Saint Paul at the LWVUS 56th Biennial Convention, June 27 - 30, 2024 in Washington, DC
Article provided by Nona Beining, Secretary LWV Saint Paul
The LWVSP Board approved the motion to fund conference fees and travel expenses to allow 3 members of the LWVSP Board to attend the LWVUS Biennial Convention in June in Washington DC.
The Board approved this for Beatrice Owen, LWVSP President, Nona Beining, LWVSP Secretary, and Pam Mercier, Co-chair of Voter Services Committee.
Delegates voted on the 2024 – 2026 Program, the 2024 – 2026 budget, the 2024 – 2026 LWVUS Board of Directors and Nominating Committee, and submitted bylaws amendments. Friday and Saturday are packed with speakers, training sessions, and area activities to fully engage in the League experience. See the detailed agenda here.
Your LWVSP delegates attended the pre-Convention Lobby Day on the Hill and meet with our Saint Paul Congresswoman Betty McCollum and attended a reception and dinner on Saturday night showcasing local DC culture.
Excerpted remarks:
“In my Convention remarks to delegates on Sunday, I spoke about my vision for the next two years and the power of women to create a more perfect democracy. Amid a busy election season, our nation is facing existential threats to democracy. As we honor and reflect on our 104-year-old legacy as a trusted, nonpartisan voice that values grassroots action, we cannot face modern challenges without building a League that is bigger, bolder, and more powerful.
Over 1,200 members from all 50 states, DC, and the Virgin Islands joined us for Convention this past June. We kicked off our new biennium with powerful remarks from our incoming CEO, Celina Stewart. In addition to impressive workshops and caucuses, attendees also heard inspiring words from our keynote speaker, Kim Teehee, the Cherokee Nation’s delegate to Congress.
This is just a snapshot of our highlights from Convention: you can find our full debrief, including a day-by-day recap, on the League Management Site.
Schedule of Events:
Thursday Lobby Day
Your LWVSP crew explored the US Capitol and visited with Rep Betty McCollum. She appreciated our visit and loves the League! Our mission was to amplify the LWV position on the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and ensure our legislature hears the support for this important bill directly from their constituents. We chatted with Rep McCollum briefly, and then she dashed to the floor to begin voting on the Defense Bill amendments. We talked for another 30 minutes with her aide Quinton Johnson and he had us escorted to the gallery to watch the voting live and in person. What a somber treat, to set in the gallery where our nation’s laws are debated and where the State of the Union is held. We also met with Sen Amy Klobuchar’s Policy Director, Stephen Spaulding. The Senator was unavailable, but we were very grateful to have the opportunity to spend time with her distinguished policy director. He gave us action items around the John Lewis Voting Rights Act as well as encouraged us to explore the Freedom to Vote Act, then impressed on us that Sen Klobuchar’s agenda also includes Artificial Intelligence and its ability to generate and perpetuate misinformation and disinformation.
The Convention Informational Sessions were spread throughout Friday Saturday and Sunday, fit in amongst the duties of voting on our bylaws, leadership, program, and resolutions. Topics included were in Sustainability and UN Goals for Sustainable Development, DEI, ranked choice voting, youth efforts, redistricting, fundraising, and website development.
Friday Bylaws and informational sessions
The morning started out strong with sessions on many topics. We had informational sessions in the morning, then after lunch in the ballroom with our delegation, we grouped into states and started the process of voting. Day 1 of voting included Bylaws recommendations. It was spirited discussion, with 1000 voices and Leagues from all over the country arguing their cases for/against various topics in our bylaws. By the end of the day we approved the bylaws that will carry us through the next two years.
The state of Minnesota had great representation! Leagues from Saint Paul, Edina, Robbinsdale, Minneapolis, White Bear Lake and Roseville were around the table, as well as a few members from the MN board and leadership. After the voting was done for the day, we broke for a well-earned team regroup at hotel bar across the street and we got to know each other better.
Saturday Proposed National Program topics
The Program committee presented their recommendations for the coming 2 years. If we didn’t think we were a lively and opinionated group before, we surely did by the end of day two. In the end we approved the program, moved several discussions to the following day, and remarked several times on how invigorating it was to see Leagues bring several Youth Vote members to the Convention! Maine and Oregon were particularly well represented and were not shy about standing at the microphone and lobbying their positions in front of 1000 fellow Leaguers. It was great to see strong youth development happening throughout the organization.
The evening party began with a rock band and a glass of wine. During dinner we were inspired by guest speaker Kimbery Teehee, Sr Vice President of Government Relations for the Cherokee Nation, as she shared her heritage and her passions as the first-ever senior policy advisor for Native American Affairs in the White House and as senior advisor to US House of Representatives Native American Caucus co-chair Rep Dale Kildee for 12 years.
Sunday Extended Program topics and amendments, Budget, resolutions, and voting + directions to the new board. We were pretty exhausted at this point, I assure you.
We were introduced to the new Nominating Committee and heard from our new LWVUS chairperson (name) and wrapped up the morning with more discussion, debate, and directions to the new Board.
Saint Paul and the state of Minnesota was well-represented and we should be proud of our efforts in voter registration and activation. Our Program committee topics were shared via our YouTube channel to several different states and Leagues.
Thank you to the LWVSP Board for providing the funds for this team of Leaguers to attend this important convention!
Nona, Judy, Jackie, Dianna Wynne, Beatrice, Val, Teresa, Pam
Pam, Val, Jackie, Celina Stewart, Nona, Beatrice, Judy, Teresa
Working at the Minnesota table!
