​Wilmington, North Carolina – The League of Women Voters of the Lower Cape Fear today announced they would be participating in National Voter Registration Day (NVRD), a nationwide, nonpartisan effort to register hundreds of thousands of voters on Tuesday, September 28th. The League will be out in force at the Harrelson Center from 10 a.m. to noon (free boxed lunches) and joining the YWCA Lower Cape Fear for the voter registration drive thru 1-4 p.m. and available to assist voters who want to register or update their registration if they have moved. 
“Every eligible American deserves the chance to participate in this year’s pivotal elections,” said Marla Barthen, co-president LWV of the Lower Cape Fear. “Voter registration is the first step to ensuring your voice is heard. We want to make sure every New Hanover County resident who wants the opportunity to vote on Election Day is registered by October 8th, or at early voting by October 30th.” 
Now in its twelfth year, National Voter Registration Day has been a game-changing annual nonpartisan campaign to register hundreds of thousands of voters in communities and online. Embraced a host of celebrities, bipartisan elected officials and organizations, NVRD leverages the collective impact of thousands of community partners, including hundreds of League of Women Voters groups, nationwide, every year.
“The League of Women Voters of the Lower Cape Fear empowers thousands of voters through education, registration and get-out-the-vote activities in every election,” said Marla Barthen. “We host candidate and issue forums and registration drives while also providing trusted and timely elections information on VOTE411.org. We believe our democracy is strongest when every voice is heard.” 

On Monday, August 23rd, the New Hanover County Commission adopted a resolution supporting the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. New Hanover joins 26 other counties and municipalities in North Carolina that have adopted the resolution. This vote was a wonderful acknowledgement of Women’s Equality Day on August 26th, 2021. 
The League of Women Voters of the Lower Cape Fear would like to thank the New Hanover County and City of Wilmington Commission for Women and its Chair, Sheila Evans, which advocated for, supported, and assisted in getting this resolution on the county’s agenda. With the assistance of more local governments and organizations, we will demonstrate to our North Carolina General Assembly the importance of adding the ERA to our state constitution. 

Read more

OVER 100,000 VOTERS WILL BE PROTECTED IN NOVEMBER WITH NEW PROCESS GREENSBORO—Late today, a federal judge ruled in the League of Women Voters of North Carolina’s case that the North Carolina State Board of Elections must provide a notice and cure process for absentee ballots marked for rejection. As the number of voters choosing to cast ballots by mail is expected to surge due to the threat of COVID-19, the decision provides relief for tens of thousands of voters whose ballots would otherwise be rejected without recourse. 
“The establishment of a notice and cure process for absentee ballots is a major victory for North Carolina voters,” said Jo Nicholas, president of the League of Women Voters of North Carolina. “Now, even amidst all the uncertainty that the pandemic brings, voters can have assurance that their safely cast ballots will be counted in November.” 
​
Read more

CHAPEL HILL – The League of Women Voters of North Carolina today called on the state’s voters and legislators to take action in North Carolina to end gerrymandering.  In today’s ruling on Rucho v. League of Women Voters of North Carolina, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to set a test enabling courts to determine when partisan gerrymandering has gone too far, finding that partisan gerrymandering is non-justiciable.

“Today’s decision is devastating to the voters in North Carolina who have lived with
unconstitutional districts in the last four federal elections,” said Janet Hoy, outgoing
co-president of the League of Women Voters of North Carolina and a named plaintiff in
the case. “While we were hopeful that the Court would set a standard to address extreme
gerrymandering cases like ours, we will continue to work on getting fair maps for North
Carolinians through action right here in North Carolina.”
​
​​​Read more