WASHINGTON, DC — On August 3, the District Court of Maryland temporarily blocked a US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) rule that prevented nonpartisan civic engagement groups from registering new US citizens to vote at administrative naturalization ceremonies. The Court’s preliminary injunction prevents the new
The League of Women Voters of the Rivertowns (LWVR) has presented its first-ever Civic Leadership Award to Sharon Courtney, executive director for social studies education for the Yonkers Public Schools, in recognition of her outstanding commitment to civic education and voter engagement. Since joining the
LWV Syracuse will be doing Voter Registration at two Naturalization Ceremonies in August. In recognition of the August 8th Day of Action, LWV Syracuse will be doing Voter Registration and Education in collaboration with three churches doing two different food distribution events downtown. Their Observer
In July, the New York City League joined thousands of New Yorkers to honor the fighting spirit of John Lewis at the second Good Trouble Lives On Rally. Members and volunteers gathered in the office to make posters before heading downtown together to join the
Cattaraugus/Allegany will be hosting an event empowering voters and celebrating the legacy of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 on August 8th. They will be partnering with one of their local disability advocacy groups bringing awareness of potential barriers to voting and resources to counteract.
Join the League and our partners to create an Election Protection Taskforce during this election season. We are recruiting volunteers across New York State in partnership with the NAACP and Common Cause to support nonpartisan election observation efforts. Volunteers will serve within their own counties,
All of the local leagues within each of our five NYS regions are set to hold their quarterly meetings in November, which is approaching quickly! In between scheduled meetings, individual regions stay in touch with each other with updates, projects, concerns and successes about a
It is important for us to be active and visible during this time as we work tirelessly to defend democracy against our rapidly changing government. On October 18, Local Leagues joined community organizations across the state for the “No Kings” rally, standing up for democracy
Join the State League and our VAN Chair, Monica Ferguson, to learn how you and your League can best use VAN to target voters for Get Out the Vote efforts this election cycle. Thank you for joining us during our July training sessions. Together, we
Join us for our next Statewide Observer Corps meeting on August 27, 2026. These meetings will focus on helping you and your local League to grow your Observer Corps as well to share efforts and observations from across the State. This is a recurring meeting
Check out our new make a plan to vote cards for the 2026 Election here! These will soon be available and sent out to local Leagues to be used as a flyer to get out the vote this November.
As election season rapidly approaches, it is our shared responsibility to ensure that voters are well informed and prepared to participate in the democratic process. 2026 Voter Guide, Part 1 is still available for purchase. If your local League has not yet placed an order,
Several weeks ago, we were thrilled to announce our victory in the Department of Justice case seeking sensitive voter data from the NYS Board of Elections. The DOJ has since appealed that decision, but the State League and our partners at the Brennan Center and
As League members, we find ourselves at an important moment. The months leading up to the midterm elections will require dedication, energy, and persistence. Through Unite and Rise, our Voter Service work, Election Protection, and our other democracy initiatives, we have an opportunity to educate
Contact: Erica Smitka, Executive Director, League of Women Voters of New York State E: erica@lwvny.org Victory for New York Voters: Federal Court Dismisses DOJ Lawsuit Seeking Private Voter Data —————————————————— (New York – July 14, 2026) -FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NEW YORK — In a victory for voters, a federal judge dismissed the US
The Student’s Inside Albany Conference promotes principles of democracy for our young people. Our objective is to:
Watch the League’s “Defending Democracy” remarks by League President, Lori Dawson, at the No Kings rally in Saratoga Springs. The League co-sponsored the event where thousands gathered locally in support of democracy and the constitution. Click remarks by League President, Lori Dawson to view.
On October 25th, the League of Women Voters of New York State, represented by Campaign Legal Center (CLC) and the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law (Brennan Center), filed a motion to intervene as a defendant in a lawsuit brought by the
The League of Women Voters of New York State thanks all who attended last month’s episodes of our civic education and advocacy webinar series, Democracy Defenders. If you missed our previous episodes, click here to view. For our next episode we will hear from our
The League of Women Voters NYS mourns the loss of a remarkable League leader, Richard Rifkin. Richard’s life was a beacon of service, wisdom, and unwavering dedication to the community he so deeply loved. Richard Rifkin’s tireless work to uplift others and his passion for
Our State DEI Committee meeting of October 6th was well worth the wait! At the top of the meeting, most attendees took the opportunity provided to them to speak to their local DEI-related efforts since meeting last June. This practice, continued from previous years, allows
Congratulations to Leagues that participated so successfully in the No Kings Day rallies across the state! I hope all your election-day preparations were rewarding and productive as well – registering, educating, GOTV-ing the voters to the polls! As of today’s “The Voter”, there are two
A huge thank-you to our local Leagues for continuing to promote VOTE411. By sharing it through social media, texts, and emails, we empower voters right where they are by helping them make informed choices. We’re also seeing voters use early voting exactly as intended, and
On September 10 the League of Women Voters of the Cooperstown Area (LWVCA) held “An Evening in Defense of Democracy,” its kick-off event for “Unite & Rise 8.5” The focus was a timely topic: the security of our votes. More than 60 area residents were
