines local news as accurate, in-depth coverage of government entities, including but not limited to, city councils, county councils, county boards of commissioners, health departments, schools, and school boards.

The League supports credible and ethical local journalism, in whatever format it is published, as essential to our democracy.

The League supports efforts to ensure everyone has access to information necessary for casting an informed ballot and that credible local news sources are integral to this pursuit.

The League believes that support for the viability of local news may take a variety of forms. Control of the content must remain exclusively with the news organizations.

The League also believes media literacy and news education, including support for journalism students, are essential. These opportunities should be expanded in schools and throughout communities. The League believes that everyone should have access to comprehensive, credible local news and that barriers to access should be removed. These barriers include, but are not limited to, geography, economic status, and education.

League History The 2024 Convention voted to include this position in Impact on Issues and the national office will track the League’s engagement and work around this issue for the next biennium. Convention 2024 adopted the LWV of Washington position by concurrence.

LWV process: What is concurrence?

In the League of Women Voters (LWV), a concurrence is a process where members vote to adopt a previously researched position established by another League (local or state). It allows the organization to quickly take action on an issue without needing to conduct a lengthy, grassroots study from scratch.

How Concurrence Works

Studying an Issue and Stating a Position: a local League will undertake an in-depth study of a public policy issue
Adopting Positions: Instead of reinventing the wheel, other local Leagues may review the study and position statement
The Local Vote: Members evaluate the materials and vote on whether to "concur" (agree) with the stance. If the vote passes, it becomes an official position for their own League. At the National Convention, issues are brought forward for discussion and concurrence.
Basis for Action: Once a position is adopted by concurrence, members can use it to lobby, educate the public, and advocate for specific legislation.

Federal Judiciary

Are we in a Constitutional Crisis? (October 2025)

Immigration

As a member of Many Faces, the White Bear Lake Area League of Women Voters sponsored several sessions on immigration issues in 2025 and 2026.

You can learn more about those programs here at the Many Faces website.

LWV US is active in pursuing immigration reform. You can see this work and sign up for immigration reform updates here at the LWV website.

LWV MN volunteers work at naturalization ceremonies to register new citizens to vote. Sign up here.

Environment

Watts, Water and Secrecy: the Hidden Cost of Data Centers (April 2026)

H2O for Life (February 2025)

Plastics and Climate Change (March 2024)

Plastics use has exploded in products and packaging because they are durable, light in weight and cheap. Along with use has come enormous plastics waste. Plastics made from fossil fuels are a big contributor to our climate crisis at every stage of their lifecycle. In addition to accelerating climate change, plastics pollute water, air and soil. How effective is recycling? Are there solutions to plastic pollution?

Of, By, and For the People - Restoring Government Accountability (November 2024)

Regional Environmental Advocacy Groups

The Upper Mississippi River Region LWV is a collaborative effort of 68 local and state Leagues in the Mississippi River watershed working to protect ground and surface waters. Click here to read more.

The LWV Minnesota’s climate change task force brings together members across the state to work on legislative priorities. Click here to learn more on the LWVMN website.

The LWV MN is one of 70 nonprofits working together on environmental issues that affect our communities in the Minnesota Environmental Partnership. Click here to learn more at the Minnesota Environmental Partnership website.

LWV US has a newsletter with updates on national environmental issues. Click here to sign up for the newsletter.

We are a non-partisan organization. We do not advocate for or against any candidate or political party.

How We Arrive at Our Positions

The positions formed through our study process on the local, state or national level are the basis of our advocacy work. Studies generally take up to two years to complete and draw on balanced pro/con materials, information from technical experts, public officials and community members. After carefully studying all aspects and consequences of a public policy issue, the committee performing the study creates a report and consensus questions for members to consider. If the members reach consensus (substantial agreement), the board of directors forms a position based on the consensus. At this point, the League may act in support of, or in opposition to, legislative proposals.

In addition, a League may adopt a position through Concurrence, the act of agreeing with a statement of position reached by another League or Leagues.

National Positions

State Positions

Local Positions