ABOUT THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
The League of Women Voters has sought for
nearly 85 years to promote active, informed voting and participation in
government. A nonpartisan organization, the League never supports
individual candidates or political parties. It does take stands on
government issues selected by its membership for study, consensus, and
action. Membership is open to all citizens, women and men, of voting
age, and includes three levels of organization: local, state, and
national. The League is supported financially by its members and by
contributions from the community it serves.
League members may and do participate as individual citizens on boards
or committees and may work for political parties or for candidates for
office. In doing so, they serve as individuals and do not speak for the
League of Women Voters.
Official League positions are only arrived at after study and a vote of
the membership. Spokespersons who speak for the League may only
do so with permission and direction of the LWV-CC Board.
The Champaign County League was formed in 1922, just two years after
the formation of LWVUS. Members meet from September through June in
General Meetings with programs being on items being studied locally or
nationally by the members.
There is a membership drive in the fall and an annual meeting in the
spring. Members receive publications from the National and State LWV
and get a local newsletter. A separate category of membership for
students has been established to encourage participation by college
students.
The League of Women Voters of Champaign County:
- Publishes each year a "Directory of Who's Who in Government" and provides it free to the public and to government officials.
- Publishes less frequently "This is Champaign County" which describes the different governmental units and their functions.
- Makes available many other publications about our government, the governmental process and about voting.
- Has committees which study in detail items adopted by the membership for intensive study.
- Has members who serve as observers at many boards, councils and commissions and report to the membership annually.
- Has an active committee watching the courts in the county.
- Sponsors Candidates' Forums when there are contested elections.
- Maintains this web page at http://www.prairienet.org/lwv/
- Has an active Student Unit which meets on the University of Illinois Campus.
P.O. Box 201, Urbana, IL 61803-0201
For questions about membership in the League,
contact:
Theresa Michelson (Membership Chair), thmichelson@yahoo.com
For questions about the LWVCC Prairienet
information contact:
Margaret Olson at mjolson@prairienet.org or lwv@prairienet.org or phone (217)
344-6390
Or, to go right to the top .... contact our
president: Trisha Crowley phone (217) 359-2514, tcrowley9491@gmail.com
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When the Champaign County League celebrated its 70th anniversary in 1992 it had nine fifty-year members to help look back on its many accomplishments.
In 1946 the League had studied the issue of sanitary landfills and approached the City Council to advise that such a landfill was needed in Champaign. According to retired Champaign City attorney Gail Fisher, "because of the League and only because of the League," the City Council undertook a study and did establish a sanitary landfill in the County.
Also in the 1940s, the Champaign County League prepared a community report on the status of African-Americans in Champaign County. This report served as a catalyst for many community programs and endeavors to bring more equality of opportunity for African-Americans in the County.
A 1964 League study of county land use problems and a report entitled "From Blight to Beauty" about unguided and rapid growth led to the founding of the Champaign County Design and Conservation Foundation, a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to improving the environment in Champaign County. The Champaign County League has prepared other significant reports for the community on issues such as drainage districts, children's issues, and our local Courts. In the early 1990s, the League received a grant from the Illinois Department of Energy to sponsor a recycling project at a local apartment complex.
Thanks to a bequest from Rena Ullmann, we financially and actively support and encourage student membership in the League. One of our first student members was instrumental in the current LWVUS support of student memberships.
Two of our members have served as President of the State League. Others have been invited to the White House for conferences on libraries and the environment. In 1993 a member was invited to participate in a three-day national conference on the Future of the Courts and her way was paid by the American Bar Association. She used her experience there to organize a one-day conference in 1995 on the future of the Champaign County Courts.
The Champaign County League remains committed to taking a lead in identifying and working on measures that are important to our community.
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Our first project on coming to the Classic Prairienet in 1995 was to provide electronic access to our yearly publication, "A Directory of Who's Who in Government". We try keep this online directory current during the year, and would appreciate input from our readers to help us do that.
In January 1997, a homepage was set up for LWVCC. It has links to LWVIL and LWVUS and other Prairienet pages as well as to many other places of interest. "Who's Who" and our monthly newsletters, "The Voter" are here, too.
For information about voting or the League write to us at P.O. Box 201, Urbana, IL 61803-0201.
The League of Women Voters of Champaign County is happy to be here on Prairienet and to be able to share information about the League and about our government.
Web Page Created: January 14, 1997
by Margaret Olson
Last updated: September 5, 2007LWVCC
Homepage: http://www.prairienet.org/lwv/
Student Unit Homepage:
Email: lwv@prairienet.orgContact:
Margaret Olson mjolson@prairienet.org
Phone: (217) 344-6390The League is grateful to Prairienet for providing an Information Area and Homepage at Prairienet. We would appreciate your comments and suggestions for additional services
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