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February 1966

April 1966

We Have a Consensus! (Nan Lowers & Marguerite Simson)
Action on Election Laws
Legislative Workshops (Sue Thorndike)
Maui Unit of State League of Women Voters (Marion Saunders)
State Convention
Human Resources (Lila Grossman)
State Board
Call to Action

"Call to Action"

Mrs. Simson again is reminding all league members to write all four Legislators about apportionment. These letters will convey to each Congressman what his own constituents believe. It will be well to point out that the League as a whole has just made a study and evaluation of the basis of representation in state legislatures, that nationwide it came to agreement, and that there is no significant variation in the way League members in different parts of the country feel about the issue.

The following Statement of Position on Apportionment of State Legislatures was announced by the National Board of the League of Women Voters of the United States on January 12, 1966:

The members of the League of Women Voters of the United States believe that both houses of state legislatures should be apportioned substantially on population. The League is convinced that this standard, established by recent apportionment decisions of the Supreme Court, should be maintained and that the U.S. Constitution should not be amended to allow for consideration of factors other than population in apportioning either or both houses of state legislatures.

Of overriding importance to the League in coming to this decision is the conviction that a population standard is the fairest and most equitable way of assuring that each man's vote is of equal value in a democratic and representative system of government. Other considerations influencing League decisions are that the U.S. Constitution should not be amended hastily or without due consideration because of an "unpopular" court decision, and that individual rights now protected by the Constitution should not be weakened or abridged.

Against the background of its long-standing interest in state government, the League also hopes that by maintaining a population standard state government may be strengthened by insuring that state legislatures are more representative of people wherever they live. Finally, the League feels certain that the term "substantially" used in Supreme Court decisions allows adequate leeway for districting to provide for any necessary local diversities.


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