The League is dedicated to ensuring that all eligible voters–particularly first-time voters, underrepresented or underserved communities, racial and ethnic minorities, non-college youth, elderly and disabled, low-income, new citizen, and formerly incarcerated Louisianans– have the opportunity and the information to exercise their right to vote.
Local Leagues are active in voter registration, especially of new citizens and high school and college youth, while the state League works to protect voting rights and election security and to increase voter participation in elections. Prior to elections, the local and state Leagues also host live candidate forums and publish online Voters Guides on the VOTE411.org/lwvla platform that contain candidates’ responses to our questionnaires that are unedited and in the candidates’ own words. This service is extended to all candidates on the ballot, from all parties, so that voters may know their positions on essential issues of the day.
In the past, the League has also provided guidance on state constitutional amendments, offering pros and cons for each amendment. In addition to these voter services, national, state, and local Leagues, after careful study, may adopt public policy positions, which its members use to educate and inform both legislators and the public on proposed legislation. The national positions of the LWVUS are published biennially as Impact on Issues, and state League positions are accessible on our website. Where necessary and appropriate, the League engages with its national and state partners in targeted litigation and legislative advocacy.
As the state League, LWVLA includes standing Committees with statewide representation to study proposed legislation in its area of expertise. Applying the positions adopted by the national and state Leagues, each Committee recommends that Louisiana members support or oppose bills in its Legislative Tracker, which is updated for each legislative session. There are currently eight active Committees: Criminal Justice, Education, Environment, Health Care, Library Freedom, Voting Rights, Voters Services, and Women’s Issues. LWVLA also convenes biennial Legislative Advocacy Days at the Louisiana Capitol and a biennial State Convention. Recent convention themes have been Early Childhood Education (2019), Redistricting (2021), and “EnviroCivics” (2023).