Democracy is not a spectator sport; all citizens are needed to Make Democracy Work! The League of Women Voters is here to provide you with information to help you successfully influence federal, state, and local governments in ways that improve Alabamians’ quality of life. You can make a difference!
Governing in a democracy is both an amazing privilege and a serious responsibility. Successfully holding our leaders accountable to their solemn responsibility requires continuously active and engaged citizens who demand transparency and accountability. We all must educate ourselves about important challenges that we face (as a state, a nation, and a world) and about possible solutions. It means learning how our government is structured, tracking what our elected representatives are doing in our names, and using appropriate means to influence leaders to create fairer, safer, and more equitable communities for ALL Alabamians. If we shirk our responsibility for this, becoming cynical and saying that it’s too complicated or corrupt to try to bother, then our amazing experiment in democracy will fail.
As Alabama citizens, the votes we cast elect people who influence everything from the purity of our drinking water, to the fine print on our credit card contracts, to whether we can afford to send our kids to college. As citizens in a democracy, we should expect our government to protect our life and liberty, create conditions where we can pursue happiness, and foster the best quality of life. The problem is that most of us don’t have the time or attention to monitor the people that we elect. Even if we try to pay attention, we often give up in frustration because relevant information is hidden, or is made unnecessarily complicated or confusing to sort out. It’s true that the situations we face are complex, but as citizens we have a right to clear explanations of how our government works, what our representatives are doing, and how we can have a voice in what is happening.
We realize that being an engaged citizen is a challenging responsibility, as we all have busy lives and little time to spare. That’s where a nonpartisan organization like the League of Women Voters wants to help. We are here to identify issues and be a part of the solution.
We invite you to discover your role in creating positive changes for Alabama. Whatever your favorite sport, think in terms of the position that you could play. Can you help to block harmful legislation? Do you have ideas about how to improve the quality of life in Alabama? Do you know how to share good information on social media? Are you comfortable calling your legislators to express your point of view? Whatever your interest, please consider joining us on the journey to improve voting rights in Alabama. Start by subscribing to our newsletter. To learn more about becoming a League member please visit our membership page.
