Transparency in government is a core League principle that is a critical part of the century long history of the League of Women Voters. The League has been and continues to be an active champion of transparency at all levels of government.
Global Influence:
- In 1945, at the UN Charter Conference, the League of Women Voters was invited by President Truman to serve as a consultant to the U.S. delegation and in July 1997 granted special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) which provides opportunity to make interventions on issues LWV supports.
- The LWVUS policy position on international affairs aspires to “Promote peace in an interdependent world by working cooperatively with other nations and strengthening international organizations” https://my.lwv.org/lwvus/position/united-nations
- Since inception, LWVUS has continued its presence at the UN through its Observer Corps to consult with the UN in areas of LWV expertise and to research and prepare formal oral or written statements on issues LWV supports.
- See here for more information.
Local Influence:
Sunshine or transparency in government refers to two distinct areas: access to public records and access to public meetings. Protecting our right to know is integral to the health of our democracy. Decisions that determine how our schools will be run, the degree of commitment to community safety program funding, and issues of land and resource use in our local communities impact our lives and are vital to our well-being. These decisions require public input and oversight.
One important step in active citizen participation is to observe government meetings. In 2010, the LWVUS issued a call to action asking citizens to take advantage of their important role in fostering an open and accountable government. LWVUS President Mary Wilson said, "Locally, the League's grassroots membership continues to be active on issues of government transparency and public participation—operating their Observer Corps programs, conducting public document audits, and holding town hall meetings. At every level, transparency and citizen participation are the critical ingredients to ensuring open and accountable government."
WHAT IS AN OBSERVER PROGRAM?
Observer programs (or Observer Corps) enable individuals to exercise their right to know in two ways:
- The observer programs provide a valuable service to the community by helping to ensure that citizens are aware of the decisions the impact their lives. They act as a “watchdog” on behalf of their friends, family and neighbors, helping to ensure the vitality of communities.
- The observer programs promote government transparency and accountability. Observer programs are NOT vehicles for individuals to carry out personal or partisan agendas. Observers observe. They do not speak or act on issues in these meetings.
Some Examples of Monitoring Sites
- Board of Elections
- City/Town Council
- County Commissioners
- Health Department
- Historic Preservation Committee
- Hospital Board
- Library board
- Park District Board
- School Board
- Solid waste/Sanitary Board
- Water District/Board
- Zoning/Planning Board
WHAT DOES AN OBSERVER DO?
- A member who volunteers to be an observer will receive training from League trainer(s). Training will include critical laws that govern public access as well as open meeting and open records laws: The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), and Government in the Sunshine Act (Sunshine Act). Training sessions may include: partner practice sessions, breakout sessions to share what the observers have learned, or a packet of sample reports to use.
-
The LWV LF/LB Area trained observers will communicate their role to the members of the board and the agency that they will be observing. It is useful for the League leadership to send a letter to the board or agency that is going to be observed.
- Next, an observer will attend or view online meetings and identify and monitor issues on the agenda that may be relevant to any LWV LF/LB or State positions or programs.
- Using a structured reporting form, the observer reports back to the LWV LF/LB using unbiased language and pertinent information.
- The LWV LB/LB Area Board will implement a format for sharing and determine if there is a need to issue a call to action for an identified issue.