The Registration Kit for the League's State Convention to be held at the Desmond Hotel in Albany from June 5-7, has been mailed to all local Leagues. The Kit is here and posted on the state website. All members should consider joining us for this educational event. It is a great time to meet other League leaders, learn what other local Leagues are doing, and also help direct the state League's agenda and leadership for the next two years. Each local League is allotted a number of delegates based on their membership, but we always have extra spots so if you have more people who want to attend than the number of delegates your local League is allotted, call the state office and we'll find more delegate spots for you. Registration is due on April 8^th.

Don't forget to submit your local League or members for an award! Think of all the great activities and events you coordinate - and get recognized for that great work. Submissions are due on April 15, 2015. Click here for the forms.

Organ Donation Grant

The League is pleased to announce an innovative partnership with the New York Alliance for Donation (NYAD). NYAD's mission is to increase organ, eye and tissue donation in New York State through collaborative advocacy, education, promotion, and research.  Their goal is to ensure a transplant for every New Yorker in need.

In 2009, NYS became the first state to include an organ and tissue donor enrollment section on voter registration forms.  Since inception, over 160,000 individuals have joined the New York State Donate Life Organ and Tissue Donor Registry via voter registration forms.  Prior to implementation, 95% of individuals who joined the donor registry did so through the state's DMV offices.  Though the majority of registrants still enroll through the DMV, in 2013, over 15% of all Registry enrollments were made via voter registration forms, significantly decreasing the percentage of enrollments made at DMV offices as seen in prior years. 

This partnership seeks to extend pilot work conducted by NYAD in the New York City area in spring and summer of 2013. The pilot work consisted of a series of voter registration drives that sought to solicit organ and tissue donor registrations through voter registration forms. 56 campaigns took place at various locations in New York City. The majority of drives were located at high transit areas, such as transportation hubs (Penn Station, subways) and on college campuses. The idea was to 'get the vote out' and in so doing to get individuals to also consider registering to become organ and tissue donors. These campaign drives were staffed by volunteers and organ and tissue donation community staff members.  4,979 individuals registered to vote through these 56 drives, and the drives netted 2,290 new organ and tissue donor registrants. In other words, 46% of all individuals who registered as voters during these drives also registered as organ and tissue donors.

The project will rely on interpersonal communication campaigns to promote organ and tissue donation registration at voter registration drives through the voter registration form. NYAD and our local Leagues will coordinate a number of drives in highly populated and public areas. Our local Leagues will also be trained to encourage more people to register for organ and tissue donations during the League's voter registration drives. Prior to the implementation, NYAD and LWVNY will work together to provide reciprocal education on organ and tissue donation and voter registration to those responsible for conducting these drives. The hope is that we can increase both voter registrations and organ and tissue donor registrations together!

Local Leagues can benefit by agreeing to participate in this program. There are stipends that will be given to local Leagues (approximately $100-200), training will be provided for free, Voter Guides will be available for free and reduced cost, other brochures and public relations materials will be available, and money will be available for fees for tables at special events where local Leagues may wish to conduct voter registration drives. More information will be emailed to local Leagues in the next few weeks with details - but think about how you could join this effort which will allow you to reduce costs and raise some income for your local League's voter services activities!

Legislative Agenda Booklet

The new Legislative Agenda booklet was sent to all local Leagues. This booklet provides more information on the issues the state League expects to monitor and lobby this legislative session. Additional copies are available at a cost of $20 per 100, plus tax and shipping. Use these booklets when speaking with elected officials or as a membership tool at events. It's a great introduction to the League's positions.

Legislative Reference Guide

The 2015 Legislative Reference Guide is now available for purchase from the state League. This book provides key information on each NYS Senator and NYS Assemblymember, including contact info in the district and Albany offices, committee assignments, and staff name. It is incredibly useful for lobbying your legislators. The cost is $10 which includes tax and shipping; call Katrina (518-465-4162) or send a check to make an order. You can also order online from the state website. 

Vote 411

It's hard to believe that it's time again, but Vote 411 is now active! Some local Leagues are using it for school board elections (May) so they have already begun the process. Once again, the state League will pay the license for Vote 411, but requires each local League to pay $25. If you haven't already told us, email Victoria at [email protected] and tell her that your local League will be using Vote 411 and who the contact will be. We are also willing to provide training if you have a member who is willing to work with the program!

Opportunity to Attend League Event at United Nations in March 2015
The fifty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will take place at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 9 to 20 March 2015. Members of the League of Women Voters are invited to attend a side event hosted by the Permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations and co-sponsored by the LWVUS, International Federation of Business & Professional Women, Pan Pacific Southeast Asia Women's Association and UN Women. Speakers include members of Parliament from Germany, Turkey, Azerbaijan, the Director of the Policy Division of UN Women and moderated by a former US diplomat. LWVUS will have 20 delegates attending CSW59 and can accommodate additional attendance at the side event. Please contact Rosalee Keech [email protected] if interested.