The LWV is a partisan organization masquerading as a non-partisan to benefit from non-profit status and to push its favored agenda

The breadth of partisan extremism in our country is breath-taking and discouraging.

For example, the League of Women Voters describes itself as “a nonpartisan, grassroots organization (their bolded text, as per their website).

However, for a long time, they have failed to be non-partisan.  For example, on 2024-07-25, we received a survey that included the following questions.  When I read such “surveys”, I think maybe they should lose their non-profit designation because of slanted advocacy.

#7: Which of the following is the biggest threat to voting?

·        New ID laws

·        Reduced early and mail-in voting opportunities

·        Confusing new voter laws

·        Mis-and disinformation that misrepresents issues

·        Voter intimidation

·        Other, please explain:

I think the biggest threat to our elections is the continued Democratic Party efforts to ban photo voter ID for federal elections and to allow unlimited ballot harvesting.  It is not hard to figure out why LWV chose to leave those issues off their survey.

#9: Which issues are you most passionate about?  Please prioritize your top 3 issues with “1” being the most important issue to you.

·        Universal health care

·        Racial justice

·        Women’s rights

·        Reproductive rights

·        Environment/climate change

·        LGBTQIA+ rights

·        Dark money

·        Immigration reform

·        Ensuring open and equal access to voting

·        Gun safety

·        Passage of the ERA

·        Other, please specify

Note the absence of so many issues such as Education, Public Safety, Balanced Budget, Foreign Affairs (Israel, Ukraine), Freedom of Speech, Border control (could be argued that is it part of “immigration reform”), etc.

I went to their website today and submitted the following comment:

“I am a moderate who has voted equally for Democrats and Republicans.  LWV continues to present itself as non-partisan but does not act accordingly.  For example, question #7 in the survey form you recently sent lists voting threats without mentioning outlawing photo voter ID and unlimited ballot harvesting, both of which the Democrats continue to try to pass.  Question #9 ignores issues such as balanced budgets, border control, safe streets, education, etc.  Have you considered that LWV is guilty of misinformation or disinformation by slanting its surveys to favor Democrats?”

The LWV responded promptly as follows:

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out with your concerns. We are a nonpartisan organization, although we do take stances on certain issues based on careful study and input from our members. You can find out more about our nonpartisan status here: https://www.lwv.org/blog/remaining-nonpartisan-hyper-partisan-times

Kind Regards,

 

Brittany Clark  She/Her Office Manager T 202 263 1300  E bclark@lwv.org   League of Women Voters of the US 1233 20th Street NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC, 20036 www.lwv.org | www.vote411.org

I responded to their response the next day:

Thank you for your response.  As I mentioned originally, I am a moderate who has voted for Democrats and Republicans equally often.  For example, I voted for President Biden in 2020.

You seem to be a wonderful, idealistic person.  Your love and support of animals is admirable.  (I support EarthWatch, for example, and took my daughter on a wonderful EarthWatch trip measuring the intelligence of dolphins.  A lady I know is on the leading edge of lawsuits to defend animal rights.  You might like me to put you in touch with her.)

I suspect you realize that your response does not justify LWV’s slanted surveys and ignored the issue I raised. 

It appears that LWV management decides what they want to do, then sends surveys out slanted to justify their action, but really intended to raise funds.  My theory may be wrong, but it is clear that LWV surveys are intentionally slanted.  I commented this time, but I’ve observed the bias for a long time.

It is sad that such a great organization has chosen to abandon its fundamental principles.

If you are a person of conscience, I suggest that you encourage LWV to improve or that you choose to work elsewhere if LWV insists on partisanship.