Our national League currently has positions regarding Congress and the Presidency, but has no position related to the Judiciary. (*See below for more detail on these positions.) Delegates to the 2024 LWVUS Convention overwhelmingly voted to change that by authorizing a fast-tracked, one-year study of the Federal Judiciary.
That study is now complete, and we are asked to provide input. Local Leagues across the country will be meeting from February 8-April 14 to discuss the study information, respond to twelve consensus questions, and comment.
There are three opportunities for League members to learn more and provide input:
1. LWVWA will host a statewide zoom meeting with Helen Hutchinson, a member of the national LWV’s Federal Study Committee, on
Monday March 10 from 4:00-5:30 P.M. Helen will provide a brief overview of the study and take questions from the members about the study and the consensus process. Register for the session
here.
2. LWVSC members will come together for our local consensus discussion. Please see the
website calendar for details and register to attend. We look forward to your participation!
Date: Wednesday, April 2
Time: 1:00 – 4:00 pm
Place: Everett Public Library, 2702 Hoyt Avenue (parking available)
There is a coffee shop at the library and our team will provide snacks to share. We have allowed up to three hours for the consensus discussion but anticipate being done within two hours.
3. LWVWA will hold a consensus meeting that will be open to all members who have not otherwise participated in a local League consensus meeting on the study. The meeting will be on
Saturday April 10 from 10:00 A.M. to noon. Only LWV members may participate in this meeting and can register
here.
--> Before joining either consensus discussion, you must read the Policy Briefs prepared by the Study Team. Each brief is a short summary (2-4 pages) discussing a specific area of the judiciary. These briefs will form the basis for our discussion and can be found on the national LWV member website
here. (NOTE: You must be logged in as a member to access these documents.)
If you would like to review the consensus questions prior to joining the discussion, you can find them
here.
* All national League positions can be found in the LWVUS publication
Impact on Issues. Here are the current positions on Congress and the Presidency – in brief:
Congress:
Statement of Position on Congress, as announced by the national board, April 1972, and revised March 1982:
The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that structures and practices of the US Congress must be characterized by openness, accountability, representativeness, decision-making capability, and effective performance.
The Presidency:
Statement of Position on the Presidency, as announced by the national board, January 1976, and revised March 1982
The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that presidential power should be exercised within the constitutional framework of a dynamic balance between the executive and legislative branches. Accountability and responsibility to the people require that unnecessary secrecy between the President and Congress be eliminated.