INDEX

President's Paragraphs

In the past year our Alabama State and Local Leagues have increased our visibility, credibility and relevance by focusing on the most visible and critical issues in our communities and in Alabama government.  At the State level we have used technology to address Alabama’s defective constitution, record spending in judicial elections and what appears to be a largely dysfunctional legislature.  We issued calls to action to generate support for bills calling for a badly needed constitutional convention through our website and e-mail lists, worked with Alabama Appleseed to create an online voter guide to the Supreme Court races which will be a model for more such guides in the future and posted online the results of our objective study of the legislature in a Facts and Issues and our grassroots consensus positions on actions that we believe would significantly improve our legislature.  We also made our positions known through letters to legislators, press releases and an op ed piece.  Sandy Robinson and the outgoing Board moved us forward and have left the organization poised for growth in numbers and influence. 

I would especially like to thank Sandy Robinson for her wise and efficient leadership this past year and for the wonderful informative and inspiring Convention in May.  If you missed it, be sure to read Sandy’s article in this issue of the Voter and the information on the LWVAL website about the Convention.   The website contains a wealth of information about how the League works and how you can participate, including very helpful information about using the internet as a resource for League work.
The excellent technology presentation at Convention by Scarlett Gaddy and webmaster / artist Jean Johnson is on the website. The remarks of our special guest speakers, Kimble Forrister of Alabama Arise and Congressman Artur Davis, were thought provoking and inspiring.   Their willingness to make time in busy schedules to contribute to our Convention is most appreciated.

While the 2007 Convention was planned by the State Board, the Tuscaloosa League extended warm Southern hospitality to attendees with a delightful dinner and lovely reception.  We are looking for a local league to host Council in 2008.  Let me know if your league is interested.

At Convention, we presented the Jane Katz Memorial Award to Alabama Arise Executive Director, Kimble Forrister, in recognition of “outstanding service to...improve the lives of low-income Alabamians” and the Joyce Woodworth Award to Anne Permaloff in “recognition of her contributions to League program…and her valuable guidance to the [LWVAL].”  

Anne has agreed to continue her outstanding service to LWVAL by agreeing to accept the Advocacy Chair portfolio.  Many thanks to outgoing Advocacy Chair, Ruth Wright, who did a superb job of keeping us all informed, guiding us to make wise advocacy decisions and managing our efforts to ensure that the legislature and government agencies know where the League stands.  Ruth will continue to serve on the Advocacy Team and as Program Chair for LWVAL.  Other members of the Advocacy Team are Charlotte Ward, Becky Sylvester, Sue Flood and Mary Lynn Bates.  Other current portfolio appointments are: Voter Service-Scarlett Gaddy, Natural Resouces-Leonette Slay, the Voter-Charlotte Ward, Membership-Sarah McDonald and Health Care/ DHR-Judy Jones.  If you have a special interest in any of these areas, please let the appropriate person know.  Additional portfolio appointments are expected to be accepted in the areas of Constitutional Reform, Transportation, Public Relations, and the Judiciary.  If you are interested in working in any of these areas, let me know.

Your new Board will meet for two days, September 8-9, to plan for the 2007-2009 biennium.   Your input is requested.  If you have suggestions about how we can improve the organization of the State League, increase and retain membership, enhance our advocacy efforts or better support the Local Leagues, please let me or any member of the State Board know before that meeting. 

Local league training is available from the LWVAL.  This summer, the Baldwin and Mobile Leagues came together for joint training twice, once for technology training by Jean Johnson and Scarlett Gaddy and again for Board training by Becky Sylvester.  Thank you to all who made this possible.

I was privileged to represent Alabama at the LWVUS Council meeting in Washington, DC in June.  In addition to handling League business of approving a budget and receiving Committee reports, Council delegates heard presentations on Immigration, Membership Recruitment, Judicial Independence and DC Voting Rights.   State and Local Leagues are urged to take action in each of these areas. 

Immigration Study materials are available now on the LWVUS website, www.lwv.org . Consensus questions will be distributed September 1 and consensus responses must be returned to National no later than February 1.   This is an issue of great interest and importance nationwide and I encourage you to study it in terms of its effect on your local community as well as its national impact.  The consensus process can be slow and cumbersome but it is well worth the time and effort.   League’s ability to influence public policy depends on the perception and reality that its program positions truly reflect a consensus of its membership arrived at through full and open discussion and a fair, inclusive and transparent process.

The Membership Recruitment project has been successful in the Local Leagues participating in the pilot.  It now moves to the State level.  Alabama has decided not to apply to participate formally in the pilot but at its planning meeting the Board will look at how we can use the information available from the national project to encourage increased League membership throughout the State.

Judicial Independence continues to be a concern nationwide and in Alabama. Alabama’s record spending in the last statewide judicial elections was mentioned in the presentation at Council.  Check the LWV website for information about what other Leagues are doing to educate the public about the special role of the judiciary and resources for programs and projects on this issue.

Voting Representation in the U.S. Congress for citizens living in the District of Columbia has been a League concern for many years.   Thank you to all who contacted their Senators in support of the pending compromise bill to give DC a voting representative in the House and Utah an additional representative.  Eleanor Holmes Norton, DC’s nonvoting Congresswoman, spoke at Council and, in discussing the history of the issue, mentioned the negative racial implications in the remarks of a former Alabama lawmaker opposing voting rights for the District in the past.  This is an opportunity for us to take a stand for voting rights for U.S. Citizens without voting representation in the U.S. Congress even following the ratification of the 19th Amendment on August 26, 1920 when most of us were finally federally guaranteed the right to vote.

On August 26 this year, let’s all remember the sacrifices of the “Iron Jawed Angels” and the League’s founders who fought for the vote for women and recommit ourselves to the work of safeguarding democracy and the precious right to vote for all.

-- Mary Lynn Bates
President, LWVAL

LWVAL Convention 2007 - "It's All About the League"

Convention this year fulfilled its theme of “It’s All About the League.”  There was time to sit and chat with League members from across the state, time for regular League business, and time for the workshops, which focused on League, too.
 
LWV of Tuscaloosa hosted dinner at Kathy Byrd’s house Friday night for those who arrived for Convention early and also hosted a wine and cheese reception before the Saturday night banquet.  It was a great opportunity for members and spouses to meet and chat with other Leaguers.   We sometimes forget that we need to take a break and step back from our many tasks at hand.  Taking time to talk with other League members helps to reinvigorate the group, put faces with names, and gives us contacts throughout the state.
 
During Saturday’s plenary session of Convention, motions were made to adopt the budget and bylaw changes, Ruth Wright presented the Proposed Program, Local Leagues reported on their activities during the past year, and the new slate of officers was presented.
 
Kimble Forrister, Executive Director of Arise Citizens’ Policy Project, was presented the Jane Katz Award “in recognition of outstanding service to the fundamental principles of freedom and democracy in their work with the Alabama Legislature to improve the lives of low-income Alabamians.”  He talked about Alabama Arise future plans and how they and LWV might cooperate.  Arise will focus first on tax reform.

The League of Women Voters of Baldwin County received the Phyllis Rea Membership Award for highest percentage membership growth in the last two years. (94%)
 
Anne Permaloff is the recipient of the Joyce Woodworth Memorial Award for her outstanding work in League program from the mid 1990s through Constitutional Reform updating, Program Review, and the Legislative Study.
 
Congressman Artur Davis (Alabama 7th District), guest speaker at the Saturday night banquet, spoke on the immigration bill in the Senate.  He briefly recapped the different immigration bills that have been passed and discussed over the last 230 years.  This was a timely topic and speaker since immigration is the current LWVUS study and Rep. Davis is on the U. S. House Judiciary Committee.  He praised the League for its focus on the common good in its efforts.
 
For the workshops on Saturday afternoon everyone attended each workshop, following a suggestion from Council and the 2005 Convention comments.  Jean Johnson and Scarlett Gaddy conducted the first workshop, “LWV Technology.”  We could have stayed on this topic the entire Convention!!   They distributed their CD “A Leaguer’s Guide to Online Resources” and gave tips for navigating the sites easily. The second workshop continued the “It’s All About the League” theme  with three key topics. Sue Flood presented “League Lobbyist: what it is and what it’s not”, Charlotte Ward talked about “Program Planning in League” with a focus on Local League program, and Ruth Wright gave the “Advocacy Report for 2006-2007”.  All of the Convention, “Workshop and Report Summaries” information, as well as the changes to the bylaws, 2007-2009 program, and other items discussed at Convention, can be accessed under the member section of the LWVAL website at www.lwval.org.  
 
The Sunday morning plenary session completed the business--election of the Board for 2007-2009, adoption of bylaw revisions, adoption of program, and advice to the state Board from Local Leagues.
 
Suggestion was made at Convention that Local Leagues start thinking about hosting the next Council or Convention.  Contact any of the State Board members for more information or to host 2008 Council or 2009 Convention.  Also, contact the Board if you have any ideas or suggestions for either of these upcoming statewide meetings or comments on the 2007 Convention.

-- Sandy Robinson
Immediate Past President, LWVAL

Meet the LWVAL 2007 Award Winners   

The League of Women voters of Alabama makes two awards at its biennial convention. The oldest, the Jane Katz Award, is named for the league’s long-time lobbyist, who died all too soon, leaving a heritage of selfless service to Alabamians. The award recognizes a person or group in Alabama who has followed in her footsteps. This year’s recipient is Kimble Forrister, who has been executive director of the Alabama ARISE Policy Project almost since its beginning. Under his leadership, ARISE has seen the adoption of a landlord-tenant law that for the first time gives renters legal recourse if a landlord refuses to maintain property in livable condition. Arise is still working on tax reform, long a concern of the LWVAL.

The second, the Joyce Woodworth Award, is named in honor of a long time Leaguer from North Alabama. Joyce was not only the anchor of the Florence area League, but a member of the state board who, among other things,  produced  a memorable “Facts and Issues” on finance that is still useful. Her award recognizes notable service to and through the state League. This year it went to Dr. Anne Permaloff, recently retired professor of political science at Auburn University/Montgomery. Anne has served as state president and remains our resident consultant on all things political. She will be serving on the State Board this biennium as Advocacy Chair, continuing her work with the Advocacy Committee over the last several years.

Alabama is fortunate to have citizens like these two, and the LWVAL is proud to honor them.  

-- Charlotte Ward
LWVAL Voter Editor 
                     

Mobile and Baldwin County Leagues Explore New Technologies

The Mobile and Baldwin County Leagues met in Daphne in July to learn more about accessing League web resources and new technology.  Jean Johnson and Scarlett Gaddy were guest speakers for the meeting and continued their discussions from LWVAL Convention on the League and technology.  Jean’s discussion facilitated navigation of the LWV and LWVAL web sites.  Navigating the web sites can seem daunting if one is not at ease with the Internet and related technology.  Jean did a great job of calming fears and making access to these valuable resources easier for all.  Scarlett’s discussion focused on the future of LWV and LWVAL and the benefits of utilizing new technologies to recruit new members and maintain current levels of membership.  These new technologies engage members who may not currently be able to participate in their local League and attract new, younger members who may be interested in joining League.  This is a critical area for LWV both locally and nationally due to drastically falling membership numbers occurring over the last thirty years as more women have joined the workforce.  Tools such as Skype, blogs and wikis, enable Leagues to have an online presence that attracts and keeps new members as well as informs the public on issues in the League’s program.   These will be increasingly more attractive options to the growing tech-savy population.  These methods of conducting online meetings and communicating long distance also enable MALs to participate in meetings in locations too far away to drive without hardship.  If any League is interested in conducting a similar meeting, please contact either Jean Johnson jjohnson@lwval.org or Scarlett Gaddy sbgaddy@yahoo.com to establish possible meeting dates.  

--  Scarlett Gaddy
1st Vice President, LWVAL

Note: The presentation made by Scarlett and Jean at Convention is available on the LWVAL website.

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