Published on 2024-10-31 by Skylar Strudwick
You’ve heard of the Justice League, you’ve heard of the Major League, and you’ve probably heard of the Minor League, but you’re about to hear about the greatest league in American democracy: the League of Women Voters (also known as LWV or the League). The League has been a shining star of democracy since 1920. The League is a human rights organization committed to empowerment and education across generations along with fostering civic engagement. With various innovative strategies targeting youth engagement, the League plays a critical role in protecting and advancing human rights in the United States.
The League’s History in Voter Advocacy
The League has a long history of voter advocacy. In the wake of the women's suffrage movement, the League played a critical role in shaping an informed voting body. In a recent interview with the author, a League member stated, “The League of Women Voters is nonpartisan. We are not trying to influence voters on a specific candidate or political party but trying to educate voters on the mechanics of voting, the importance of their vote.” This statement is a testament to the League’s longstanding voter advocacy efforts and showcases the dedication to democracy and human rights of the League of Women Voters for decades. The League advocates for every individual's right to vote, that this vote be recognized, and that it be well-informed.
This commitment to voter education is fundamental to the League of Women Voters' success. By giving voters the necessary tools to participate meaningfully in democracy, it has helped voters advocate and use their voice on issues that matter to the citizens of the United States. The educational aspect of the League's efforts is crucial to the right to participate in government; education is essential to civic participation because it provides voters the necessary information to engage thoughtfully with their government. This is a core principle of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the League of Women Voters has been a champion of this cause for decades.
The League and Youth Voting
The League of Women Voters has always been a strong advocate for youth involvement in democratic processes. The importance of youth voter involvement in civic elements cannot be overstated, and the League's efforts in this area have been noteworthy. Throughout the decades that the League has been working with youth voter registration, they have adapted their strategies to match the ever-changing dynamics of the political world. In Minneapolis, they are particularly working with today’s youth to ensure democracy lives on. “We work with ten Minneapolis high schools two or three times a year to register students, give them critical information about voting, including how to find their polling location, how to see their sample ballot, and how to vote if they're going to be away for school or work after graduation,” explains Peg Lonnquist of the League of Women Voters Minneapolis.
The League understands how important empowering our youth is- after all, they will someday become leaders in democracy. The League wants to prepare young voters for civic engagement and train them to register other voters. The League encourages young voters to become election judges so that they can educate themselves along with their peers about the election processes. The League encourages young voters to become election judges so that they can educate themselves along with their peers about the election processes. This effort not only educates but also portrays a sense of responsibility and agency, a true embodiment of human rights and action.
With a newfound focus on social media strategies and outreach to young voters and schools, the League of Women Voters is now able to reach a new demographic of voters in a place easily accessible and understood by America’s youth. VOTE411 is the League’s national text chain to promote and enable easy voting and candidate information. The League aims to teach the mechanisms of voting and is incredibly effective in doing this both in-person and through social media. The League's ability to adapt and evolve as a nonpartisan educational effort is what allows it to continue safeguarding democracy and human rights in a quickly changing world.
The League as A Nonpartisan Entity
The League of Women Voters is notably nonpartisan. Their nonpartisan efforts have been a cornerstone of their philosophy since their creation in the 1920s. This neutral stance supports a fundamental human right: the right to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through media. By maintaining a nonpartisan position, the League strives to educate without bias and provide voters the freedom to make any type of decision without undue influence from the League. This is especially important given how divisive democracy can be at times. The League remains a great place for any voter with any idea to go and get information on any candidate. One of the beautiful things about the League is it upholding its nonpartisan beliefs throughout changing political landscapes, changing candidates, and changing decades.
The nonpartisan approach has earned the League a reputation of trust and integrity. As a different League member said in an interview, “The League of Women Voters Minneapolis is nonpartisan, and I think this is huge. We are not trying to influence voters in a specific candidate or political party but trying to educate voters on the mechanics of voting, the importance of their vote.” The trust built up by the League over years of nonpartisan work is crucial in human rights work. Credibility can determine the effectiveness of any human rights effort, and advocacy and educational efforts can easily fall victim to untrustworthy efforts. The League’s nonpartisanship allows it to last over candidates, over time, over changing democratic landscapes.
The League in its True Human Rights Form: Conclusion
The League of Women Voters does so much more than just register voters and educate the public on the democratic process. The League of Women Voters is a stronghold for human rights. Because of its nonpartisan, educational initiatives, the League of Women Voters is able to engage and empower, particularly the youth, to ensure that the principles of democracy are not just taught but lived for generations to come. Through creating an environment where young people can learn about and engage in the processes of their own government, the League works to preserve and strengthen the democratic fabric of society. It is this ongoing commitment to the ideals of nonpartisan voter education and advocacy that makes the League of Women Voters a pivotal human rights organization.
The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this blog are the author’s only and do not reflect an official position of the University of Minnesota, the Human Rights Program, or the College of Liberal Arts. As an institution of higher education that values and promotes free speech, civil discourse, and human rights we welcome a variety of perspectives and opinions from our student contributors that are consistent with these values.
Skylar Strudwick (CLA '26) is a double major in Psychology and Sociology. She is currently a researcher for the Human Rights Program and is involved with the Human Rights Undergraduate Working Group. She is passionate about community outreach in the Jewish community and holds a particular interest in genocide studies, women's rights, and Jewish studies.