The work of the League is done through
Committees
Committees work to plan events, engage with voters, plan candidate forums, study issues of interest, take action on local issues, and so much more. Usually, any work or action proposed by a committee must be presented to the Board of Directors for its approval.
Committees are formed when there is interest or need. Their membership may include both League members and other members from the community with interest in their work. Our Committees are where the real work gets done.
Below is a detailed list of most of our committees; you can also see a quick overview of all committees.
Action Committees
Healthcare
Co-Chairs: Alberta Roman and Judy Huber
The Healthcare Committee is a source of education and empowerment on healthcare issues for League members and local residents.
- Support State and National Healthcare positions.
- Develop and inform members of Healthcare programs.
- Support community Healthcare issues and activity.
We welcome new members. Join the LWVBN Healthcare Committee to strategize how we can educate everyone about the facts. We meet at 2:00 p.m. on the fourth Monday of the month.
Recent Actions
Consensus meeting
Resources:
- LWV Healthcare Reform Toolkit
- LWVUS Position on Healthcare from Impact on Issues 2020-2022
- New LWVNYS Healthcare Position (2021)
Local Government
Chair: Marian Deutschman
The Local Government Committee encourages citizen participation and transparency in local government:
- Monitor local government budgets
- identify inequities and opportunities for better budget management (cost, quality, efficiency and citizen input)
- Advocate for a fairer distribution of the Erie County sales tax
- Support of criteria for intergovernmental relationships
- Support of IDA (Industrial Development Agencies) reform
- Education on sustainable regional land use planning
- Education on the costs of sprawl
- Education on municipal fragmentation
- Review of progress to address vacant property in city
- Support of local policies which combat climate change
If you're interested in local government issues, please join our committee. We meet on the second Wednesday of every month at 2:00 p.m. in the League office. There will be exceptions. Please call the League office at 716-986-4898 or e-mail lwvbn@lwvbn.org to confirm the date of the next meeting.
Recent Actions
League Program: Panelists Mildred E. Warner, Gregory Raab, and Geoff Kelly focused on the Post-Pandemic Challenge for Local Governments. Scaling the Fiscal Cliff was moderated by Lisa K. Parshall (3/19/2021).
Interest Groups
Discussion Group
Chair:
Discussion Group meets to discuss current issues
- Not just books! Selections range from magazine articles to podcasts and more, with a focus on deep understanding
- To start solving all the world's problems, you have to understand them first.
We welcome new members, new perspectives, and new reading and discussion recommendations.
Great Decisions
Chair: Fran Holmes
Great Decisions is America's largest discussion program on world affairs. Discussion Groups across the country meet to discuss the most critical global issues facing America today. Many Leagues nationwide subscribe to this annual program, and our League does, too.
- The Foreign Policy Association, the national sponsor of Great Decisions, chooses eight foreign policy topics for their Great Decisions Briefing Book each year.
- The program provides background information and policy options for discussion
Don't pass up this opportunity to delve into world matters through a substantive, guided discussion. At LWVBN, the Great Decisions Discussion Group meets at 10:00 a.m. on the first Thursday of every month from February through November -- currently via Zoom.
Resources:
- See current and past Great Decisions foreign policy topics at the Foreign Policy Association website
Service Committees
Communications
Chair:
The Communications Committee maintains a professional and contemporary brand image for LWVBN. We keep League members and the general public informed of our activities and produce helpful publications for the general public.
- Write, produce, and edit the VOTER Newsletter
- Craft and distribute Press Releases and other Public Relations activities
- Manage LWVBN's Internet presence including the website and social media
- Produce publications including the TRY brochure, membership brochure, and other printed matter
Donate your Talents! Communications directly contributes to the vitality and sustainability of the League.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Chair: Liz Zausmer
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are three principles that we, the League of Women Voters, strives to keep in mind in all our work. The DEI Committee:
- Works to help the League maintain a presence and relevance in a wide variety of communities
- Equips League members with information and experiences around DEI
- Actively seeks out and partners with other civic organizations to utilize their experiences and expertise while collaborating to provide services in Erie and Niagara communities
We welcome anyone who is interested in working to help the League be more diverse, equitable, and inclusive in its membership and work. The DEI Committee meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month to plan activities and develop LWVBN’s understanding and implementation of DEI principles.
Recent Actions
League Program: In partnership with the NAACP and SANYS, LWVBN will hold an informational webinar called 'Our Future is on the Ballot' about the statewide ballot measures at 7:00 p.m. on October 14, 2021. Webinar link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89555215303
League Program: In partnership with the NAACP and SANYS, Fighting for Our Vote 1.0 focused on facilitating and protecting the right to vote for all (02/23/2021)
League Program : In partnership with the NAACP and SANYS, Fighting for Our Vote 2.0 focused on what happens to our ballots once they are cast, and how voting is made accessible to all (05/13/2021)
Resources:
- LWVBN Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy adopted August 2018
Election Service
Chair:
This committee holds elections, primarily serving the residents of the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority (BMHA)
- We conduct the Resident Commissioners Elections for the BMHA Board of Commissioners every even-numbered year.
- We conduct nominations, Meet the Candidates events, and Resident Council Elections at each BMHA community as needed
- Related activities requiring a high degree of integrity and trust -- such as holding random drawings (lottery) for entry to charter schools and similar -- also fall under the remit of this committee
Volunteers are always needed: Resident Council elections are held frequently, and generally require the holding of an envelope-stuffing party where many hands make light work of the snacks as well as the envelopes. As well, nominating and election events always require several dedicated volunteers. We meet on an ad-hoc basis as needed to conduct these activities.
Membership
Chair:
A grassroots organization like the League is nothing without its members
- Welcome, orient, mentor and retain new members
- Engage and maintain our membership and hold new member orientation sessions
- Develop and implement innovative membership drives
- Hospitality: greet members and the public at in-person League events
Members are the League’s most valuable asset. Outreach and community building are essential to a grassroots organization like the League, and it's fun, too!
Program, Issues and Events
Chair: Marian Deutschman
The role of the Program, Issues and Events (PIE) Committee is to discuss and recommend approval of program events and actions proposed by committees or League members.
- We review the local League Program and manage the League's events schedule
- We review and recommend Letters to the Editor and other actions to the Board
- We formulate the questions for our Vote411 Voter Guide and recommend them to the Board.
Join us if you’re interested in planning events that educate people about public policy issues. The PIE committee meets at 4:00 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month and while we don't usually serve pie, in non-pandemic times we do tend to bring snacks.
Voter Service
Chair: Mary Bisson
The Voter Service Committee supports the rights of all citizens to be informed voters.
- Voter registration: Staff voter registration tables on college campuses and community events and festivals. Totes with all materials are provided. (Liz McGough and Patti Meyer Lee)
- Naturalization: During the Covid-19 emergency, new citizens are naturalized by appointment at NCIS offices. Once the emergency is over, will again be able to attend naturalization ceremonies and register the new citizens to vote. (Deborah Schiffner)
- Get Out the Vote subcommittee is at work during every election cycle to encourage all registered voters to vote, and those unregistered to register. During each election cycle we have a different plan about how to do this. Your enthusiasm and ideas are greatly appreciated. (Liz Zausmer)
- Candidate Forums: In common with Leagues across the country, our League sponsors and/or provides staff for Candidate Forums, where candidates for a given office are asked questions which are provided by the audience. (Terri Parks)
- Vote411 Each League invites candidates for office to submit biographical information and answer questions about the offices for which they are running.
- Youth Programs including Students Inside Albany (SIA) (Janet Goodsell)
Voter Service is the core mission of the League of Women Voters
Recent Action
League Advocacy: Roundup of 2020 GOTV campaign
League Letter : League provides guidance on early voting (Buffalo News, Another Voice, 9/30/2019)
Resources:
- Toolkit for Candidate Events: How to Hold a Successful Candidate Event
- Toolkit for Voter Registration: How to Register Voters
- Toolkit for GOTV: How to Get Out the Vote
Join Us!
Already a member? Volunteering for a LWV committee is a great way to become familiar with how the League operates and to learn about its involvement in local, state, and national issues. Our Volunteer Opportunities page offers a birds-eye view of all the committees listed here, plus bonus ad-hoc volunteer opportunities. And if you are not yet a member, we encourage you to join the League. Make a difference in the community and have fun doing it!
Last update: November 2021
