Nonpartisanship Policy:

The League of Women Voters of the Ripon Area is a nonpartisan organization whose purpose is to promote informed and active participation in government. As an organization, the League does not support or oppose candidates for public office, but acts only on those issues chosen by the membership for study and action. 

 

The League believes that political parties are essential to the American system of government and that the participation of informed citizens is beneficial to the political parties and to the system. Consequently, League members are urged to work as individuals for their political party; but in order to assure the League’s nonpartisan stand, the board members are asked to publicly resign from the board before accepting any duties of a political nature. Whenever there is a question of jeopardizing the League’s nonpartisan stand, a board member must choose between political activity and participating on the League board. 

 

SPECIFIC INTERPRETATION OF THIS POLICY (includes all electronic communications):

 

1. Working for political parties: 

A board member may have no active political participation, although may be a member of a political party. 

a. No public clerical work at party headquarters or elsewhere. 

b. No public speaking for a party. 

c. No distribution of party literature. 

d. No participation in public political meetings, except as a spectator. 

 

2. Working for candidates: 

A board member may not work actively for a specific candidate in either a partisan or nonpartisan election. 

a. No circulating of nomination papers, although the Board member may sign nomination papers. b. No sending out literature for a candidate that contains the Board member’s signature. c. No public clerical work for a candidate. 

d. No financial contributions to a candidate’s campaign fund above the amount at which the contributor’s name is required by law to be reported. 

e. No public promotion of an individual candidate. 

 

3. Appointive positions: 

A board member may accept appointment to a government board of commission without board approval except when the League has a study item that might involve a conflict of interest. 

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4. Running for public office: 

A board member may not seek or hold a national or state elective office. 

In any political activity, board members may participate to the extent that League nonpartisanship is maintained. The president, voter services chair, and other board members who are widely recognized as League leaders shall exert special care in their own activity to assure the League’s nonpartisanship. 

 

A board member who has resigned in order to engage in partisan activity may be eligible to return to a board position at the beginning of the next League year (July 1), providing that the member has finished the partisan activity and that the public is aware of the fact that the resignee is again prepared to uphold the nonpartisan stand of the League. 

 

It shall be the responsibility of the Board of Directors of the League of Women Voters of the Ripon Area to ensure that League nonpartisanship is maintained. 

 

Revised and adopted, May 2014

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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Policy:

Place your full DEI Policy here including the date of the last time it was updated/adopted.

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LWV of the Ripon Area Bylaws:

Read The LWV of Ripon Area Bylaws are reviewed and readopted at every annual meeting. Click Here.