On Monday, June 9, the League of Women Voters – Acton Area (LWV-AA) held its Annual Meeting in a private room at Boxborough’s Craft Food Hall. The Acton Area League serves Acton, Boxborough, Hudson, Littleton, Maynard, and Stow. Nearly 30 members and a few guests attended for the night of celebration and preparation.
Founded in 1920, The League of Women Voters emerged from the women’s suffrage movement with a core mission to empower voters and defend democracy. Today, this nonpartisan organization continues to encourage informed and active participation in government, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
A key tradition for the League is the Annual Meeting. These meetings serve as an opportunity for members to celebrate accomplishments, prepare for future initiatives, vote on budgets and leadership, and discuss programmatic goals for the upcoming year.
For the Acton Area League, there was a lot to celebrate this year. After kicking off the year with the traditional Member Meeting in September 2024, volunteers served local residents as they:
- Held voter registration drives in Hudson and Maynard on National Voter Registration Day.
- Ran an information session for members on complex Massachusetts state ballot questions.
- Hosted tables at local farmers markets, the Acton Freebee, and Diwali Fest.
The League was able to take advantage of a new program with the Girl Scouts to teach local troops about democracy and voting, and won second place in the NAMI October Scarecrow Contest with a voting-themed entry. The yearly holiday Chat and Cheer gathering featured local legislators who gamely answered questions about the budget issues.
The new year brought the League’s busy season with candidate forums in Acton, Boxborough, and Hudson that gave voters the opportunity to learn about the candidates as they responded to live questions from the audience.
In the spring, the Acton Area League took part in two consensus meetings: the Massachusetts League’s study on reparations for Black Americans and the national League’s study on the Federal Judiciary.
In addition to these projects, the Acton Area League continued its regular book club, First Tuesday social gatherings, and Just for Fun meetings, designed to bring members together.
An important part of the Annual Meeting involved preparing the League for the 2025-2026 season that begins in the fall. As part of the preparation, the League voted on the set of priorities that will guide the work of the Acton Area League. Next year’s priorities include a focused effort to increase civic engagement in our communities, development of a social justice initiative using a bequest from long-time League member Marge Kennedy, and a continued effort to engage voters through candidate forums and other voter education. In September, members will gather to discuss the specific initiatives that align with these priorities and begin the year’s work in earnest.
Executive Committee Spokesperson Lori Cooney told League members, “In these times of uncertainty surrounding our elections and the direction of our government, many in our community are concerned about the future of our democracy and searching for ways to make a real difference”. The League of Women Voters is looking for people who are willing to help empower and educate voters, support informed participation, and defend the values that strengthen our democracy. LWV-AA invites you to stand with them during this crucial moment. Visit https://www.lwv-actonarea.org/ to become a member.
Alyssa Robinson is a member of the Steering Committee of the LWV-AA and writes its weekly e-newsletter.