Program Planning and Studies

HomeProgram Planning

PROGRAM
PLANNING

The Program Planning process is part of what makes the League a grassroots organization; each League member has the opportunity to influence the selection of Issues for Emphasis: where the local, state, and national League will focus time, talent and money.

Program: the issues we choose for study, education and action at local, state and national levels. Program can include both education and advocacy work.

2025-2027 LWV of San Diego Issues for Emphasis

Campaign finance dashboard
Election reform
Expanded voter outreach

February 3, 2026:
Meeting for LWVSD Discussion about the National Program for 2026-28

LWVSD is able to suggest two issues for emphasis to the national League to be considered alongside the recommendations from the LWVUS Board (see next paragraph). These issues for emphasis can be things the League is already working on, or can be a new study, an update to a national position, or a concurrence with a position of another League.

LWVUS Board Recommended Program: Women Defend Democracy: Democracy Under Siege

The LWVUS board recommends adoption by the 2026 Convention of a campaign, Women Defend Democracy: Democracy Under Siege, to empower the organization to act decisively to protect and defend our democracy. The campaign will focus on

· Voting Rights

· Election Protection

· Redistricting

· Individual Liberties

· Immigration

· The Presidency

The League has already embarked on a Women Defend Democracy campaign (link) to continue our work to protect and expand voting rights and hold accountable those who seek to undermine democratic principles and processes. By building on Women Defend Democracy and our decade of accomplishments under the Campaign for Making Democracy Work, we will be well positioned to take action in these exceptionally challenging times.

Members, here's what we need you to do next

You'd never skip voting in an election — so don't miss out on raising your voice during the League's equivalent experience.

RSVP for our Program Planning Meeting on Tuesday, February 3, 5-7pm at the Mission Valley Library.
Read up on LWVUS positions and past work in 2024-26 Impact on Issues and Making Democracy Work priorities so you can confidently participate in the meeting.
Optional but encouraged, suggest an issue you'd like the national League to focus on for the next two years.
For those who cannot attend, there will be a video of the event and also a way to vote on the consensus of the meeting or an alternative.

We look forward to working with our members and community partners to identify the national League's 2026–2028 priorities. Email president@lwvdandiego.org if you have any questions about the process or how to get involved.

Jane Andrews, President & the Program Planning Team (Jeanne Brown, Beryl Flom & Mary Hansen)

Every odd-numbered year at our local Program Planning meetings, LWV San Diego members direct the organization’s action and advocacy by selecting Issues for Emphasis, which are issues/topics adopted as program items on which to focus League efforts. We prioritize issues that can have the greatest impact (those that are likely to come up in bills and ballot measures). We also gather names of members who would have the time, interest and expertise to work on these issues. And, we review our existing positions.

The League of Women Voters takes action on an issue only when we have a position addressing it. If the members have not studied and come to consensus on it, the League has no position and therefore cannot take action. Studies (whether national, state, or local) are a defined process lasting one to three years, during which we undertake thorough pursuit of facts and details, both positive and negative, and come to consensus about policy.

League Program might also specify a review of a current position. A committee is then organized to review the position and determine if it should be amended or updated.

Update Study

A study of limited scope to reevaluate an existing position in light of new information, changed circumstances, and/or conflict with another position, with a view to considering a position change. Any new position resulting from an update must be approved by the Board and adopted by the members at the Annual Meeting.

Some of the studies from across the nation are in our League of Women Voters Education Fund Clearinghouse for studies.

Study Committees

When the League adopts a program that includes a study, a study committee is organized to research, clarify, and develop a focus for the study. The study committee serves as a resource committee to present the results of their study to the membership and to provide direction to the Board on how the League might deal with the issue studied. A committee is then organized to review the position and determine if it should be amended or updated. Read the national Guidelines for LWVUS Studies and How to Direct a Local Study.

Non-Recommended Program

Issues of interest to a number of members, but not receiving enough support to be included in the recommended program.

Recommended Program

Program items supported by most members and recommended by the Board for adoption.

Study Process

Study Committee members fashion consensus questions that are then asked of the membership as part of a study kit. Kits often include articles, books, data in the form of charts and graphs, videos, suggested speakers, discussion questions, and other resources. Members use the study kit internally and often with their community to better understand the issue.
Consensus is the overall decision-making process by which substantial agreement among members is reached on an issue. Often this happens over the course of several meetings, but may include surveys and other methods. If the members reach consensus, the board forms recommended positions based on that consensus.
That recommended position is then reviewed and voted on by our members (usually by delegates at our Annual Meeting). The proposal may be approved, amended, or be rejected at that time.
If a position is adopted, firm action can then be taken on the particular issue addressed by the position. Without a position, action can not be taken on that issue.

Every two years, members of local Leagues engage in Program Planning for the state and national Leagues. Based on these results, the Board of Directors makes recommendations to the biennial convention delegates about the Program to be adopted for the coming two year period at the state or national level. LWVUS gathers recommendations from local and state Leagues in even numbered years. LWVC gathers recommendations in odd numbered years.

At the LWVSD Annual Meeting in June, members weigh in on approving suggested studies, update studies, Issues for Emphasis, and retaining our positions.