Archives

Women in Public Service Forum

On Wednesday, October 24, 2018 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm, the Campus Election Engagement Project in conjunction with the League of Women Voters Morgantown-Monongalia County held the first ever Women in Public Service Forum on the campus of Fairmont State University. This forum emphasized the excitement around the tremendous number of women who have decided to place their name on the ballot during the 2018 midterm election, and focused on women’s involvement in elected, political, leadership positions. The panelists invited discussed the significance of women running for public office, what encouraged/sparked them to run, issues facing women in leadership roles (especially in the political arena), and the importance of bipartisanship. The panel was composed of individuals who are first time candidates, current office holders, former office holders, and young person with political experience. The panelists invited were split evenly among party lines to ensure fairness in representation at the forum.

Video by Jon Dodds.

Video: Supreme Court of Appeal – District one and two – 2018 General Election

Candidate forums hosted by the WV Bar Association.

Video: State Senate Districts 13 and 2 – 2018 General Election

Candidates in the upcoming Nov. 6 general election for two WV state Senate seats answered questions at a candidate forum sponsored by Mountaineers for Progress and the League of Women Voters of Morgantown-Monongalia County, Oct. 18, 2018. Outlining their platforms at the forum were Bob Beach, Democrat, and Mike Oliverio, Republican, for the state Senate District 13 seat. Also participating in the forum was Denny Longwell, Democrat candidate for the Senate District 2 post.

Filmed by West TV.

Video: Monongalia County Commission – 2018 General Election

Two candidates, Tom Bloom, Democrat, and Andrew Price, Republican, for a seat on the Monongalia County Commission in the Nov. 6 general election answered questions and outlined their platforms at a candidate forum Oct. 18, 2018, sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Morgantown-Monongalia County and Mountaineers for Progress at South Middle School, Morgantown, WV.

Filmed by West TV.

Video: House of Delegates District 51 – 2018 General Election

Candidates seeking election Nov. 6 to five seats in the West Virginia House of Delegates from District 51 answered questions and outlined their platforms at a forum Oct. 11, 2018, sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Morgantown-Monongalia County and Mountaineers for Progress.

Filmed by West TV.

Voter’s Guide 2018 General Election – Wood County Candidates for WV State Senate, House of Delegates and County Commissioner

Click HERE to view the Voter’s Guide for Wood County candidates for WV State Senate, House of Delegates and County Commissioner.

Voter’s Guide 2018 General Election – Justice of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals

Click HERE to view the Voter’s Guide for Justice of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.

Voter’s Guide 2018 General Election – US House of Representatives

Click HERE to view the Voter’s Guide for US House of Representatives.

Voter’s Guide 2018 General Election – US Senate

Click HERE to view Voter’s Guide for US Senate

LWV of West Virginia urges voters to vote NO on Amendment 1

PRESS RELEASE

The League of Women Voters of West Virginia urges voters to say NO to Constitutional Amendment 1 on November 6.

If passed Amendment 1 would add the following language to the WV Constitution: “Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of abortion.”

Amendment 1 eliminates a woman’s right to privacy when making reproductive choices. The LWV believes a decision to terminate a pregnancy should be a private decision done in consultation between a woman and her doctor. The WV State constitution should protect this right of privacy.

Amendment 1 provides no exceptions in the case of rape, incest or when the mother’s life is in danger. The amendment denies the right of women to terminate any pregnancy under any circumstances.

This amendment also denies poor women access to government funds for abortions, including instances of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother.

The full weight of Amendment 1 will be realized if federal safeguards (provided by Roe v Wade) protecting a women’s right to privacy when making decisions regarding abortion are removed. Laws approved in years past by the state legislature made abortion a felony. Court injunctions prevented their implementation but if Roe vs. Wade is overturned, they could easily resurface. If Roe is overturned, the passage of Amendment 1 would mean the state constitution would provide no protection for West Virginia women. Desperate women attempting to terminate their own pregnancies because medically safe procedures are unavailable would be subject to criminal prosecution. So would any medical personnel who assist in abortion procedures.

The League of Women Voters believes public policy must affirm the constitutional right of privacy of the individual to make reproductive choices. We urge voters to vote No on Amendment 1. 

***END***

For further information contact
Lyn Widmyer
lynwidmyer@gmail.com

304-279-3201