About the League

League of Women Voters^®
of Palm Beach County

What is our mission? How are we structured? What is our history?

Our Mission. Local League. Our History. National and State League. Florida leagues.

Our Mission and Roles

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization encouraging informed and active participation in government. It influences public policy through education and advocacy. We never support or oppose any political party or candidate.
The League of Women Voters has two separate and distinct roles.

Voters Service/Citizen Education: we present unbiased nonpartisan information about elections, the voting process, and issues.

Action/Advocacy: we are also nonpartisan, but, after study, we use our positions to advocate for or against particular policies in the public interest.

To conduct our voter service and citizen education activities, we use funds from the League of Women Voters Education Fund, which is a 501(c)(3) corporation, a nonprofit educational organization. The League of Women Voters, a membership organization, conducts action and advocacy and is a nonprofit 501(c)(4) corporation.
Our Vision, Beliefs, and Intentions guide our activities.

Our League in South Florida

The Palm Beach County League, with over 290 members - the grassroots of the organization - provide its citizens with scores of community based programs, studying and reporting on municipal and county issues as well as reflecting the State and National League positions.
An in-depth study and white paper issued on Palm Beach County's Agricultural Reserve, as an example, received countywide notice and positive comment on this highly contested environmental issue. Growth management and water conservation including the Everglades, receive continuous monitoring.
The public forum is a significant part of the League's outreach. Major facets of the USA Patriot Act were put in plain words by expert panelists to Standing Room Only audiences. At other forums, the complex Help America Vote Act (HA VA) was explained, and at another public meeting a panel of lawyers discussed the topic of Judicial Independence.
Voter Service is often what the community thinks of first when the League is mentioned. However, it takes many forms: sponsoring candidate forums, debates and interviews; registering citizens to vote and get-out-the-vote campaigns; making voting information available through publications and speaking engagements; the pro/con of constitutional amendments.
These are but a few of our local programs, which include Children's Issues, Social Policy and Education. As we face the future, we will remember the words of League founder Carrie Chapman Catt who said, "...no chance, no destiny, no fate can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul." The Palm Beach County League is striving to emulate the resolve and direction of our founder as we chart our future.
The League of Women Voter is a nonpartisan organization. It does not endorse candidates nor does it support or oppose any political party.

History of the League of Women Voters U.S.

Read a short history of the League of Women Voters.

National and State League

LWVUS
LWVFlorida

Other Leagues in Florida

Alachua County
Bay County
Broward County
Charlotte County
Collier County
Flagler County
Hillsborough County
Jacksonville/First Coast
Lee County
Manatee County
Martin County - no website at this time
Miami-Dade County
North Pinellas County
Okaloosa County
Orange County
Pensacola Bay Area - no website at this time
Polk County
Sanibel - no website at this time
Sarasota County
Seminole County
Space Coast (Brevard County)
St. Lucie County - no website at this time
St. Petersburg
Tallahaassee
The Villages Tri-County Area MAL Unit
Volusia County

Comments, suggestions, questions? Contact our webmaster. Last revised: December 25, 2011 11:13 PST.