December 2022
Thank you League members!
Your dedication to the ideal that everyone should be represented in our democracy is unwavering.
Your commitment to nonpartisanship and elections which are free, fair and accessible is visible across the state of Illinois.
Your generosity of time and talent, whatever you were able to share, made a difference in your neck of the woods and set an example for communities throughout our state.
Tens of thousands of people in Illinois have benefited from the work of the League this election season.
With barely time to catch our breath, we now move forward into another set of elections - primaries in many communities and mayoral election in our nation’s third largest city, followed by the entire state gearing up for April 4 consolidated elections.
We need to continue to raise the bar, to reach more voters. This is where your gift can make a difference. Together, we are more than 3500 members strong. If each one of us donated just $5, our combined donations would significantly extend our reach.
And then, think about this…what if each of us reached out to those closest to us and asked them to show their appreciation for our passionate commitment to the League by making their own $5 donation to LWVIL?
Thanks to the generosity of those who have already started their season of giving with a gift to LWVIL, we are on our way. We can’t do it without you. Please give.
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President
League of Women Voters of Illinois
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League members give together.
Combined, our gifts power our statewide efforts.
| | Local League efforts are outstanding! | |
From voter registration to voter education to voter activation this election season—Illinois League members got the job done!
Local Leagues broke records educating voters using the Illinois Voter Guide. The 2022 General Election Illinois Voter Guide covered
- 102 counties
- 2,386 candidates (federal, state, county, judicial)
- 335 candidate questionnaire responses
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Moore v. Harper: US Supreme Court and the Independent State Legislature Doctrine
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On Wednesday, December 7, the United States Supreme Court will look at the constitutional validity of the independent state legislature doctrine when it hears the case of Moore v. Harper.
The League is closely watching this crucial election-related case, which will determine whether state legislatures have the power and authority to set their own rules for federal elections without any checks and balances from their state Supreme Courts.
LWVUS and League chapters from all 50 states and the District of Columbia filed an amicus brief in Moore v. Harper on October 26, 2022. LWV CEO Virginia Kase Solomón called the independent state legislature doctrine "a dangerous, fringe ideology" in a press release. " Removing the power of the governor and the courts to check any action by the state legislature regarding elections would be antithetical to our American system," commented LWVIL President Allyson Haut.
According to Courts Matter Illinois, “the independent state legislature doctrine could theoretically empower state legislatures to decide the outcomes of political races themselves, without regard to the popular vote. It could also empower state legislatures to decide election administration rules themselves, regardless of what other agencies or the federal government says.”
Listen to this historic Supreme Court hearing
- Wednesday, December 7
- 9:00 am, Central Time
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www.supremecourt.gov; click on the link to “Oral Arguments"
LWVUS will rally in front of the Supreme Court in the morning on December 7. If you will be in Washington DC, please register and attend.
| | Consider running for local office | |
League members make excellent candidates for office—are you one of them? Filing for the April 4 Consolidated Election runs December 12–19. (Note: Chicago local elections are February 28 with run-offs on April 4).
Interested to see who is financing candidates in your local elections? Check out campaign disclosure reports fi led with the Illinois State Board of Elections for the Consolidated Election.
| | Upcoming Education Opportunities | |
So What Really Happened at COP27 in Egypt?
Friday, December 9
3:00–4:30 pm
Join David Waskow, Director of the International Climate Initiative at the World Resources Institute, for his perspective on COP27, the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference held in November.
What was achieved at COP27? What wasn't? What comes next for global climate action? Waskow's work is focused on international cooperation to activate and support climate change actions in developed and developing countries.
Register to attend online or in person (Evanston). Co-sponsored by the LWV of Evanston, North Shore Village Network, and Evanston Public Library.
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LWVIL Election Training Day
Saturday, January 14, 2023
The Consolidated Election season is about to begin! Get ready by joining us for a morning of election training. Hear about some new ideas for candidate forums, become a forum moderator, and learn how to write unbiased candidate questions for forums and the Illinois Voter Guide.
- Writing Unbiased Candidate Questions—9:30 am
- Candidate Forum Training—10:00 am
- Moderator Training—11:00 am
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Save the dates
Issues Briefing
Saturday, February 18, 2023
8:30 am–3:30 pm
LWVIL's annual Issues Briefing will again be accessible statewide on Zoom. Hear from experts about issues and Illinois legislation concerning racism in schools, climate change, juvenile justice, immigrants, housing vouchers, gun violence prevention, and reproductive rights.
All participants will have an opportunity to attend two plenaries and select two additional breakout sessions. Keep an eye on LWVIL newsletters for registration information.
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LWVIL Observer Training
Saturday, March 18, 2023
Mark your calendars for Observer Training and watch for registration information in upcoming 2023 issues of the Member Bulletin.
| | Get Ready for Program Planning | |
Make sure you are ready to participate in your League’s program planning process for the 2023-25 Biennium.
| | Expand League impact, educate voters statewide | |
Zoom helps us take our work to all corners of Illinois. Expand your audience and elevate our mission to empower voters and defend democracy.
| | Thank you for supporting our work to defend democracy and empower voters. | | | | |
