For more than a century, the League of Women Voters (LWV) has been dedicated to empowering voters and defending democracy. As a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization led by women, the LWV encourages everyone to participate in the voting process. Inside South Florida spoke with the president of the Miami-Dade chapter, Ibis Valdes, to learn more about the league's mission and activities.
The League of Women Voters was founded over 100 years ago, with its first chapter established in Chicago around the time women earned the right to vote in 1920. The organization was created to encourage women to harness their newly earned right to participate in civic society. Since then, the league has expanded across the United States, with numerous chapters dedicated to fostering civic participation and voting rights.
Despite its name, the League of Women Voters is not limited to women. "We are open to all eligible voters in the United States," Ibis explained. While the league was initially founded to advocate for women's voting rights, it welcomes anyone who cares about civic participation and voting rights.
One of the significant challenges Floridians face is the attack on access to voting, particularly vote-by-mail. The requirements for vote-by-mail requests have become more stringent, necessitating frequent renewals. The league is concerned that voters, already overwhelmed with daily responsibilities, might overlook the need to renew their vote-by-mail requests.
"We want to bring awareness to the fact that it is very much your right to vote by mail and to please make a plan to vote and check not just your voter registration status but also your vote-by-mail status," Ibis emphasized.
Despite misinformation about the safety of voting by mail, it remains one of the safest and most reliable ways to vote. Similar to tracking an Amazon package, voters can track their vote-by-mail ballot through various stages of delivery and processing, ensuring transparency and reliability.
For those seeking more information about voting and the League of Women Voters, the president recommended visiting the league's website at LWVMiamiDade.org.
