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Email: lwvaustin@lwvaustin.org
Phone 512-451-6710
LWV Austin Area
3908 Avenue B,
Austin, TX 78751


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Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy.
HomeCommittees & Teams

League Committees & Teams

 

The League of Women Voters of the Austin Area enables a multitude of different programs and projects throughout the course of the year, all towards the mission of informing and empowering voters. Below is a description of our many different committees and teams that make this vital work happen.

Voters Service

Engage, Register, Educate This group leads all voter registration events as well as creates and distributes the Voters Guide, the resource for candidate information for local voters.

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Voters Guide Team
Voters Guide Team

Voters Guide Questions Preparation Team

The Voters Guide is the League’s signature product available before every election. Each of the candidates for each race answer the same questions so voters can compare their answers. We have a new Questions Team to assure we are asking the most pertinent, impartial and unbiased questions. The Team collaborates with our Advocacy and Voters Guide teams to identify topics throughout the year.


Time demands are minimal most of the year, an estimated 8-10 hours of concentrated work effort before each Voters Guide. Check out the links below to view examples of previous Guides.



The team also contributes questions for League-conducted candidate forums. Traditionally, this includes all City of Austin City Council and Mayoral races. This team may also contribute to researching, and writing descriptions for, ballot measures (bonds, propositions, amendments).


Team Lead role
  • Create methods to collect questions from the general public and League membership (such as an online survey)
  • Organize ideas and suggestions online via a Google tools
  • Coordinate with Advocacy and Voters Guide leaders


Team Member role
  • Research and monitor hot topics of interest in local communities
  • Participate with team in determining topics of greatest interests for candidate races
  • Develop impartial questions reflecting top topics
  • Prepare clear descriptions of local entity ballot measures


Voters Guide Production Team

Our production team creates the Voters Guide for every election, and it includes editors, proofreaders, designers, coders, and translators. League members with a background in publishing are particularly valuable for this team. Time commitment varies according to role, with quick turnarounds needed during the month before early voting begins in each election cycle. This team is coordinated by the Voters Guide Director.


Voters Guide Distribution Team

This is the team who helps distribute our Voters Guide across Travis and Williamson Counties! We print and distribute hard copies of the Voters Guide for Presidential Primary and General elections and Midterm Primary and General elections. For each edition, we spend a day or two bundling the copies with cover sheets according to orders, and then we assign routes to individual volunteers to take the bundles to their distribution point. Estimated time commitment is one or two days for each distribution cycle and the volunteer will need to have their own vehicle for transporting bundles. This team is coordinated by the Distribution Chair. 

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First Vote! Committee
First Vote! Committee

We educate and register high school and college students to vote. Members participating in this program must have availability during the school day, own a laptop computer, be a certified Volunteer Deputy Registrar (VDR), and be willing to present in front of groups of teenagers. Our program consists of a Powerpoint presentation that takes students through some education about voting trends, an activity that demonstrates the power of their voices, and information on the mechanics of voting in Travis County (modifications can be made for other counties). More information can be found here.

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Register & Vote Volunteers
Register & Vote Volunteers

Engage citizens to register and to vote! We hold numerous events throughout the Austin Area to help do just that. Each VDR event needs a lead, who is responsible for transporting supplies from the office to and from the event site, setup, teardown, and managing the VDR volunteers during the event. Find more information about becoming a VDR.

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Candidate Forums
Candidate Forums

Hosts discussion forums featuring candidates on local ballot races in the Austin area (County Commissioners, AISD, City Council, etc.).

Programs

This group researches and develops issue positions; advocates on behalf of those positions; observes local governmental activities; and prepares programs and events to educate and engage members and the general public.

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Observer Corp
Observer Corp

The Observer Corps is a new opportunity for volunteers interested in learning about local government to attend or stream upcoming meetings of relevant community councils and boards.


Not only does an observer presence promote government transparency and hold elected officials accountable, but volunteer reports keep the public informed about what’s happening in their communities and allow the League to advocate on important local issues. The members of the Corps:

  • Choose a local council, commission, board, or committee to observe (think City Councils, AISD board meetings, County Commissioners Court, etc).
  • Attend meetings solo or bring a friend! Most all meetings can be viewed online from home.
  • Get to know elected and appointed officials and make connections with media and the community.
  • Make reports to the League using an easy online form. Some of your report highlights will be published on LWVAustin.org so the public can keep up with government events. Observer Corps Reporting Form
  • Be proud helping the League Make Democracy Work® in Austin!
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Advocacy Committee
Advocacy Committee

Advocate for change at the local level with other League members. The Advocacy Committee utilizes the League’s policy positions as a guide to identify issues important to the community. We educate membership and the public on the issues, engage with the community, collaborate with like-minded organizations, and promote policies that make the Austin area a better place to live. Check the calendar for our every third Saturday of the month meeting.

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Policy Positions Committee
Policy Positions Committee

Research and develop position statements on important policy concerns, such as housing, education, and healthcare. Our areas of advocacy are:

Community Relations

This group is responsible for  building and sustaining relationships between the League and other community groups, civic organizations, businesses, and underrepresented communities to: Empower Voters. Defend Democracy. The team’s overarching goal is for all communities throughout the Austin Area to be informed about the League’s nonpartisan mission, vision, opportunities, and to feel empowered to vote and get involved in government at all levels.

Communications & Technology

Support communication efforts both within the League and to external partners and the public, such as the newsletter and the website.

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Social Media
Social Media

This team creates and publish social media postings on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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Technology
Technology

This team is responsible for the implementation, training, and maintenance for various technology tools LWV-AA uses. This include ClubExpress, Zoom, and GSuite.

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Newsletter & eBlasts
Newsletter & eBlasts

This team is responsible for creating and publishing LWV-AA's monthly newsletter, The VOTER, and other eBlasts needed to communication with our members and newsletter distribution lists.

Organizational Infrastructure

The glue to hold it all up! This group provides the necessary support for the League and its members.

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Event Management Team
Event Management Team

This group specializes in planning and organizing events. We have a team of 10-15 volunteers to help with food, drink, set-up, clean-up, and lock-up for our monthly evening events, monthly new member meetups, three general meetings (annual, holiday, fall kickoff), and other member and public-facing events.

  • Provide appetizer, dessert, wine or punch for League meetings
  • Set-up tables and seating
  • Set-up electronics for presentations
  • Clean-up and re-lock meeting spaces
  • Greet and handle sign-in for member events
  • Handle member payments at events using PayPal (training provided)
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Office Corps (currently fully staffed)
Office Corps (currently fully staffed)

This team provides administrative support to the League office during weekday hours.

Capitol Corps

Capitol Corps members are available throughout the legislative session to register the League’s position on bills and/or submit testimony (electronic, paper, or oral). If Capitol Corp volunteers are interested in a particular issue, they can ask to be assigned to a certain Issue Chair. All League positions and testimony are researched/developed/written by LWV Issue Chairs. Capitol Corp members provide the final, necessary step at the Capitol to have the League’s position recorded. Training for the exciting and vital position will be provided.


Direct link to this page: lwvaustin.org/League-Committees


The League of Women Voters Austin Area is a 501(c)3 nonprofit and tax exempt organization.
Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowable under the law. Tax identification number:
81-3447172