Remaining Nonpartisan in Hyper-partisan times
More than 100 years ago, the League of Women Voters of the U.S. was founded to be a nonpartisan voice for American women who wanted free, fair, and open elections.
Many issues today are framed in partisan terms and it can feel impossible to communicate without being accused of taking a side. “If you believe this, then you must be a progressive.” “If you oppose that, then you are a conservative.”
A healthy democracy depends on two components:
- Shared vision and commitment to the culture of democracy
- Conflict/disagreement and tension over ideas. Discussion, discourse, and listening to other points of view are what makes democracy work.
League members are not a monolith. We represent opinions and positions that can be found across the American political spectrum. What brings us together is our commitment to voter empowerment—especially empowering women voters—and defending democracy.
Whether you identify politically as a Republican, Democrat, Independent, Libertarian, conservative, liberal, moderate, progressive or another political perspective, you have a place in this democracy and a place within the League.
ISSUES ARE NOT PARTISAN
The League’s advocacy work is issue-based, and we arrive at our positions based on careful study, academic research, and input from our members in communities across the country. We never derive our positions from politicians, and even when candidates or parties support the same issue, we do not endorse them. No party has a claim on any particular issue. Sometimes a candidate or political party agrees with our position—they may even champion them—but that doesn’t make the issue or the League partisan.
Click here for the League of Women Voters of Moore County adopted Non-Partisan Policy