The League of Women Voters

The League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS) is a strictly nonpartisan political organization started in 1920 to educate voters and advocate on issues which its members have studied and have reached consensus.  Anyone in the United States is eligible to join, although only those eligible to vote in the United States are eligible to vote on LWV consensus items.                                                                        

A grassroots organization, the League has a unique decentralized structure and works at national, state and local levels. For more information about the League of Women Voters of the United States, go to www.lwv.org  For more information about League activities in the state of Oregon, go to www.lwvor.org

League of Women Voters of East Multnomah County(LWVEMCO) was founded in 1960 when large parts of the Multnomah County were unincorporated and the County government was, in effect, the local government.  Now, some 46 years later, much more of east Multnomah County has been incorporated into cities and the role of county government has changed.

LWVEMCO participates in national and state LWV studies and develops many positions of its own through the careful research and consensus process which has established and preserved League credibility at all levels. Each study takes at least 2 years. Revisions can take less time.  Following is a brief summary of topics on which LWVEMCO has developed positions and advocated:

1960: Know Your County (initial comprehensive study)

1961: Parks and Recreation  (Updated, 1981-82)

1965: Mt. Hood Community College  (Updated, 1999)

1980:  Problems of the Elderly

1983: Health Care Study

1983: Multnomah County Home Rule Charter

1983: Juvenile Justice (ages 5-9)

1986: Multnomah Education Service District

1986: Multnomah County Library System

1994: Multnomah County Government Position  (update of 1983 position)

1997: Juvenile Justice (including teenagers)

2006:  Effect of Urban Development on Fish and Wildlife (consensus pending)

In addition, LWVEMCO is part of League of Women Voters of the Columbia River Region (LWVCRR), which is concerned with regional issues.  This is one of few such organizations within the League of Women Voters of the United States and was formed to study the development of METRO.  LWVCRR has taken positions and advocated on the following:

1967:  Promotion of Orderly Metropolitan Government (revised 1979,1994)

1972:  Solid Waste  (revised 1985)

1975:  Port of Portland (revised 1994)

1977:  Metropolitan Transportation (1977)

1987:  Tri-Met

1992: Metropolitan Government (revised 1994)

1992: Urban Growth Boundary (revised 1994)

(4/2006)