1. League of Women Voters of Clark County
1/12/18
League of Women Voters of Clark County Present
Civics is Fundamental
Building a More Perfect Democracy
Katherine Murphy
LWVCC Vice President & LWVWA Secretary
Civics is Fundamental

2. League of Women Voters of Clark County
1/12/18
Definitions
Citizen: a legally recognized subject or national of a state or commonwealth, either native or naturalized
Civics: the study of the rights and duties of citizenship
Political: relating to the government or the public affairs of a country
Nonpartisan: not biased or partisan, especially toward any particular political group
Democracy: a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives
Civics is Fundamental

3. Representative Democracy
League of Women Voters of Clark County
1/12/18
Representative Democracy
Founders combined idealism…
All men are created equal
Right to life, liberty, & the pursuit of happiness
With a pragmatic view of human frailty…
Three branches of government
Rights not enumerated left to the states
Checks & balances
And they enshrined their century’s biases while leaving future leaders ways to change the constitution over time
Civics is Fundamental

4. Citizenship Puzzles in 1789
League of Women Voters of Clark County
1/12/18
Citizenship Puzzles in 1789
Who is a citizen?
If women, slaves, immigrants & children do not have franchise, are they still counted in the census?
How could all men be created equal when those defined as black are counted as 3/5 and Indians don’t count?
Why do states grant franchise to citizens, even in federal elections?
Do “persons” such as women, children, immigrants, & slaves have rights?
Civics is Fundamental

5. League of Women Voters of Clark County
1/12/18
Franchise Timeline
1776: White, 21 , property owning, literate men
1855: White, 21, men
1870: White & black men BUT Jim Crow laws constitutional
1910: In Washington, Women added
1920: Women, throughout US
1950s: Native Americans in all States
1950s: Asians in all States
1965: All citizens in reality (verified by Justice Dept.)
1971: All citizens over 18
2013: Justice Dept. oversight curtailed by Supreme Court
Civics is Fundamental

6. League of Women Voters of Clark County
1/12/18
League of Women Voters
Established February 14, 1920
League of Women Voters Principles
Educate new voters & advocate policy
Neither support nor oppose candidates or parties
Membership at all 3 levels to everyone 16 and older
National League has over 140,000 members
Washington State has over 2200 members
Clark County League has over 60 members
Civics is Fundamental

7. League of Women Voters of Clark County
1/12/18
League of Women Voters
Mission Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy Vision  We envision a democracy where every person has the desire, the right, the knowledge, and the confidence to participate Values The League believes in the power of women to create a more perfect democracy.
Civics is Fundamental

8. Nonpartisan on Parties & Candidates
League of Women Voters of Clark County
1/12/18
Nonpartisan on Parties & Candidates
Candidate Forums & Debates
Vote411
Promoting Civil Discourse & Media Awareness
They Represent You Directory
Fair Campaign Pledge
Convene Community Forums on Issues
Transportation
Homelessness
Mental Health
Civics is Fundamental

9. Political Advocacy on Issues
League of Women Voters of Clark County
1/12/18
Political Advocacy on Issues
Study issues from all sides & report findings
Using consensus model, decide on League positions
Take action to advocate for positions
Education
Lobbying
Individual actions like letter writing
Partner with other organizations
League of Women Voters Positions on Issues
Civics is Fundamental

10. Promote Civic Engagement
League of Women Voters of Clark County
1/12/18
Promote Civic Engagement
Voter registration
Candidate Forums
Get Out the Vote
Partnerships with schools & other nonprofits
Studies & positions on campaign finance, transparency, electoral processes
Observer Corps
Election Observing during ballot processing
Civics is Fundamental

11. Personal Preparation for Citizenship
League of Women Voters of Clark County
1/12/18
Personal Preparation for Citizenship
Understand your values, e.g., The Political Compass
Understand your biases, e.g., Project Implicit
Know the bias of the news media outlets you consume, e.g., Media Bias/Fact Check
Learn about polling data, e.g., FiveThirtyEight
Fact check before republishing on social media, e.g., Snopes, FactCheck
Read transcripts or watch events, e.g., C-SPAN
Read & listen to “the other side” with an open mind
Civics is Fundamental

12. How Will You Contribute?
League of Women Voters of Clark County
1/12/18
How Will You Contribute?
Continue learning—especially science & communication
Be interested in issues & your community
Lean toward optimism
Speak out—to your representatives & peers
Question authority
Fact check before you publish
Register, research, and VOTE
Join with others in community to amplify your voice
Civics is Fundamental