Also view these Proposed Bylaws Amendments on the Convention platform.

Note that only specific articles and sections being amended are listed. A rationale for each amendment is provided.  

The proposed changes are written using the following format: 

• Brackets [ ] denote words to be deleted. 

• CAPS denote words to be added. 

Structure Transformation Plan

1) Unified Membership System; Elimination of Per Member Payment (PMP)  

Article XIII. Financial Administration. 

Sec. 2. Financial Support. 

[A. Each local League shall make an annual per member payment to the LWVUS in an amount to be determined by a three-fifths vote of those present and voting at each convention. 

B. Each state League shall make a per member payment to the LWVUS for members-at-large. 

C. When two or more members reside at the same address in a common household, the payment determined by the convention shall be made for the first member; a payment equal to one-half the per member payment shall be paid for each other member. 

D. The LWVUS may authorize the payment of a designated part of each per member payment to the League of Women Voters Education Fund. 

E. A state and local League shall be excused from making a per member payment for life members and students.] 

ALL MEMBERS SHALL PAY MEMBERSHIP DUES EXCEPT THOSE EXEMPTED FROM PAYING DUES IN ARTICLE III. NET REVENUE COLLECTED THROUGH MEMBERSHIP DUES WILL BE SHARED BY LWVUS, THE MEMBER'S STATE LEAGUE AND, IF APPLICABLE, THE MEMBER'S LOCAL LEAGUE OR MEMBER-AT-LARGE UNIT. ALLOCATION TO LWVUS SHALL NOT EXCEED ONE-THIRD. 

Conforming Amendments:  

Article IX, Sec. 3. Delegates' Qualifications and Voting and
Article X, Sec. 3. Delegates' Qualifications and Voting.
The following sentence will be removed:
[Each delegate representing a local or state League shall be entitled to vote only if that League has met its per member payment responsibilities. The national board may make an exception in the case of proven hardship.] 

Article XIII, Sec. 3. The Budget.  
The following clause will be removed:
[except that the per member payment shall be approved as provided in Section 2 of this Article.] 

Proviso: If the amendment is adopted, it shall take effect upon a date set by vote of the Board of Directors at the time the new membership system is in place to make the transition, no sooner than 2024. 

Rationale: The Structure Transformation Plan proposes a consistent and aligned membership system across all levels of League that will eliminate financial barriers to participation, create an equitable division of dues between levels of League, and overall simplify mechanics of joining the League. This amendment will allow the League to implement the recommended changes to membership mechanics over the next two years, with the switchover from the current PMP system to the upgraded system targeted for implementation in 2024.  

2) Updating Apportionment of Delegates at Convention 

Article IX. Convention. 

Sec. 2. Composition. Official membership counts shall be determined by national office records of voting members [as reported to the national office in the membership count] in January of the year in which the convention is held. The convention shall consist of: 

A. Delegates chosen by the members of local Leagues AND MEMBER-AT-LARGE UNITS; each local League AND MEMBER-AT-LARGE UNIT shall be entitled to at least one delegate; when local League OR MEMBER-AT-LARGE UNIT membership reaches 50 voting members, the local League OR MEMBER-AT-LARGE UNIT shall be entitled to one additional delegate; thereafter one additional delegate shall be authorized for each additional 50 voting members; 

B. Three delegates chosen by the board of each state League; [when state member-at-large membership reaches 50 voting members, the state League shall be entitled to one additional delegate; thereafter one additional delegate shall be authorized for each additional 50 voting members-at-large;] 

Proviso: If the amendment is adopted, it shall take effect upon a date set by vote of the Board of Directors at the time the new membership system is in place to make the transition, no sooner than 2024. 

Rationale: The Structure Transformation Plan recommends simplifying LWV’s federated structure to ensure that Leagues can maintain focus on the mission, with built-up state Leagues eventually able to take over the administrative burden of local Leagues. The current bylaws disincentivize the proposed organizational structure by disadvantaging League entities that choose to focus solely on mission work instead of nonprofit management. This amendment would remedy the unequal apportionment of delegates for Member-at-Large (MAL) units—which essentially operate under the proposed model—and local Leagues. Also, with the updates to membership mechanics, LWVUS will not need Leagues to report their membership counts.

*Update: A grammatical error has been corrected in the first two clauses in subsection A replacing the word “or” with the word “and.” Since serving notice on this amendment, LWVUS has received feedback from some members who noted the previous wording of this amendment could be interpreted in two different ways. Not wanting to introduce any ambiguity into the bylaws, the LWVUS Board, in consultation with the parliamentarian for Convention, has made a grammatical correction to this amendment. The correction is not substantive and serves only to clarify the wording of intent as explained in the rationale published with the amendment.

Administrative

3) Nominating Committee Process and Composition

Article XI. Nominations and Elections. 

Sec. 1. Nominating Committee. The nominating committee shall consist of five VOTING members, of whom three shall not be members of the national board. The three to be elected by the convention shall include a chair. Promptly after the convention, the national board shall appoint two members to the committee who may be current or former members of the national board. THE LWVUS CEO SHALL SERVE AS AN EX-OFFICIO, NON-VOTING MEMBER OF THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE. COMMITTEE Vacancies shall be filled by appointment by the national board. All shall serve a two-year term. 

Sec. 2. Suggestions for Nominations. The nominating committee shall request [suggestions for nominations through the president of each state and local League and ILO by advising them of the offices to be filled and the address to which suggestions are to be sent.] NOMINATIONS FOR POSITIONS ON THE BOARD AND NOMINATING COMMITTEE. Any LWVUS member may submit suggestions for nomination. 

Rationale: This amendment will better define the composition of the LWVUS Nominating Committee and reflect its current practice of recruiting directly from the entire membership. It will also add the LWVUS CEO as an ex-officio member of the committee to provide advice and counsel without being a voting member of the committee. Having the CEO as an ex-officio member is considered a best practice and helps the Nominating Committee understand the organization’s needs while remaining independent in its decisions.  

4) Board Meetings 

Article VIII. Board of Directors. 

Sec. 5. Meetings. At least three regular meetings shall be held annually at such time and place as the board may determine. The president may call special meetings and, upon the written request of five members of the board, shall call a special meeting. MEETINGS MAY BE CONDUCTED IN PERSON OR BY ANY MEANS THAT ALLOW ALL PERSONS PARTICIPATING IN THE MEETING TO HEAR EACH OTHER AT THE SAME TIME. [Special meetings may be conducted by electronic means, such as telephone conference call, video conferencing or e-mail. The use of electronic meetings shall be reserved for those issues needing a decision before an in-person meeting is scheduled.] Notice of all regular meetings shall be given in writing at least one month before the meeting and notice of all special meetings shall be so given at least six days prior to the meeting. IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS WHERE THE BOARD MAY NEED TO TAKE URGENT ACTION BEFORE SIX DAYS’ NOTICE CAN BE GIVEN, THE PRESIDENT MAY WAIVE THE SIX-DAY REQUIREMENT FOR NOTICE PRIOR TO A SPECIAL MEETING SO LONG AS EVERY BOARD MEMBER IS NOTIFIED OF THE MEETING IN ADVANCE. During a convention or council meeting the president may, or upon the request of five members shall, call a special meeting by giving personal notice to each member of the board. 

Rationale: This is an administrative amendment that will modernize Board meeting requirements and give the Board more flexibility in how it conducts its meetings.  

From the Field

5) Elimination of the Age Requirement for Voting Membership (LWVWI) 

Article III. Membership. 

Section 2. Types of Membership.  

A. Voting Members. Persons [at least 16 years of age] who join the League shall be voting members of local Leagues, state Leagues and of the LWVUS; (1) those who live within an area of a local League may join that League or any other local League; (2) those who reside outside the area of any local League may join a local League or shall be state members-at-large; (3) those who have been members of the League for 50 years or more shall be life members excused from the payment of dues; (4) Those who are students are defined as individuals enrolled either as full or part time with an accredited institution 

LWV of Wisconsin’s Rationale: Age criteria for League membership violates the LWVUS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy, which defines League as an organization that does not discriminate on the basis of age, generation, education, work experience, thinking style, etc. It also denies youth who contribute to established League programs equal standing in League with access to its resources, leadership opportunities and a voice in the organization’s direction. Because the mission of LWVUS is to empower voters and defend democracy we must include and empower future voters at a young age so that they can build a life-long affiliation with voting. 

The LWVUS Board does not recommend this amendment. 

LWVUS’ Rationale: Expanding voting membership to all ages of minors would greatly increase organizational risk. LWVUS’ attorney advises against eliminating the age requirement. The only prerequisite for leadership positions with fiduciary responsibilities in the League is voting membership. It would create a heavy administrative burden to maintain adequate youth safety protocols and would impact Leagues’ ability to access insurance. As an amendment to Article III, all Leagues would be required to adopt this new definition of voting membership regardless of capacity. LWV’s age requirement for voting membership is not a violation of the League’s DEI Policy, and associate membership is available.