Summer 2019 Update
Our Own Good Governance: Convention 2019
On June 7th and 8th LWVMA delegates elected new officers and board members (pictured below) including Co-Presidents Mary Ann Ashton and Judy Zaunbrecher. Delegates also approved a position on immigration that aligns with our support of the Safe Communities Act, declared a Climate Emergency, and heard from speakers including environmental activist Bill McKibben, LWVUS CEO Virginia Kase, Harvard historian and expert on black women in the suffrage movement Dr. Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, election technology experts, and newly elected state legislators Sen. Becca Rausch, Rep. Mindy Domb, Rep. Nika Elugardo, and Rep. Tram Nguyen. 
Election Day Voter Registration: The Next Step
Election Modernization Coalition members at our legislative briefing with
Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap
LWVMA and our partners in the Election Modernization Coalition (EMC) have consistently worked to improve democracy in the Commonwealth. After passing Automatic Voter Registration (AVR), the logical next step is to pass Election Day Registration (EDR). EDR increases voter turnout, helps voters keep their registration up-to-date, and reduces administrative burden during the hectic pre-election season. 21 states have passed EDR since 1973.

We have been busy on Beacon Hill urging legislators to pass this common-sense legislation. On May 15, the EMC hosted a legislative briefing featuring Massachusetts Secretary of State Bill Galvin and Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap. On June 5, we hosted a Lobby Day. Most recently on June 20 Legislative Director and Board Member Nancy Brumback testified in front of the Joint Committee on Election Laws in favor of H.636, H.685, and S.396. Our members continue to make calls on this key issue.  
ROE Act: Our Voices will be Heard
On June 17 we joined a large coalition of partners to advocate and lobby for the ROE Act (H.3320/S.1209) - to protect the health, safety, and privacy of young people; to ensure 
that medical decisions remain between a patient and their doctor; to ensure equitable access to abortion; and to bring the Commonwealth's abortion laws into the 21st Century. Local leagues organized. Members-at-large showed up. Both current and newly elected LWVMA Board members were in the State House. Legislative Specialist Tracy Brown offered expert testimony. Reproductive justice is a priority for LWVMA. 
 
Civics Education: Advocacy and Celebration
LWVMA and our partners in the Massachusetts Civic Learning Coalition were proud to see Massachusetts pass a comprehensive new civics education bill at the end of last session. We continue our work with the Coalition to ensure that a Civics Project Trust Fund is created and funded by the Commonwealth to finance  teacher training, administrative support for the program, and regional and state-level Civics Showcases.

In early June, we engaged middle school students in non-partisan advocacy during the "iCivics Celebration of Civics in Action" at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute. The event both showcased outstanding civics in action projects by middle school students in Greater Boston and allowed us to engage in a hands-on-activity with students. Students were invited to create postcards for three bills on our curre nt legislative agenda: breakfast after the bell which provides students a nutritious breakfast even if they  arrive  late for school (H.591/S.267); increased access to free menstrual hygiene products in public facilities such as jails, prisons, and public schools (H.1959/S.1274); and legislation to address the climate emergency we are facing in the Commonwealth and beyond (H.2836/S.1958). We enjoyed listening to their powerful stories about these issues and helping them communicate their concerns to their elected officials. 

Celebrating Our Student Video Contest Winners
LWVMA Board President Mary Ann Ashton, Executive Director Michelle Kweder, and Environmental Specialist Launa Zimmaro with video contest winners
LWVMA honored the winners of our annual student video contest in an award ceremony at the State House this April. This year's contest, the Climate Change Challenge, tasked students with creating a 30-second video informing viewers about an aspect of climate change and presenting a solution.

LWVMA Board members, Environmental Specialist Launa Zimmaro, and several state legislators and aides presented the students with their awards. You can watch a playlist of the winning videos on our YouTube channel.
Support LWVMA, Support Democracy
For almost 100 years, the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts has been a source of nonpartisan civic education and an advocate for democracy in the Commonwealth. We rely on the support of donors like you to fund our grassroots work.

Thanks to the contribution of a generous donor, all donations made before June 30 will be matched $1 for $1, up to $30,000. Your vote only counts once, but for a limited time, your donation counts twice!