The League of Women Voters, a
nonpartisan political organization, has fought since
1920 to improve our systems of government and impact
public policies through citizen education and
advocacy. The League is a grassroots
organization, working at the national, state and
local levels.
Elections 2012!
Janice Schieffer, Voters
Service Chair, janice@schieffer.us
Candidates Forums:
LWV-P/CC is planning another blockbuster all-day Candidates Forum for Sat., March 3 or March 10, 2012, at Parr Library. We will have multiple sessions with time to meet-and-greet the candidates informally between sessions.
We are also consulting with LWV-Dallas, LWV-Richardson and the Greater Dallas Section of the National Council of Jewish Women to co-sponsor a Candidates Forum for the State Board of Education, District 12. The newly-drawn SBOE district, which is not being challenged in court, now includes all of Collin County, in addition to Richardson and parts of Dallas. Four Republican candidates and one Democratic candidate have filed. The forum will probably be on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday evening Feb. 28-March 1 or March 6-8. See our Calendar link for venue information.
Another possibility is a regional candidates forum for the Fifth District Court of Appeals, which includes Collin, Dallas and Grayson counties, among others. Twelve Republican and four Democratic candidates have filed for seven places in that district.
Voters Guides for the Collin County area races will be posted on our website as well as in the VOTE411 online Voters Guide before the March 19 start of early voting. And we will distribute printed copies of the LWV Texas Voters Guide for statewide races in both English and Spanish to libraries and other public areas throughout the county.
Check out the new Elections 2012 page on this site for a look at our busy election year – elections, runoffs, candidates forums, Voters Guides, voter registration.
LOCAL PROGRAM STUDY 2012: VOTE
CENTERS
Dorie Cranshaw, study chair,
doriebigd@aol.com
In 2009, Collin County volunteered for a pilot study of the use of vote centers on Election Day: allowing voters to vote anywhere in the county, not just in their home precincts. At the annual program planning meeting in the spring, your local League voted to undertake a study of this important project and the results so far.
A study committee has now developed the scope for the effort and is actively underway in researching the subject. “It is our hope to hold a public forum to share what we’ve found in late spring,” says Dorie Cranshaw, study chair. The vote center study will attempt to determine how Collin County’s experience measures up to the legislature’s expectations. The experiences of other pilot counties around the state will be used as comparison. The group has already had a very productive sit-down discussion with Collin County Elections Administrator Sharon Rowe.
LWVUS Study of Privatization. – Join us on March 15 for consensus report
See the Privatization information on the new LWVUS website, http://www.lwv.org/member-resources/privatization
Scope of the Privatization Study:
The purpose of this study is to identify those
policy issues to be considered in connection with
proposals to transfer federal, state or local
government services, assets and/or functions to the
private sector. Consider the stated goals and the
community impact of such transfers, and identify
strategies to ensure transparency, accountability,
and preservation of the common good.
Timeline:
Participate in the discussion of and consensus for
the study on “Privatization of Government services,
assets and functions, and the impact on local
communities. LWVPlano/Collin County will meet
March 15 at a location to be announced.
LWV Program Planning, 2012-13
Every two years state and national Leagues participate in the LWV Program Planning process by making recommendations concerning program issues – this is how we remain a grassroots organization. The Program Planning process is an important League tool for identifying issues for study. It gives members and Leagues the opportunity to balance the pros and cons, assess possible support, and consider the issues. During the process, members have the opportunity―especially with e-mail and discussion―to organize support based on factual materials before the Program Planning deadlines of March 1, 2012, for the LWVUS convention June 15-17 in DC, January 13 for the Texas convention April 13-15 in San Antonio, March 21 local program planning meeting, and annual meeting May 12 in Plano.
Founded by women in 1920 following ratification of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote, today's League of Women Voters welcomes and includes all citizens interested in political participation. We're not just for women only!
We're proud of our accomplishments! Come join us and see the important work the League does. Learn the history of the League and the stories of the brave, smart women who blazed the trails so that all citizens are able to cast their votes for people and issues that are important to them. We are Democracy in action.
