About League

Our Team

Your Government

Voting Info

Take Action

Calendar

Newsletter

Member Services

Action Alerts

Fair Districts
Elections Law
Climate Change
Clean Air Promise

Fair Districts Now (check out the dedicated Fair Districts page)

Posted 9/10/11

On September 9th in Miami, Judge Ursula Ungaro quickly and decisively threw out the legal challenge to Amendment 6 brought by U.S. Reps. Corrine Brown and Mario Diaz-Balart and joined by the Florida House of Representatives. Ungaro rejected the arguments of the politicians and ruled from the bench that Amendment 6, as passed by Florida voters, is constitutional and enforceable.

This decision marks the seventh time that Florida politicians have tried to defeat the people's amendments in court -- and seven times the people of Florida have prevailed.

LWVF takes legal action on new elections law

Posted 9/9/11

Today, the League of Women Voters of Florida and Democracia USA, represented by the Brennan Center for Justice, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and pro bono attorneys from the law firm of Bryan Cave, filed a motion to intervene in the State of Florida's lawsuit against the Department of Justice over the state's new elections law. Since the state withdrew the four most contentious sections of the law from DOJ review last month, a federal court must now decide whether or not to "preclear" the law under the National Voting Rights Act of 1965.

The League has advocated against preclearance, arguing that Florida's new law will reduce opportunities for voting and unlawfully restrict voter registration, disproportionately affecting Florida's minority population.

According to League President Deirdre Macnab, "when the state of Florida decided to submit sections of HB 1355 to a federal court in Washington, D.C. for review, we were determined to have the League's concerns heard. We want to ensure that the court hears evidence that this law, if precleared, will have a very real and harmful impact on Florida's voters and, in particular, its minority voters."

LWVF Executive Director Jessica Lowe-Minor elaborates, "the sections of this law that we believe will suppress voter participation are the ones the state now wants a court to approve. We believe the court will agree with us that this law is unfair to voters, serves no legitimate purpose, and disproportionately impacts minorities. The state's decision to pull these provisions from the Department of Justice and instead pursue a lengthy, expensive lawsuit shows just how problematic these provisions are. Although we feel confident that the law will eventually be overturned, this lawsuit creates unnecessary delays for voters and unnecessary costs for Florida taxpayers."

A Global Day of Climate Action on September 24

Posted 8/11/11

In 2010, the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere was just shy of 390 parts per million (ppm) -- well beyond the 350 ppm that leading climate scientists say is the safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere. Despite the evidence that burning fossil fuels is the chief culprit, efforts to curb CO2 emissions are at a standstill. To change the political dynamic, people across the globe will mobilize on September 24, calling attention to the need to get off of fossil fuels and move towards a sustainable, renewably-powered future. Make plans now to be a part of this worldwide demonstration -- Moving Planet -- and help send a message to policymakers that it's time to get moving on the climate crisis. Find out how you can be a part of it here.

The Clean Air Promise Taking Hold in States

Posted 8/11/11

The LWVUS has been working with partner organizations to launch of a citizen’s campaign to protect our public health, and their efforts have begun to take hold across the country. The Clean Air Promise offers everyone in our community – the public, business leaders and elected officials – a means to come together to do something for real people and real communities. The promise has continued to receive some great news coverage in DC and in state media through the launch of the effort in places such as Montana and Michigan. Please visit this website to share your story, make the promise and send a message asking your elected officials to make the promise as well. You can also make the promise on the LWVUS Facebook page.

Back to top