League of Women Voters’ of the Mother Lode

Mission:

The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan political organization. We do not endorse or support any candidate or party. Our primary goals are to encourage and promote informed participation in the democratic process and to act on important issues after extensive study. We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. The League of Women Voters of the Mother Lode is grassroots and local. It is comprised of citizens with a mission to EMPOWER VOTERS and DEFEND DEMOCRACY. We envision a democracy where every person has the desire, the right, the knowledge, and the confidence to participate in our government.

We host Candidate Forums to provide our citizens with an opportunity to make informed decisions about our elected officials, and an online information system, VOTE411, where voters can find information on the candidates, local measures, and state propositions. Through our Speaker’s Bureau, we can provide local groups with the Pros and Cons of State and local ballot measures. Our speakers are well-informed, unbiased, and non-partisan.We hold Voter Registration Events throughout our communities. Not only to register voters, but just as critically, to provide information about how and where to vote, and about voting rights.Currently, our League is working on issues around water resources, wildfires/public safety, and threats to our democracy, such as voter suppression. Our League completed a two-plus-year study on Rural Homelessness and the Needs of the Unhoused, for Tuolumne and Calaveras counties in 2023, and is now advocating for the homeless in our communities.

Our General Meetings are held on the first Saturday of the month from 10 am to noon at the main library in Sonora. Check our website (LWVML.org) for up-to-date information on our next meeting. We are also hoping to partner with other local nonprofits.The law is clear: nonprofits can engage the community they serve in voting and elections. As long as they remain nonpartisan, they can talk to their staff and communities about the importance of elections, educate voters about the electoral process, communicate election reminders, and more.

The following are some reasons why it is important to encourage your communities to be informed citizens and to use their voices and VOTE!

• Neighborhoods and communities that vote get more attention from candidates and officeholders and are more likely to listen to their needs and concerns.
• Individuals who can’t vote (those under 18) depend on us to represent their voices.
• We are not only voting for ourselves but for their futures.
• Every vote does count! Many of our local elections have been decided by fewer than 100 votes. Even if your candidate doesn’t win, the number of votes they receive can impact what decisions are made.

Don’t let others decide for you! Today’s non-voters actually have a higher rate of use of government and social services like health care, spending on education, income inequality, or public safety than people who vote regularly. Don’t let others decide who wins and what issues matter. Voting sends a message about what you need by way of new laws and policies. Voting is one of our most important rights and responsibilities as citizens. The more people participate, the healthier and more inclusive our democracy becomes.

How Nonprofit Partners Can Help: We are looking for partners to help us with this endeavor. Examples of how this might be accomplished by your nonprofit could be:

• Just talking with people.
• Passing along information to your clients.
• Posting information on social media about the different locations one can register to vote.
• Who can and who might need to re-register to vote.
• Timelines for registering before an election.
• Emphasize the importance of voting and why each vote matters.Interacting with clients, providing the opportunity for your clients to register to vote online.
• Referring them to the County Office of Registration, or through the Department of Motor Vehicles, or possibly holding a live voter registration event put on by the League.
• At election time, there is also the need to distribute the League’s “Easy Voter Guide”.

Take advantage of our VOTE411 system; engage our Pros and Cons Speakers; pick up an Easy Voter’s Guide; encourage clients to attend Candidate’s Forum or Information Events.

Volunteer Needs:

We welcome individuals, women and men, who have a passion to work to strengthen the core beliefs of democracy. The League is able to fulfill our core missions by observing the Sonora City Council, Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors, and Tuolumne Utility District Meetings, and by reporting out to our community on their overall performance twice a year.
We hold Candidate’s Forums, to provide our citizens an opportunity to make informed decisions, about our elected officials and also an on-line information system, 411, where voters can go to find information on the candidates and propositions.
We provide local speakers to provide the Pros and Cons of State and Local Ballot Measures. Our speakers are well informed, trained, and understand the need to be unbiased and non-partisan.
We provide County Election Support such as:
• Staffing Voting Centers
• Collecting ballots from the Voter Ballot Boxes
• Supporting activities as determined by County Personnel

We hold Voter Registration Events in our community, not only to register voters, but to also provide information about how and where to vote, and about voting rights.
The League also conducts studies tailored to the needs of the community. We just finished a two plus year study on Housing and The Needs of the Unhoused, for Tuolumne and Calaveras County.
At this time, we are studying areas of water resources, and fire/safety in our community, and areas of concern threatening our democracy. We also provide the community with informational events, i.e. films panels, discussion groups. All of these activities and events take a commitment of many volunteers who have a passion for the work we are doing and we welcome people who would like to help, no matter how much time one can give, or their skill set.