League of Women Voters of Santa Monica

Early Summer Update

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Join the League of Women Voters of Santa Monica

Our Mission
The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

Diversity Policy
The League of Women Voters of Santa Monica in both its values and practices, affirms its belief and commitment to diversity and pluralism, which means there shall be no barriers to participation in any activity of the LWV on the basis of gender, race, creed, age, sexual orientation, national origin or disability.

JUNE 17, 2014

Last Saturday was our Annual Meeting for LWVSM, delegates just returned from our National Convention in Dallas and the LWVC Leadership Council was just a few weeks ago in San Jose. We have a new board, a new budget and lots of new ideas to start a new board year in Santa Monica.

Your new Board Officers are:

Ann Williams, President
Barbara Inatsugu, Vice President Program
Karen Carrey, Secretary
Madeleine Moore, Treasurer

And Directors are:

Joanne Leavitt
Thea Brodkin
Anita Kemp
Frank Gruber
Judy Abdo
Sharon Hart

Additional board positions are open for appointment so let us know if you would like to join the board!

As we move into the summer season of planning and preparation for the busy fall election season these weekly updates will become occasional. Back to weekly after Labor Day.

LWVC NEWS

The LWVC Study we will be joining this year is one of the public post-secondary education system in California with a focus on financing and accessibility. We will be looking at our Community Colleges, CSU System and the UC System. Local member Louise Jaffee is a member of the state committee preparing materials for us. If you would like to be a member of the local committee, contact league@lwvsantamonica.org

LWVUS NEWS

The LWVUS Convention adopted a very ambitious program focused around campaign finance laws and Citizens United.

This is "a comprehensive three-part program combining study and review of key, specific structures of American democracy, consisting of:

A study of the process of amending the U.S. Constitution, including Constitutional Conventions;
A review and update of the League position on campaign finance in light of forty years if change since the Watergate reforms, in order to enhance member understanding of the new schemes and structures used to influence elections and erode protections against corruption in our political process, and to review possible responses to counter them in the current environment of rapid change; and
A review of the redistricting process for the U.S. Congress, through the existing redistricting task force, for the purpose of developing action steps."

The Convention also adopted, by concurrence, the Human Trafficking position of LWV New Jersey as follows: "The League of Women Voters opposes all forms of domestic and international human trafficking of adults and children, including sex trafficking and labor trafficking." The full position is on the website, page 35 of the Convention Workbook.

DID YOU KNOW
As a follow up to our newly adopted position on Human Trafficking, there is a discussion of this topic next Sunday afternoon at the Church in Ocean Park. More information at the link.

League of Women Voters of Santa Monica
P. O. Box 1265
Santa Monica, CA 90406
Phone: 310-692-1494
www.lwvsantamonica.org