Sedona AZ (June 1, 2015) – At the annual meeting of the League of Women Voters Greater Verde Valley on May 30, the 2015-16 board and officers were elected including Barbara Litrell, President; Robyn Prud’homme Bauer, Vice President; Mary Gassaway, Secretary/Treasurer and Janet Kissinger and Kathy Davis, Board Members. Ellie Bauer, retiring as P resident of the LWVGVV, was recognized for her leadership and many years of service to the League.
Guest speaker Andrea Houchard, founder of NAU’s Philosophy in the Public Interest, emphasized the relationship between effective public education and informed, effective voters. She drew on Thomas Jefferson, who urged that “if we think [voters] not enlightened enough to exercise their own control. . . the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education.” Some emerging trends in civic engagement place low emphasis on the activity of voting, but Houchard emphasized that voting is an essential feature of citizenship. The League of Women Voters was in agreement about the importance of voting. In the last national election, Arizona ranked 45th in voter turnout.
Members of the League reached consensus that Voters Rights and Voter Education would be a priority program for the coming year leading up to the 2016 elections. Houchard committed her own blood, sweat and tears to go door to door to help educate voters, especially younger voters who are more disengaged from the process.
According to incoming president Barbara Litrell, “Our challenge in the year ahead is to find creative ways to engage our friends, neighbors and others in the community in non-partisan political conversations to create excitement about elections and voting. Some good ideas came from Andrea and members at the meeting.”
The local league was formed in Sedona in 1988, expanded to include the Village of Oak Creek in 1990, and later expanded its scope and became the League of Women Voters of Greater Verde Valley. The League is a nonpartisan political organization dedicated to public service in the field of government. It is a national organization — open to both men and women — whose purpose is to encourage political responsibility through informed and active participation in government. The League influences public policy through education and advocacy. The League never supports or opposes political parties or candidates for elective offices. For more information about the League, check www.lwvverdevalley.com or call 649-0135.