Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy. We are the League of Women Voters of Sarasota County, a nonpartisan grassroots organization that encourages participation in government, works to increase understanding of public policy issues, and influences policy through education and advocacy.
The League of Women Voters of Sarasota County is a nonpartisan community organization. Our foundational principle of nonpartisanship states that ‘The League shall not support or oppose any political party or any candidate.’ The League is and has always been a political organization, advocating for equitable voting access for all and working on vital issues of concern to our members and the public. We never ask our members’ political affiliation when they join our organization. The League’s advocacy work is issues-based, and we arrive at our policy positions through careful study and input from our members. We never derive our positions from politicians, and even when candidates or parties support the same issue, we never endorse them.
WHO WE ARE
We believe in the power of women to create a more perfect democracy. That’s been our vision since 1920, when the League of Women Voters was founded by leaders of the women’s suffrage movement. For over 100 years, we have been a nonpartisan, activist, grassroots organization that believes voters should play a critical role in democracy.
Our mission has evolved with the times, now including the expansion of voting rights and the belief that everyone should be represented in our democracy. Today the League supports diversity, equity and inclusion in membership, programming and advocacy.
LWV operates on three tiers to effectively engage with voters and government at all levels: National (lwv.org), State (lwvfl.org), and Local (lwvsrq.org).
Membership in a local League automatically provides you memberships in all three, connecting you to education and action at all levels through newsletters, action alerts, and invitations to special events. LWVSRQ is one of 29 local Florida chapters.
