There are two main organisations with the name of "The League of Young Voters", one in the U.S. and one in Europe.
The League of Young Voters U.S.
The American organization, also known as the League of Independent Voters and the League of Pissed Off Voters, was founded in the early 2000s by activists including
Adrienne Maree Brown
Adrienne Maree Brown, often styled adrienne maree brown (born September 6, 1978), is a writer, activist and facilitator. From 2006 to 2010, she was the executive director of the Ruckus Society. She also co-founded and directed the United State ...
, Robert Biko Baker and Jessica Norwood. Some of the founders have described the experience as one of their first exposures to political organizing. Focusing on the, 18–34 age group, one of its primary goals was preventing the re-election of
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
.
The League formed connections with other youth-oriented political organizations and events, such as the ''League of Young Voters Education Fund''
United Students Against SweatshopsMusic For America
an
the National Hip Hop Political Convention
These connections prompted the Village Voice to call the coalition "a lively, iconoclastic, music-aware national group". During the 2004 election, The League worked with America Votes America Votes is a 501(c)(4) organization that aims "to coordinate and promote progressive issues." America Votes leads national and state-based coalitions to advance progressive policies and increase voter turnout for Democratic Party candidates. ...
, a coalition of liberal organizations such as America Coming Together
America Coming Together (ACT) (founded in 2003) was a progressive, political action 527 group dedicated to get-out-the-vote activities. ACT did not specifically endorse any political party but worked almost exclusively on behalf of Democratic ...
, the AFL–CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL–CIO) is the largest federation of unions in the United States. It is made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 12 million ac ...
and the League of Conservation Voters
The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is an American environmental advocacy group. LCV says that it "advocates for sound environmental laws and policies, holds elected officials accountable for their votes and actions, and elects pro-environmen ...
. In 2006, it launched the voting resource websit
theballot.org
The League of Young Voters last functioned as a political action committee in 2014.
voter guides
for San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
elections.
The League of Young Voters in Europe
The League of Young Voters in Europe was launched on 30 May 2013 on the Esplanade of the European Parliament in Brussels at Yo!Fest, in the presence of European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands. From an initial idea by Giuseppe Porcaro
Giuseppe Porcaro, (born 19 March 1979 in Avellino, Italy) is a political geographer, a writer, and an expert in communications, International Relations and Politics of the European Union. Having served for two mandates as Secretary General of the ...
, the League took shape as an initiative of the European Youth Forum
The European Youth Forum (from french: Youth Forum Jeunesse, YFJ) is an international non-profit association and serves as a platform and advocacy group of the national youth councils and international non-governmental youth organisations in Euro ...
. The League of Young Voters in Europe aimed to tackle the ever decreasing youth participation at the European Parliament elections by increasing the level of youth-related information available about the elections, but also by encouraging political parties and candidates to directly target young people in their campaigns. The League was active until 2016.
References
{{reflist
External links
Defeat Bush: The Guide
2004 Village Voice article on groups that at that time were working in opposition to the reelection of George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
.
San Francisco League of Pissed Off VotersLeague of Young Voters in Europe websiteEuropean Youth Forum website
Political organizations based in the United States