Welcome to the League of Women Voters. 

We in the LWV Dane County are so glad you are joining us. We encourage you to take just a moment to reflect on your reasons for joining, and what you hope to get from your membership in the League. We'll be asking you soon! 

The League has a well-deserved reputation for its work in voter registration and for providing non-partisan, spin-free information on candidates and on public policy issues. We may be less well-known for our internal study and crafting of official positions on civic questions and for our advocacy of those positions. Least known of all is our role as a place where members and friends can form life-long associations by working together on matters we value. As a member at the county level, you can share in all three of these LWV activities right here in your own community as well as in state and national LWV initiatives. 

The League offers benefits to members at every stage of life. We hope you will find a comfortable place in accord with your other time commitments and needs. Barbara Mortensen reflected on her own experience in the League. She wrote:

I was encouraged to join LWVDC in 1976 by another member. I didn’t become active right away. I had three children and a part-time job but I did enjoy attending the unit meetings because of the intelligent discussions I heard and the fact that my viewpoint was listened to. I attended some of the Lively Issues programs and the general meetings, and even though I began full-time work I found time to do occasional things like proofread Candidates’ Answers and be a discussion leader. After the children were older I had time to be on some committees and become unit leader.

Now the children are adults, and I’m retired from my job so I’ve become more active. My point in discussing my history with LWVDC is to show new members that there is something for everyone who has joined. If you’re busy with a job and/or children you still have opportunities to listen to intelligent discussion either in a unit or at the general meeting. A few times a year if you have extra time you can proofread Candidates’ Answers, register voters, or help plan events. If you’re more interested in working on issues you can start or join a committee such as the program committee that prepares the general meetings. If you don’t want to get actively involved you can feel good that your membership is letting politicians and others know that there are concerned citizens who are watching and working toward keeping citizens informed about the issues.

Over the years you’ll find many opportunities to make friends. Many organizations have single issues or goals, but no other organization that I’ve seen has the opportunity to be involved in so many issues or such long-term goals as voter education and registration. Each year people are turning 18 or becoming citizens. The things that LWVDC does will never go out of style or become obsolete. So for whatever reason you joined and whether or not you choose to be active you can be satisfied that this is an organization that works to benefit all members of our society, not just one cause or one party. That includes men as well as women, and people of all economic situations and every ethnic and cultural background.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact our office at (608) 232-9447, or our Barb Feeney at president@lwvdanecounty.org. We look forward to seeing you at our next event!