Welcome to League of Women Voters Wayzata-Plymouth Area!
Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy.
The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
GET YOU ABSENTEE BALLOT INTO THE MAIL ON TIME!
REMEMBER TO MAIL YOUR ABSENTEE BALLOT BY OCTOBER 27th TO BE SURE IT'S RECEIVED IN TIME TO BE COUNTED.
You can go to the MN Secretary of States website to track you ballot here.
Click on image below to view Candidate Forums.
RESPONSE TO ACCUSATIONS AGAINST THE LWV WAYZATA-PLYMOUTH AREA
The LWV Wayzata-Plymouth Area hosts candidate forums for the seven local cities in our area in order to provide voters with access to candidates and their positions in preparation for upcoming elections. We are a nonpartisan organization that does not endorse candidates for political office or political parties. Please refer to the attached LWV Wayzata-Plymouth Area Nonpartisan statement for specifics.
In preparing our Candidate Forums, we follow the guidelines of the LWVMN which were presented at our statewide convention in 2016, approved by the delegates, and adopted on March 22, 2016.
https://www.lwvmn.org/candidate-participation
Please note, these guidelines specify that “If an invited candidate is unable or decides not to appear at a scheduled event, the event will still be held. This is the case even if only one candidate appears, except as noted above when FCC or FEC rules apply. Unopposed candidates may appear alone. “
This information was included in the LWV Wayzata-Plymouth Area Virtual Candidate Forum Rules sent to all candidates with their invitation to participate in the fall 2020 forums. Refer to the attached LWV WPA Forum rules. Please note that the forum rules specify that forum questions are not shared with any candidates prior to the forum. The LWV Wayzata-Plymouth Area adheres to this rule.
In her accusation that the “LWV breaks its own rule in Minnetrista,” Candidate Shannon Bruce quotes the Voter Education Toolkit of the LWV Greater Cleveland published in 2015. These rules do not pertain to the LWVMN. Every League throughout the nation determines their own rules on how they conduct forums, based on their local capacity and in accordance with state and local laws. Guidance may be set by a state League to ensure compliance with nonpartisanship or state law, but otherwise local Leagues vary in their specific procedures. We do not follow the rules of Leagues in Ohio. Furthermore, the rules cited in that particular handbook from LWV Greater Cleveland are outdated.
In response to Candidate Bruce’s accusation that the LWV is not nonpartisan based upon her review of Facebook posts of previous state-level LWV leaders, the two individuals she cites do not and never have held leadership positions in the LWV Wayzata-Plymouth Area. League leaders remain nonpartisan under our state nonpartisan policy during their service. However, there are not lifelong bans on political activity, as this would be unreasonable. These individuals made these statements on their own behalf in their individual capacity long after they completed their leadership service with LWVMN. Neither of them has been on LWVMN’s leadership team for several years.
We are happy to speak directly with any citizens who have concerns about our candidate forums or voter services activities. We encourage citizens’ active involvement in the political process and urge all to vote early, by absentee ballot, or at the polls on November 3rd.
Rebecca Hawthorne
President, LWV Wayzata-Plymouth Area
In preparing our Candidate Forums, we follow the guidelines of the LWVMN which were presented at our statewide convention in 2016, approved by the delegates, and adopted on March 22, 2016.
https://www.lwvmn.org/candidate-participation
Please note, these guidelines specify that “If an invited candidate is unable or decides not to appear at a scheduled event, the event will still be held. This is the case even if only one candidate appears, except as noted above when FCC or FEC rules apply. Unopposed candidates may appear alone. “
This information was included in the LWV Wayzata-Plymouth Area Virtual Candidate Forum Rules sent to all candidates with their invitation to participate in the fall 2020 forums. Refer to the attached LWV WPA Forum rules. Please note that the forum rules specify that forum questions are not shared with any candidates prior to the forum. The LWV Wayzata-Plymouth Area adheres to this rule.
In her accusation that the “LWV breaks its own rule in Minnetrista,” Candidate Shannon Bruce quotes the Voter Education Toolkit of the LWV Greater Cleveland published in 2015. These rules do not pertain to the LWVMN. Every League throughout the nation determines their own rules on how they conduct forums, based on their local capacity and in accordance with state and local laws. Guidance may be set by a state League to ensure compliance with nonpartisanship or state law, but otherwise local Leagues vary in their specific procedures. We do not follow the rules of Leagues in Ohio. Furthermore, the rules cited in that particular handbook from LWV Greater Cleveland are outdated.
In response to Candidate Bruce’s accusation that the LWV is not nonpartisan based upon her review of Facebook posts of previous state-level LWV leaders, the two individuals she cites do not and never have held leadership positions in the LWV Wayzata-Plymouth Area. League leaders remain nonpartisan under our state nonpartisan policy during their service. However, there are not lifelong bans on political activity, as this would be unreasonable. These individuals made these statements on their own behalf in their individual capacity long after they completed their leadership service with LWVMN. Neither of them has been on LWVMN’s leadership team for several years.
We are happy to speak directly with any citizens who have concerns about our candidate forums or voter services activities. We encourage citizens’ active involvement in the political process and urge all to vote early, by absentee ballot, or at the polls on November 3rd.
Rebecca Hawthorne
President, LWV Wayzata-Plymouth Area
VOTE SAFELY FROM HOME
Are you concerned about voting safely during the uncertainty of COVID-19? Protect your ablitity to vote no matter what is happening by requesting an absentee ballot from the MN Secretary of States office right now!
Click HERE to request your absentee ballot for the General Election on November 3rd.
General Election Day
Tuesday, November 3, 2020.
