LWV in Action Archives

The LWV Way: Study First!

Early LWV History

(Excerpts from More Power than We Knew, A History of the League of Women Voters of Oregon: 1920-2012)

“In 1920, when the 19^th Amendment to the United States Constitution was adopted, Oregon women already had the right to vote…In 1912, Oregon became the ninth state to grant full suffrage to women.”

When the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NASWA) held its 50^th anniversary convention in March 1919, “The call to the convention included an invitation to ‘the women voters of the fifteen full suffrage states*…to join their forces in a League of Women Voters, one of whose objects shall be to speed the suffrage campaign in our own and other countries.’”… “(T)he governing council of the new League decided to recommend as its first activity a study of state laws having to do with education and the legal status of women. That recommendation set the pattern the League was to follow all its life—study first, then action.”

Today –

“Study first, then action.” This is the process the League of Women Voters has followed since its beginning. Our activities are based upon thorough, balanced studies of public policy issues.

We offer nonpartisan and unbiased information to voters through our voter service activities, such as election forums, debates and carefully researched voting guides.
We conduct multiyear studies of governmental, environmental and social issues. Our study committees read relevant research and interview experts and advocates representing many different viewpoints. The committees publish reports about what they have learned. LWV members and the public can read these reports online or in print.
When LWV members discuss a study, they may come to an agreement about how to address the issues. Their discussions lead to our advocacy positions

The League of Women Voters of Portland is now finishing a restudy of Portland’s City Government. The League of Women Voters of Oregon recently completed a study of Hard Rock Mining in Oregon. Also, LWVOR members just voted to study Cyber Security and Privacy and Pesticides and other Biocides in Oregon. You can read about all these studies here. Then you can view our advocacy positions, based on previous studies, here.

*States granting women the right to vote prior to the 19th Amendment: Wyoming 1890, Colorado 1893, Utah 1896, Idaho 1896, Washington 1910, California 1911, Arizona 1912, Kansas 1912, Oregon 1912, Montana 1914, Nevada 1914, New York 1917, Michigan 1918, Oklahoma 1918, South Dakota 1918

Source: National Constitution Center

Clean Energy Qualifies for Ballot!

Progress for Clean Energy in Portland!

The League of Women Voters of Portland supports this clean energy measure. We are pleased to share this press release from the campaign.

Press Release – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, July 27, 2018

Contact: Damon Motz-Storey 303.913.5634 damon@oregonpsr.org

Portland Clean Energy Fund Campaign Officially Qualifies for November 2018 Ballot

(PORTLAND, OR) – The Portland City Auditor Elections Division sent news late today that the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PDX 04, the “Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Initiative 2018”) received enough valid Portland voter signatures to qualify for the November 2018 ballot. A sampling of 55,509 submitted signatures revealed 39,755 valid signatures, over 5,000 more than the 34,156 signature threshold for the City of Portland. The announcement means that Portland voters will decide this Fall on funding clean energy projects including housing upgrades, living-wage jobs and job training, and green infrastructure.

“The people of Portland have spoken: the time is now for good jobs, healthy homes, and a clean energy future,” said chief petitioner Reverend E.D. Mondainé, President of the NAACP Portland Branch and Pastor of the Celebration Tabernacle Church in North Portland. “Our broad and diverse community achieved something truly great in submitting far more than enough signatures for this historic measure. We look forward to victory at the ballot this November.”

The Portland Clean Energy Fund would raise more than $30 million per year to support energy efficiency housing upgrades, jobs and job training in clean energy, and new solar power and green infrastructure. The measure will prioritize funding for housing upgrades and living-wage jobs for all underserved Portlanders, particularly low-income residents and people of color. The Portland Clean Energy Fund would be funded by a 1% business license surcharge that would only apply to mega-retailers with more than $1 billion per year in nation-wide gross revenue

More than 150 organizations and businesses and over 50 elected officials, public figures, and faith leaders have endorsed the Portland Clean Energy Fund Campaign.

A full list of endorsements, more information, and the full text of the initiative is available at www.portlandcleanenergyfund.com.

Signing Initiative Petitions

Signature Gatherers want you to sign!

It’s that time of year. People with clipboards (including some League members) are asking voters to sign petitions to put ballot measures on the November ballot. Should you sign? You definitely should think about whether you really support the petition and would like it to become law. Ask for an explanation of what the measure would do and read the ballot title. The League of Women Voters cautions you to “Think Before You Ink.” Here’s some information to consider before you sign.

The league is supporting some initiatives

Portland Clean Energy Fund

As of July 6, this initiative appears to have enough signatures to qualify for the November ballot. The Portland LWV supports this proposal. Our support is based on our Climate Change and Equality of Opportunity positions. It would fund renewable energy and energy efficiency projects and clean-energy jobs training for disadvantaged workers. Income for the Fund would be from a 1% supplemental business license surcharge on large retail corporations with over $1 billion a year in national revenue and $500,000 in Portland sales. (Revenue from groceries and medicine would be exempted.)

Initiative 43, regulating sales of assault weapons

Our support of this initiative was based on our position on gun safety. However, the coalition of clergy members, youth and other advocates, “Lift Every Voice,” has withdrawn the initiative and will refile it for 2020. The initiative proposed two steps to make Oregon a safer place. The first was to require semiautomatic weapons and large capacity magazines to be registered by responsible gun owners. The second step would have been to prohibit the future sale of these weapons and magazines in Oregon. This effort is delayed, but not over.

Improving Gun Safety – Video Highlights

Gun violence is a tragedy in our country. How can we make our homes, schools and communities safer? In March 2017, the Portland League presented a panel discussion about gun safety. Click below for highlights of what the speakers said about preventing gun deaths in Oregon and constitutional gun safety laws we can adopt. Improving gun safety is a priority for us. See more about our current work.

Day at the Legislature! February 23

The League of Women Voters of Oregon invites you to a program about what’s happening in the current Oregon Legislative Session and what outcomes will affect you.

Friday, Feb. 23, 9:30 am-2 pm
Oregon State Library, Rooms 102 and 103
250 Winter St. NE, Salem, OR 97301

Advance registration is required on or before Friday, February 16.

Highlights:

Angela Crowley-Koch of the Oregon Environmental Council will speak about the Clean Energy Jobs Bill, Allison McIntosh of Neighborhood Partnerships will speak about housing issues and Legislative Fiscal Officer Ken Rocco will speak about the state budget. State Treasurer Tobias Read, Rep. Barbara Smith Warner and Rep. Carl Wilson will also join us. Registration begins at 9:30, lunch at noon. Morning coffee and pastries included in ticket price.
Click the red “REGISTER NOW” below to register online or print and mail a registration form from the same link.

Advance registration required. Click below to register.
REGISTER TODAY!

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