A League of Women Voters representative came to the Women’s Center Wednesday to educate voters on upcoming ballot propositions.
Nancy Loevinger, director of the Women’s Center, said she was impressed by the dozens of people that came, and said she hopes that many students went away from the talk more educated and less intimidated by the ballot propositions.
Loevinger, an East Coast native, said she was intimidated by the number of propositions that appear on California ballots. She said she organized this information session because she feels many students voting for the first time may feel the same way she did.
Alice McCauley, a member of the League of Women Voters, went through eight state propositions and three local ones, telling attendees about the pros and cons of each proposition.
McCauley said educating voters is part of the League’s mission.
“”The League of Women Voters goes out and talks to various groups,”” she said. “”We’ve given about 65 talks so far this year.””
After her talk, McCauley briefly went through the League’s position on certain propositions. She said, however, that the League only takes stands on issues it has thoroughly researched. The League opposes propositions 34, 37 and 38, and supports proposition 39.
Because the League is a nonpartisan group, McCauley said it does not endorse candidates, only issues. It does, however, print pamphlets consisting of candidates’ answers to questions posed to them by the League.
McCauley said she likes the fact that the League does not endorse candidates.
“”I think it frees us to take action on the issues without consideration to the candidates,”” she said. “”You’re not considered a special interest.””
Loevinger said she liked the League’s presentation because it did not push a certain ideology.
“”We want people to feel comfortable coming in here regardless of who they’re voting for,”” she said.
She added that the information provided by the League will be available at the Women’s Center until the election.
The Women’s Center will co-sponsor a roundtable discussion on Nov. 3 to discuss the privatization of education, an issue that will appear on the November ballot.
