The LWVBC 2025 Positions For Action meetings were virtually on Sunday, February 9th and Thursday, February 13th. There were 26 members in attendance, not counting members at both meetings twice.
Holly Monkman introduced the purpose of the meeting, reviewed League terminology, and gave examples of the actions we take based upon League positions.
Study Team members Liz Black and Celeste Landry provided updates on 3 studies:
- County Commissioners Election Structure
Celeste explained that the study team believes that this study is no longer needed due to the LWVUS position on Voter Representation and Electoral Systems as well as LWVUS support for the US Voting Rights Act. Given LWVUS support for proportional representation, LWVCO & LWVBC can advocate for proportional voting for county commissioner elections.
- Timing and Turnout of Local Elections
Liz asked for members to join the study team to help finish it up. A significant part of the study report has been written so the team would like to see it continue to a proposed position & consensus meetings. The team specifically requests a task master to help them create a timeline and to hold them accountable to the timeline. If this topic is of interest & you’d like to help out, please contact Liz Black.
- LWVCO Study - Primary Election Reform
On behalf of study leader Marcus Ogren, Celeste provided an update on the study which was initiated by LWVBC with many LWVBC members on the team. The study is highly relevant given Prop 131 on the 2024 State Ballot. The study report draft is nearly finished. Appendices need to be added, preliminary review & input from stakeholders & interested League members not on the study team, and then final revisions made. The team plans to complete the study by the end of 2025.
During the review of LWVCO and LWVBC positions, Celeste Landry made a recommendation to continue to encourage both LWVUS & LWVCO to hold workshops/events that explore compulsory voting and the affirmative right to vote.
The meetings resulted with the following:
- Consensus to retain all local positions
- Consensus to retain all state positions
- No new studies were proposed for either LWVCO or LWVBC
- Agreement to close the LWVBC study regarding the election structure for county commissioners with no study report or proposed position