LWVUS is switching to a new member portal for all Leagues across the country. We want to give you an overview of what these changes will mean for you.
You will renew as usual this year, in 2024.
We ask all members to renew by December 31, 2024. Either follow the directions in the renewal email or log into the League website lwvmclean.org and your membership account and renew from there.
While renewing, if you are part of a household membership, please also provide a unique separate email for each person if a household member currently shares an email with the primary member. This will help facilitate the launch of a new LWVUS membership portal system in January 2025, as email addresses are important to each member's record and identification. If you have already renewed, you can log into your household membership and provide a unique email. No two members can share an email for the January 2025 launch; there will no longer be the use of “household” membership, so all will be considered primary members.
The new system launches in January 2025.
At that time, you will receive an email to log in to the LWVUS membership portal. Once you can access the portal, you can update and review your contact information. However, you will not be asked to renew again until a year after your most recent renewal. You will be given the option to sign up to auto-renew annually, and your membership will last a year after your last renewal.
You will receive an email reminder when it comes time to renew in 2025. Dues will no longer be a fixed rate but pay-what-you-can. The recommended dues amount for all members across the country will be $75, but members can pay any amount over a $20 minimum, including the current dues rate.
Under the current system, LWV of McLean County pays a fixed dollar amount per member to LWV of Illinois and LWVUS. Under the new system, a percentage of dues will go to the state and national League. This means that when you renew, if you would like to make an additional contribution directly to your local LWV of McLean County, as some members choose to do when they renew, this will need to be separate from selecting a higher dues amount. A higher dues benefit the League as a whole, but your donation will be split between local LWV McLean, LWVIllinois, and LWVUS using a set percentage rate. The LWV McLean board is looking at ways to accept donations through our local website.
This new system is expected to increase membership around the country and increase our ability to empower voters and defend democracy. We will keep you informed as we have the latest and relevant information as LWVUS rolls out the new membership model.
As new updates become available, they will be shared.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will there still be household membership available in 2025?
There will no longer be a household membership designation in 2025, though members can still be grouped into households for data purposes at the local level. A member joining from the same household as an existing member can choose to pay half of the recommended amount under the pay-what-you-can model.
Will there still be membership levels to provide additional financial support for local league advocacy work and operations?
No, dues will only have one membership level for everyone beginning in 2025. There will no longer be a fixed rate but pay-what-you-can. The recommended dues for all members nationwide will be $75, but members can pay any amount (minimum $20), including the current dues rate.
If a member chooses to pay higher dues, it will benefit the League as a whole. as your membership portion above the $75.00 dues will be split between local LWV Mclean/LWV of Illinois/and LWVUS.
The LWV McLean board is looking at ways to accept donations through our local website, and the national LWVUS is looking at a way for membership to make donations at the point of joining the League or renewal to make donations a smoother process for those who are joining or renewing. Donations will not be split between state and national.
Will there still be student memberships?
No. The pay-what-you-can model is intended to extend to everyone the same consideration of financial need previously only offered to students. As mentioned above, there will likely be a mechanism for Leagues to subsidize members, including students, to pay below the $20 floor if they choose.
Will there still be lifetime memberships?
Yes. As specified in the bylaws, any person who has been a member for 50 or more years is exempt from dues payment.
Can a person be a member of more than one League?
No. In explaining this, we often compare it to voting—in the same way that none of us can be registered to vote in more than one state, we can’t be members of multiple local Leagues, both because we as individuals would be overrepresented at the state/national level and also because that would overstate our total membership as an organization.
Of course, this isn’t intended to curtail a member’s engagement with any League. A member who lives near more than one League is highly encouraged to engage with the Leagues in both places and is, of course, welcome to make a contribution to the additional League instead of dues. The only restriction is being a voting member of the second League and serving on that League’s board. It is up to the member to choose which League they will be a member of and which League they will participate in a less official capacity.
Can members auto-renew in the new system?
Yes. Members will also be able to choose not to auto-renew.
Will members automatically be notified to renew, and when will that happen?
Yes, members will be automatically notified when it is time to renew their membership. The LWVUS membership team will identify industry best practices to guide the decision regarding when renewal notification should occur.
Are renewal dates rolling?
Yes. That means members will renew a year after their previous renewal/join date. We will no longer all renew on the same date.
How will a member identify a League at the time of joining? Is this done by address?
There will be a way to select the League to which the new member wishes to belong. As of now, members will continue to have the option to choose which League they would like to join.