Take Action!
Overview
"Freedom is not a state; it is an act. It is not some enchanted garden perched high on a distant plateau where we can finally sit down and rest. Freedom is the continuous action we all must take, and each generation must do its part to create an even more fair, more just society." The Honorable Civil Rights Leader and Congressman, John Lewis
For 105 years, the League of Women Voters has been empowering voters and defending democracy, toward that "enchanted garden" of an inclusive democracy that provides life, liberty and happiness for ALL! During this century, we have faced many challenges and setbacks. But we have learned, organized, acted- and endured.Today we walk the path of democracy paved by our fearless leaders. Let us continue to light the way forward, joining with our fellow League members from across the country to commemorate and organize, and to learn and take action in our state and local communities as nonpartisan LWV members and also as individual voters. Please review all the opportunities below to take action - and do your part - in as little as 1 minute.
Remembering Mark and Melissa Hortman
We remain shaken and heartbroken by the targeted killing of public servant and Speaker Emerita of the MN House of Representatives Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, as well as the shooting of State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman. We extend our deepest condolences to the Hortman and Hoffman families, their loved ones, and the communities they have served with such dedication. We are holding Senator Hoffman, who is also a member of the League of Women Voters of Anoka, Blaine, Coon Rapids Area, and Yvette Hoffman in our thoughts and are hopeful for their full and swift recovery. Please read the full statement we issued along with LWVUS.
At times like this, we lean on our League values—nonpartisanship, community, and civic responsibility. We encourage you to reach out to one another, check in with your local League leaders, and continue to uphold the principles of justice and democracy we all hold dear. Please remember what Sophie and Colin Hortman, children of Mark and Melissa, shared on behalf of the family:
“Hope and resilience are the enemy of fear. Our parents lived their lives with immense dedication to their fellow humans. This tragedy must become a moment for us to come together. Hold your loved ones a little closer. Love your neighbors. Treat each other with kindness and respect. The best way to honor our parents’ memory is to do something, whether big or small, to make our community just a little better for someone else.”
What can I do now? Send a note of thanks to your elected officials, at every level, for their public service. You may also wish to financially support the Hortman and Hoffman families using their GoFundMe pages.
Join Us in Action!
Are you an LWVMN member? Please join our Fired up Friday Zoom Call to share our concerns and coordinate our advocacy! Summer Schedule for Fired Up Fridays:
July 11, 18 (SAVE Act program with Sec. Simon, register here), 25 —— August 1, 8, 15
How does taking action fit within LWV’s non-partisanship policy? Please read our key points for rally participation, see Guidance for Leagues about Nonpartisanship and Partnerships (+ learn how to Stay True to Nonpartisanship in a Divisive Political Climate), and check out our short reel, What is Nonpartisanship?. Nonprofit VOTE held a recent webinar on how to Stay Inside the Nonpartisan Lines (Slides).
Read the breakdown of where Advocacy and Program work happens within LWV.
Actions of the Week
save act lunch & learn July 18, noon - Register & promote!
The Office of Minnesota Secretary of State will host an important virtual Lunch & Learn on the dangers of the federal SAVE Act, which poses a serious threat to voter access. The panel will feature Secretary Steve Simon, Blue Earth County Auditor-Treasurer Mike Stalberger, and Michelle Witte, LWVMN Executive Director.
Learn more about the SAVE Act by visiting lwvmn.org/save-act and downloading our one-page SAVE Act Facts.
Share the event graphic and our SAVE Act webpage with your county officials!
Oppose Medicaid Cuts in federal budget bill
Tell Congress Not to Gut Medicaid - Take one minute and share with friends! Use this call script and one-pager.
Download these graphics to share the impacts of Medicaid cuts to Minnesota.
Medicaid Matters Communications Toolkit (MN Department of Human Services)
Letters to the Editor: LWVUS has an LTE template for Leagues to use regarding the pending Medicaid cuts. Here is an example from LWV Crystal, New Hope, East Plymouth, Robbinsdale: LETTER: Millions at risk of losing health care access, including Minnesotans. The template can be found under Democracy Resilience on the Unite & Rise Power Playbook. Learn more:
Check out the recording of our Lobby Day on April 28! (includes Rep. Danny Nadeau (R) speaking about balancing the state budget and MN Dept. of Health Commissioner Brooke Cunningham on how to keep Minnesotans healthy amidst federal cuts)
Ongoing Actions
organizing to Defend democracy
On May 1, 2025, LWV launched the Unite & Rise 8.5 initiative, which aims to mobilize 8.5 million voters using the power of voter engagement as a cornerstone of our democracy. Unite and Rise 8.5 showcases the many ways voters can drive change through advocacy, mobilization, civic education, and engagement - Learn more and take action!
Unite & Rise Power Playbook 1: May 2025 - July 2025 (PDF)
HOW CAN LOCAL LEAGUES & MEMBERS UNITE & RISE TOGETHER?
how to Remain safe and Nonpartisan during protests
If you choose to protest, please learn more about you can be involved as a League leader and stay safe:
Protest Safety Guidance - Guidance for League members attending a protest, rally, or other demonstration.
ACLU-MN: Know Your Rights: Protesters’ Rights
timely Actions
Major Tax Package Heads to the Senate. Call TODAY to Protect Nonprofits!
From the National Council of Nonprofits: Advocacy works! Nonprofit organizations successfully advocated for congressional leaders to remove a provision that would have granted unprecedented authority to the Executive Branch to revoke nonprofit tax-exempt status without due process. There is more work to do to ensure the tax bill protects nonprofits' ability to serve communities, and the best time to do it is now.
Open Letter and Call to Action on the Assault on American Democracy signed by retired diplomats and national security experts regarding the consequences of cutting USAID (Summary from NPR with several signees featured)
Use talking points to Contact Your Representatives with OneAID Community.
Read Stories of Impacts from former employees on The Last Mile with USAID Substack
Actions Taken
See what other Minnesota Leagues have been doing on our “We Took Action!” page.
Stay Informed
Stay connected to information sources you trust. LWV and LWVMN, and our nonpartisan partners, produce webinars, newsletters and messages you can use to get educated and share with others.
LWVUS Communications
Letters to Congress
Litigation
LWVMN Communications
Capitol Letter: Weekly updates on national and state issues. Subscribe today!
MN Voter Blog - For breaking news and information
All Member News - Comes out the 2nd Monday
Press Coverage - LWV in the news!
Partner Sign-On Letters:
Learn More
Associated Press: Tracking the lawsuits against Donald Trump’s executive actions
Minnesota rolls out dashboard tracking federal funding cuts in the state
University of St Thomas Paper on Noncitizen Voting Violations in Minnesota
calls & Recordings
Upcoming - EVENTS CALENDAR
Upcoming:
LWV Democracy in Your Hands Series | June – October 2025 at 10 am
July 18, 12 pm - SAVE Act Lunch & Learn with Sec. Simon, Blue Earth County Auditor-Treasurer Mike Stalberger, and Michelle Witte, LWVMN ED
Free online courses with Harvard University - American Government: Constitutional Foundations
Past:
The Threat to Voting by the SAVE Act and President's Executive Order
LWVMN: Can the President do that?
ACLU-MN Townhall: We Will Prevail
Nonprofit VOTE: On the Radar: The SAVE Act, State Laws, & Other Policies Impacting Nonprofits
MCEA: Law on the Line: Minnesota’s Legal Experts on Democracy’s Best Defense
Associate Director Amy Perna at the Int’l Women’s Day Rally on March 8, 2025
Nonprofit VOTE: All 2025 Politics is Local
Join Us
Connecting to your community is critical right now. Join groups, have conversations, build networks, and advocate for the issues you care about.
act
Fired Up Friday! - Members-only gathering to share your concerns and questions about the issues of our day, and learn how you can take constructive, nonpartisan action with LWV and personally.
Become a Member - We need more boots on the ground to serve our communities and protect our rights! Already a member? Invite a friend!
Turn Up the Heat during the Congressional Recesses (week of June 16)
advocate
Legislative Session - Status of priority bills and advocacy resources from partners.
Observer & Lobby Corps - Join us on Zoom every Monday from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm. Learn more about how LWVMN members take action at the MN Capitol!
Action Alerts - Take action in only 60 seconds! Sign onto LWV and LWVMN Action Alerts. More voices = More impact!
LWVMN Lobby Day: Stand Up for Healthy Communities - Action Toolkit & Recording
Ally
Learn from and join our partners in important actions:
Executive Orders Affecting Nonprofits & Impact of Federal Decisions - MN Council of Nonprofits
ACLU-MN: Know Your Rights
Learn More
Use Your Voice
You can still use your voice WITHOUT putting your LWV hat on. You can donate, join partisan groups, attend rallies and advocate personally at all levels of government, but distinguish these efforts from official LWV work. Use your own "Town Square" to influence and care for others.
Action Alerts
ACLU-MN: Protect Birthright Citizenship
MN Interfaith Power & Light: Tell your Congress-person to vote no on the budget reconciliation bill
Organize
No Kings - June 14 Day of Action
Chop Wood, Carry Water, a daily actions email
Contact your Elected Representatives
5 Calls: Call your Congressperson on issues important to you
AARP’s Social Security Hotline - dial 866-972-9806 to be connected to your U.S. House Rep & 866-995-8827 for your U.S. Senators
Letters to the Editor
Messaging to fight mis- and disinformation and share the impacts of federal and state policies. LTE Tips
Postcards
Contact your reps by mail:
League Leadership In This Moment
Don’t Panic: The bottom line is that the U. S. is too decentralized in its governance system for a complete takeover.
Avoid the Lure of Pessimism and Skepticism: Things have been bad before, and for many racial minorities, far worse than now. But they didn’t give up. They persevered, even in the face of the terrible dysfunction and injustice of our system.
Stay Engaged and Connected: Nothing is more meaningful than being part of a struggle for democracy and now is the time. . It is precisely when things are hard that we must all lean into remaining vigilant and informed.
Be a Voice of Hope, Not Fear: Use your town square to speak out in favor of democracy, seek out difficult conversations, engage the curious and educate those who seek information.
Defend Institutions: It is institutions that help us to preserve decency. Support the court system, the rule of law, journalism, and labor rights.
Don’t Feed the Rage Cycle: We build community through dialogue not shouting.
Support the Front Line Fighters: Activists, lawyers, and community organizers form a protective shield and provide a safety net for the most vulnerable.
Recruit Others: Help recruit new members who want to take action!
Prepare for the Long Fight: This will not be over in one election or with the defeat of any one candidate. This is the fight of our generation.
“Ours is not the struggle of one day, one week or one year. Ours is not the struggle of one judicial appointment or presidential term. Ours is the struggle of a lifetime, or even many lifetimes, and each one of us in every generation must do our part.”
John Lewis, Civil Rights Leader and Congressman
Updated 2025-06-12