Report from the Vote by Mail Study Committee

The Vote by Mail Study Committee has been busy researching and compiling data.  We have completed tallying the questionnaires that were mailed out in January.  County clerks and election officials in Idaho, Washington, and Oregon responded, many with lengthy comments.  There is a good mix of surveys including senior citizens, political community, and high school and college students.  Interviews were also conducted with people key to the voting process and voter attitudes. 

The Committee is now writing the consensus questions and preparing the study kit and the leaders’ guide.  The study kit and leaders’ guide will be sent out for technical review and to select State Board members for editing (see “Action Needed” item below).  Then the questions, kit and guide will be sent to the State Board.  The Committee will follow with a rewrite and distribute the information to the local Leagues. 

Idaho Leagues should receive the materials by August/September 2008.  Local Leagues will need a committee to review the study kit and leader’s guide.  That committee will then lead the discussion and guide members to a consensus in the fall of 2008.  It is recommended that one meeting open to the public be devoted to discussion of the information and another meeting for members only to reach consensus.  Leagues should be familiar with the consensus process since they recently participated in the LWVID Charter School Study and the LWVUS Immigration Study.

Local Leagues should return their reports to the Committee by the end of December 2008.  The Committee will then summarize the consensus and draft a position statement. The draft report will be presented to the State Board February 2009.  In March 2009, the Committee will write the final report for inclusion in the Convention Workbook. 

The presentation of the final report will take place at the State Convention in April-May 2009.  The Committee will then write the report for publication, with the State Board reviewing and approving the report in July of 2009. 

Thanks to all the Idaho Leagues for their support.  We look forward to working with all of you on development of our position.

Action needed:  Names of two state board members for editing.

Respectfully submitted,

Roberta Larsen and Joyce Bergen, co-chairs,

Committee Members Mary Lou Reed, Judy Edwards and Barbara McFarland

April 18, 2008