The San Antonio League is poised to embark on the upcoming local election scene with renewed vigor. The Voter Services and the Community Outreach committees are busy putting together educational materials about voting and elections. The committees are seeking innovative ways to reach the community with the help of our energetic and engaged members.
Local elections are the most important elections that directly impact us. Yet these are the elections where participation remains particularly low. There are many burning issues facing us this election– homelessness, digital divide, affordable housing, climate change, safe water, alternative energy resources and much more. The leaders we elect today will chart the future course of our community. We can mobilize the voters if we provide the voters the information they need and get them to the polls to vote responsibly and help them play their role in our representative democracy.
The League is well positioned for this task. We enjoy the credibility of a strictly nonpartisan organization. We have the impeccable reputation of educating citizens to create an informed electorate. We are a true grassroots organization driven by the passions, energy and concerns of our members – who are all volunteers.
I have seen the demand for the League’s Voters Guide increase with each successive election. Other organizations are reaching out to the League to request Voters Guides to distribute. From printing 8,000 copies six years back, we are now printing 23,000 copies and running out of them before Election Day. Vote411 is also experiencing dramatic increase in traffic as voters are made aware of Vote411 as a nonpartisan resource for election/candidate information.
To successfully implement and execute the League’s extensive community outreach plan, we will need to harness the energy of our members like YOU. There are many volunteer opportunities available. Please go to
our list of upcoming opportunities and see what best fits with what you can offer in terms of time and skills.
Several candidate forums are also being organized for the coming weeks. We will need timekeepers, moderators, member volunteers to screen questions asked by the audience and much more. Moderator training will be provided. If you are interested in helping with these forums please send an email to
voterservices@lwvsa.org.
We are all part of the League’s legacy of providing quality, trustworthy and balanced resources to citizens and lawmakers alike. The League of Women Voters has left its footprints on American history, and I believe our democracy is stronger because of it.