Our democracy has been tested, coming to a head in the 2024 elections, and will likely continue to be tested in the months and years ahead. As an organization dedicated to empowering voters and defending democracy, the League of Women Voters will continue our work to protect and expand voting rights and challenge those who seek to undermine democratic principles and processes.

"Women Defend Democracy” is the new programmatic focus for the League in 2025, centering people power and moving our country towards a stronger, multi-racial democracy. The League will work to:

Provide Democracy Education & Election Administration Support
Restore and Defend Voting Rights Protections
Abolish the Electoral College
Protect Democracy Organizations & Institutions
Fight for Reproductive Freedoms

Click here for more information Women Defend Democracy
Be a part of the campaign Join the Mailing List!

Because democracy is not a spectator sport

The League shall not support or oppose any political party or any candidate. We encourage informed and active participation in government, work to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influence public policy through education and advocacy. Read more on why the League is nonpartisan but political.

The League's Oath to Democracy
“We do solemnly swear that we will empower voters and defend our democracy; that we will faithfully execute our civic responsibility as nonpartisan advocates. We do this fearlessly, reflectively, and collectively. We act from a place of hope and collective power. We affirm that we will work to provide democracy education and election administration support, restore and defend voting rights protections, abolish the Electoral College, protect democracy organizations, and fight for reproductive freedoms. We will not be deterred from these tasks."

The League of Women Voters of Northwest Maricopa County

Our local northwest league was established in 1980. We serve the voters of Avondale, El Mirage, Litchfield Park, Morristown, Palo Verde, Peoria, Sun City, Sun City West, Surprise Tonopah, Waddell, Wickenburg, Whitman, Youngtown, and parts of Buckeye and Goodyear. We are currently meeting monthly in person to discuss issues such as voter education, healthcare, water conservation, women's rights, climate change and public education. Contact Us for more information.

Please click the photo to the right to view a history of the work the NWMC has accomplished since 1980.

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LWV NWMC History - PowerPoint Birthday Celebration

One Person One Vote Five times in American history, the will of the people was overridden, as the presidential candidate with the most votes did not win the presidency. Five times, millions of votes were silenced. This is because our system prioritizes not the power of its people, but the power of the Electoral College.The Electoral College is an outdated relic initially created by enslavers to disempower voters — especially Black voters. Today, it's simply a threat to our democracy, as it puts the decision-making power in the hands of politically motivated Electoral College members rather than the American people.

It's no surprise that most American voters want to eliminate the Electoral College. Just as we advocated for a more representative democracy in the early days of the women's suffrage movement, we're doing so now. We're creating the One Person One Vote campaign to demand that the people's voices be heard. Be part of the movement. You can learn more at lwv.org/onepersononevote

BLOG: What is "One Person, One Vote?"
BLOG: The Electoral College: What is it good for?
BLOG: Reforming the Electoral Count Act

Learn more about the National Popular Vote Compact and how to abolish the electoral college.

Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act would require citizenship documentation to vote even though voters in every state are already required to affirm or verify their citizenship status when registering to vote. If enacted, the law would effectively eliminate online and mail voter registration options by mandating applicants bring approved citizenship documents to election offices.

Acceptable documentation under the bill includes a U.S. passport, a government-issued photo ID with a listed place of birth, or a REAL ID-compliant form of identification. Military IDs and other government-issued photo IDs are acceptable only if accompanied by additional proof of citizenship, such as a certified birth certificate. Furthermore, the bill allows for a discrepancy process, in which applicants without standard documentation must provide supplementary records—such as a naturalization certificate, consulate birth report, or qualifying adoption decree—to establish citizenship.

Critics point out that birth certificates often do not reflect current legal names, which could disproportionately affect voters who have changed their names—particularly married women. Research suggests that up to 34% of voting-age women lack citizenship documents matching their current legal name, and more than 9% of Americans do not have readily available proof of citizenship. Because marriage certificates are not explicitly listed as acceptable documentation, these changes may pose additional barriers to registering and voting under the SAVE Act.

Tell Your Members of Congress to Oppose the SAVE Act Now!
Read LWVAZ President's Op-ed on the SAVE Act

We each have the power to increase voter turnout. Register to vote & help others register, too!
VOTE411.org/register Tenemos el poder de aumentar la participación electoral. ¡Regístrese para votar y ayude a otros a registrarse también! VOTE411.org/es/register

Vote411.org is a national nonpartisan one-stop shop for voting. You can:

Register to vote
Check your registration
See what's on your ballot
Find polling locations
Find voting rules in your state
Become a poll worker

RISE UP FOR DEMOCRACY

Join us for the League of Women Voters of Arizona 2025 Biennial Convention, where we’ll come together with courage, perseverance, and bold action. At a time when democracy faces unprecedented challenges, we are called to unite, raise our voices, and take meaningful steps to protect our rights and our communities.

This convention isn’t just about dialogue—it’s about momentum. We honor the legacy of the suffragists by continuing their work: building collective power, defending democracy, and inspiring action across Arizona and beyond.

FAQ about the convention

This is your chance to be part of Our Bold, Courageous Response: A Movement for the Moment, Boldly answering the Call to Defend and Preserve Democracy. Register now, and let’s build a stronger League for the years ahead.

CONVENTION SCHEDULE

The convention convenes Saturday, May 17 at 9:00 AM and adjourns Sunday, May 18 at 4:00 PM.
Cambria Hotel Phoenix – North Scottsdale, 4425 East Irma Lane, Phoenix, AZ 85050

This is a fully in-person event hosted by LWVAZ, with local logistics and events coordinated by the League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Phoenix.

Open to all League members—whether or not you’re attending as a delegate.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Powerful Plenary Speakers

Explore the most urgent issues facing Arizona and the nation—and how we can rise to meet them.

Action-Oriented Panels & Hands-0n Breakout Sessions
Get ready for 2026 with deep dives into GOTV strategy, combating disinformation, and mobilizing voters. Collaborate, plan, and build real-time strategies to advance the League’s mission and protect democracy at the local level.

REGISTRATION

Fee: $275 Includes all meals from Saturday morning through Sunday lunch: Continental breakfast & lunch (both days), Dinner on Saturday evening.Note: Registration fees are non refundable but transferable to another league member.

REGISTER TODAY and claim your seat at the table. Deadline to Register May 4.

LODGING

We strongly encourage attendees to book accommodations early. Click here for lodging.

What is the League of Women Voters Program?

The hallmark of the LWV public policy process are positions created through our grassroots process of recommendation, study, and agreement to create our program, Empowering Voters, Defending Democracy, the basis of our education and advocacy to move our mission forward. Empowering Voters, Defending Democracy encompasses our public policy positions on Voting Rights (Expanding Voter Access, Redistricting, Money in Politics, Fighting Voter Suppression) and Elections (Educating Voters, Vote411 nonpartisan voting resources, Increasing Voter Registration), as well as Health Care Reform, The Environment, Census, and Immigration.

Leagues at national, state, and local levels work to advance our policy positions through education and advocacy. We play a leadership role in our communities, legislatures, and courts to protect and advance voting rights and election reform at this critical time for our democracy, as Congress and state legislatures attempt to suppress voting. League litigation in Arizona in 2022 successfully banned ballot box observers from taking photos of voters within 75 feet of a ballot box or openly carrying guns within 250 feet of a ballot box, assuring the right to vote safely with freedom of expression. The League also advocates on “urgent issues” that impact people’s ability to participate equitably in our democracy, such as sex and gender equality, environmental and gun policies conducive to public health, and the ability to make reproductive choices.

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The 2025 Legislative Session

2025 Legislative Session Calendar

Pre-filing of bills began November 25, 2024

JANUARY 2025

Monday 1/13 Session begins
Tuesday 1/27 Senate Bill Request Deadline (5:00 p.m.)

FEBRUARY 2025

Friday 2/3 House Bill Request Deadline (5:00 p.m.)
Friday 2/14 Last day to hear Bills in chamber of origin

MARCH 2025

Friday 3/16 Crossover Deadline
Friday 3/21 Last day to hear bills in other chamber

APRIL 2025

Friday 4/11 Last day for conference committees (By Senate and House Rule)
Tuesday 4/26 Expected date for legislation to adjourn

Watch recordings of the 2025 Lunch & Learn Session here.

LWV ARIZONA ADVOCACY PRIORITIES FOR 2025

The LWV AZ board approved the 2025 advocacy priorities, which will guide the issue teams in their legislative analysis work and other advocacy efforts. The recommendation to the board was based on a survey of our members about the issues that matter most to you. View the 2025 Bootcamp State Advocacy slide and the Complete list of LWVAZ Positions adopted for 2023-2025. League members interested in working on state advocacy and legislative analysis please contact LWVAzAdvocacy@gmail.com.

ISSUE TEAMS IN ORDER OF BOARD APPROVED PRIORITY
Voter's Rights/Election Systems
Women's Rights

Education

Climate Change (Water)

Ranked Choice Voting

Health Care
Gun Safety
Immigration
Criminal Justice

Arizona's Unique Request to Speak (RTS) System

How can you influence legislative outcomes? The Request to Speak (RTS) is a real-time system that allows the public to register an opinion on bills being heard in committee & to request to speak on a bill (testify) during the hearing. You can

Indicate whether you are “for” or “against” the bill
Write a brief comment explaining your positions
Register your willingness to speak (testify)

We encourage you to use this powerful tool to make your voice heard at the legislature.

RTS is integrated into the Bill Status Inquiry (BSI) functionality of the AZ Legislature website. If you want to follow bills through the legislative process, this is the place to go. 2025 RTS Introduction

Complete this Google Form if you need an RTS account. Log into Request to Speak
For more detailed information on Request to Speak (RTS) please go to our Current Issues page

We Need You

There are many ways you can get involved with the Northwest Maricopa County League of Women Voters. You can attend member meetings, join a committee or just help with an event or project. See how you can use your strengths in our local league.

Volunteer Opportunities

Our Committees

Join the League

For over 100 years, the League of Women Voters has been a nonpartisan, activist, grassroots, national organization that believes voters should play a critical role in democracy. Your gift will help support voter services and education, outreach at collaborative nonpartisan events, team meeting activities, membership meetings, newsletters and more. There are two kinds of donations that can be made.

LWVNWMC is a registered Arizona nonprofit corporation as a 501©(4) organization. Donations to this entity may be used for advocacy and lobbying efforts to support our Public Policy Positions and are NOT tax-deductible.
The LWVNWMC Education Fund it a tax-deductible 501©(3) charitable organization. Funds contributed to the Education Fund will be used for educational purposes only. To receive a tax-deductible benefit, you must address your check to LWVNWMC EDUCATION FUND.

Donate to NWMC LWV

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DC March 08.2021
Advocacy & Issues