Speakers bureau
The League of Women Voters of Washington (LWVWA) is pleased to be able to offer speakers, panelists, and presentations on the following topics:
- Public Hospital Districts: Making Democracy Work for Local Healthcare
- The Shoreline Management Act at 50+ Years
- The Decline of Local News and Its Impact on Democracy
- Redistricting in Washington State
Guidelines
We have the following guidelines for any event with a League speaker:
- The event must be nonpartisan, that is, no endorsements of political candidates or political parties. Note: political parties and partisan organizations may request one of our speakers, but the event must be educational in focus; no campaigning or fundraising can happen at an event with a League speaker.
- If this is a public event, your organization is responsible for all publicity.
- Credit LWVWA as a participant by including our logo on any promotional materials and acknowledge LWVWA in both opening and closing remarks at the event.
- If speakers are expected to travel more than 50 miles, your organization will reimburse the speaker in full for related expenses, including but not limited to mileage, airfare, ferry tickets, rental car costs, and overnight stays during their trip. Reasonable travel expenses are determined using the GSA federal per diem rates based on location.
Scheduling Process
Please follow the following process when organizing an event with a League speaker:
- Contact our office at info@lwvwa.org or (206) 622-8961. Our communications coordinator will connect you with the best speaker for your event, based on topic and location.
- Contact the speaker to schedule the date and time for the program.
- Confirm any potential travel-related expenses and technology requirements.
- Confirm the event details—date, time, location, title, description—with our communications coordinator. She will send you our logo and our preferred introductory materials for use with promoting the event.
Suggested Script
Please include the following script in your introductory remarks for an event with a League speaker:
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, nonprofit membership organization that has fought since 1920 to improve our government and engage our communities in the decisions that impact our lives. The League operates at national, state, and local levels through more than 800 state and local Leagues in all 50 states, as well DC, the Virgin Islands, and Hong Kong.
Formed from the movement that secured the right to vote for women, the League is dedicated to making democracy work for all Americans, regardless of gender, sex, race, ability, or party. It does not support or oppose candidates, factions, or political parties.
The League's work in Washington includes, among other things, registering voters, getting out the vote, organizing candidate and issue forums, and publishing two civic education textbooks in both English and Spanish, as well as advocacy in support of, or in opposition to, selected governmental issues which its members have studied. There are 21 local Leagues across Washington state, each of which works within its local community to realize the mission of empowering voters and defending democracy.
The League of Women Voters of Washington is committed to fostering civility in public discourse, and our speakers welcome open and honest conversation. Civility begins with a willingness to listen to points of view that may be different from our own, and a respect for the other person's right to hold opinions that differ from ours.