Since the 1920s The League of Women Voters has impacted elections of state and local governments

Just two months removed from the presidential election, the League of Women Voters visited San Quentin to discuss voting rights and to educate residents on the importance of “one vote.”

The non-partisan grassroots organization has protected democracy by expanding voting rights. Through education and litigation, LWV advocated and empowered voters at the state and local level.

“People do not think about the votes after the fact, we look at each vote as a human being,” Chair of Justice Committee Pat Beaupre said. “People do not vote because they do not understand the value of their vote, especially if you have been disenfranchised.”

Pat said on the local level, the LWV provided information on candidates and ballot issues in a personal and trustworthy way. By hosting forums, the organization aimed to present all the facts from all sides. She said the LWV supported the authors of the Racial Justice Act and a large part of their work has taken place in jails and prisons.

“Our smaller committees address state issues and the result is information for voters,” Nancy Weber  said. “We spend time on restorative education to help bring understanding to voters.”

She said she felt sad whenever someone called voting “not a right” and not worth doing. “It is empowering to vote,” Nancy said, as she encouraged her audience to contribute.

“Formerly incarcerated have shown positive results when released and do vote. It is a way to stay involved in the community,” Nancy said. “One vote is a vote. It is a small numbers game.”

She said only Maine, Vermont, and the District of Columbia allowed felons to vote in prison, but 23 states have extended voter rights upon discharge from parole, which included California. Nancy said California has considered a change.

“Politicians and officials would be at your doorstep if you had the right to vote,” Nancy said. “We want to end voter suppression for Californians with a criminal record and give formerly incarcerated people an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to become productive, contributing members of our society.”

The LWV supplied San Quentin residents with an Easy Voter Guide on ballot issues prior to the mock elections held in the prison. The guests and attendees discussed the propositions that passed and Proposition 6, which did not pass.

“People believe in mass media to inform them and can easily be influenced by campaign ads,” San Quentin News Editor-in-Chief Kevin D. Sawyer said.

Nancy encouraged the residents to do their best to supply voters with information necessary to make informed choices on bills, despite what appears as a disproportionate disadvantage for the incarcerated.

“We are working with the public defender and probation to inform formerly incarcerated on their right to vote,” Nancy said. “Nationally we are focused on making democracy work for all.”

The LVW started in Chicago in 1920, just six months prior to ratification of the 19th Amendment, which extended the right to vote to women. The constitution had given states the power to set voting requirements, but states had used this authority to deny the vote to women.

According to a printout of the website, the LWV was a leader in the women’s suffrage movement and empowered women to participate in a more perfect democracy.

“The message to the public should be [that] we matter and we have something to contribute,” Jerry Gearin said.