The League of Women Voters of Indiana 2020 State Council meeting was held June 6 as part of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the LWV. The council is held in even-numbered years to give direction to the state board on programs, elect a second vice president, secretary and certain board positions, adopt the budget for coming year and share local League information. Due to COVID-19, this year’s council meeting was held by Zoom.
The council is composed of the president and two other members of each local League in the state as well as the state board members. Montgomery County was represented by president Helen Hudson, Myra Dunn Abbott and Tina Osborn. Montgomery County with more than 160 members is the second largest of the 25 local Leagues in Indiana. Men are welcome in the League, and 50 of the Montgomery Leaguers are male, including one on the board of directors and others in leadership positions.
The mission of the LWV is to encourage informed and active participation in government, work to increase public understanding of major policy issues and to influence public policy through education and advocacy. The LWV stands firmly for diversity, equity and inclusion. The League is one of only two national volunteer organizations that have members in chapters in all 50 states. The other organization with such penetrating reach is the NAACP.
There are still situations with voter suppression, unequal representation, structural racism and environmental injustice, among others that block our democracy from realizing its fullest expression. These are issues that deserve the League’s clear and passionate attention at local, state and national levels.
The LWV of Indiana includes in its program of study, education and action:
• Social policy (education-mandatory Kindergarten, children at risk, domestic violence, general assistance)
• Justice system, including juvenile justice
• Health care
• Government and fiscal policy (local government, finance, property tax exemption, tax system, school finance)
• Environment
• Election process and voter rights
All women and men are invited to join the LWV, which studies local, state and national issues. Contact LWV, P.O. Box 101, Crawfordsville, IN 47933, if you are interested. Together we can make a difference.
