Representatives from the League of Women Voters of the United States discussed current litigation cases they are involved in during a virtual Brown Bag event hosted by Pullman’s local league. 

The national league is responsible for determining strategies and action policies that ensure the league’s message on national issues is consistent throughout the country, said Jessica Jones Capparell, policy and legislative affairs senior manager for LWVUS.  

The league has been focusing on issues regarding climate change, equal rights amendments, gun safety, healthcare and immigration. These are called “watchdog issues,” Jones Capparell said. 

“All the work that we do is founded in our positions and in our principles,” she said. “We tend to focus our efforts in the league on influencing legislative measures in the U.S. Congress.”

The league is currently involved in litigation about redistricting, the National Voter Registration Act, voter purges and COVID-19, said Celina Stewart, senior director of advocacy and litigation for LWVUS.

The National Voter Registration Act dictates that voters have the opportunity to register to vote while applying for a license, by mail-in applications and at certain federal or state offices, she said.

The league’s cases about voter purges are trying to ensure that as many people as possible are being protected in the elections, she said. These cases state that the data used to invalidate ballots is not verified.

The national league works with state leagues on court cases they are involved in, Stewart said. Many of the cases are in the same circuit, and LWVUS wants to make sure the cases do not jeopardize other states’ cases. 

LWVUS managed five litigation cases about gerrymandering, five cases regarding violations of the National Voter Registration Act and seven voter purges cases, Stewart said. There are also 20 states involved in litigation around COVID-19.

Some of the COVID-19-related litigation cases address legislation that makes it harder for some people in the state to vote or register, she said. In Louisiana, the law is requiring individuals to have two witness signatures on their ballots.

This is a burden for people in high-risk groups, like immunocompromised or older individuals, she said. 

The league’s mission is to help individuals vote, empower them to vote and defend democracy, Stewart said. 

“It really shows the strength of the league and just how much work leagues across the country are doing to push back on bad laws,” she said.