Serving the people of the metropolitan area of Des Moines, Iowa
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization encouraging the informed and active participation of citizens in government. It influences public policy through education and advocacy.
About the League
What is our mission? How are we structured? What is our history?
Our Mission. Our History. Our Newsletter.
Our Mission and Roles
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization encouraging the informed and active participation of citizens in government. It influences public policy through education and advocacy. We never support or oppose any political party or candidate.
The League of Women Voters has two separate and distinct roles.
- Studies key community issues at all government levels in an unbiased manner.
- Enables people to seek positive solutions to public policy issues through education and conflict management.
- Action/Advocacy: we are also nonpartisan, but, after study, we use our positions to advocate for or against particular policies in the public interest. We are truly a grassroots organization.
The League of Women Voters takes action on an issue or advocates for a cause when there is an existing League position that supports the issue or speaks to the cause.
Positions result from a process of study. Any given study, whether it be National, State, or Local, is thorough in its pursuit of facts and details. As the study progresses, a continuing discussion of pros and cons of each situation occurs. Prior to the results of the study being presented to the general membership, study committee members fashion consensus questions that are then addressed by the membership.
Additional discussion, pro and con, takes place as members (not part of the study committee) learn the scope of the study. After the members reach consensus, the board forms positions based on that consensus.
It is the consensus statement -- the statement resulting from the consensus questions -- that becomes a position. Firm action or advocacy can then be taken on the particular issue addressed by the position. Without a position, action/advocacy cannot be taken.
To conduct our voter service and citizen education activities, we use funds from the League of Women Voters of Education Fund, which is a 501(c)(3) corporation, a nonprofit educational organization. The League of Women Voters, a membership organization, conducts action and advocacy and is a nonprofit 501(c)(4) corporation.
Our Vision, Beliefs, and Intentions guide our activities.The goal of the League of Women Voters is to empower citizens to shape better communities worldwide.
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political membership organization which:
- acts after study and member agreement to achieve solutions in the public interest on key community issues at all government levels
- builds citizen participation in the democratic process.
- engages communities in promoting positive solutions to public policy issues through education and advocacy.
The League of Women Voters Education Fund is a nonpartisan public policy educational organization which:
- builds citizen participation in the democratic process
- studies key community issues at all governmental levels in an unbiased manner
- enables people to seek positive solutions to public policy issues through education and conflict management.
We believe in:
- respect for individuals
- the value of diversity
- the empowerment of the grassroots, both within the League and in communities
We will:
- act with trust, integrity and professionalism
- operate in an open and effective manner to meet the needs of those we serve, both members and the public
- take the initiative in seeking diversity in membership
- acknowledge our heritage as we seek our path to the future.
History of the League of Women Voters
To read about the League and its history click here to go to the LWVIA page About the League of Women Voters.
League of Women Voters of Metro Des Moines Newsletter
THE VOTER is the newsletter from the League of Women Voters of Metro Des Moines