Voters’ Guide
League of Women Voters of Laramie
 
The Voters’ Guide published here is a public service of the Boomerang and the League of Women Voters of Laramie. All statements were solicited directly from the candidates by the LWV of Laramie and compiled by them into documents for this Guide.  Statements are in the candidate’s own words, with minor spelling and editing changes to fit the Boomerang’s style, such as using “UW” instead of “the University of Wyoming”.
 
Candidates were allowed 100 words for their biographical statement and 75 words for their responses to the two issues. If their responses were too long, they were shortened by cutting up from the bottom.  Omitted material is indicated by the three dots (…).
 
There is an introductory paragraph for each office, explaining the term of office, salary and number of slots available.  Incumbents who are standing for reelection are indicated as are those whose terms are not up and serve on the same body.
 
All voters in the State will be asked to consider three constitutional amendments.  Two ballot propositions will be voted upon in Albany County. Pro-con statements on the Constitutional Amendments and the Propositions are included in this Voter Guide.  Voters should be especially well-informed on these issues because if you don’t vote on an amendment or proposition, it counts as a “no” vote.  The LWV prepared the pro/con statements, ones for the Constitutional Amendments include direct quotes from specific individuals or groups.
 
The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan political action organization that has been organized in Laramie for over 50 years.  The LWV never supports or opposes candidates or political parties, but may take a stand on issues upon which the members have studied and reached consensus. The LWV promotes an open governmental system that is representative, accountable and responsive.
 
Carrie Chapman Catt who had been part of the woman’s suffrage movement since the late 1800’s founded the LWV in 1920. Suffragettes wrote the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution granting women the right to vote in 1878. It was finally ratified by 36 states in 1920.  Its victory accomplished, the National American Woman Suffrage Association (Catt was its president) ceased to exist, but its organization became the nucleus of the League of Women Voters with Catt as its first president.  Now organized in all 50 states and many local communities, the league has worked to protect and enhance voting rights for all Americans.
 
The LWV believes that democratic government depends upon the informed and active participation of its citizens.  Although the focus in early years was to educate newly-enfranchised women voters, the LWV has had men as full voting members since the early 1970’s. The name, however, continues to pay homage to the suffragettes who struggled for over a century to assure women in America the right to vote.