PARTICIPATING IN COMMUNITY AFFAIRS

• Join your community association and attend your community meetings. Even better, be willing to accept a leadership role on the Board of your community association.
• Keep abreast of problems and issues facing your community or your county. If you have serious concerns about whether and how these problems are being resolved, make your views and concerns and possible solutions to those individuals or groups who are working on the problems. Write letters to the editors of local newspapers, talk with your friends and neighbors to learn more about the issue and perhaps generate their interest as well. Even better, attend meetings of the organizations or groups working on the issue and again, be willing to serve.
• If you are seemingly alone in your concern, try to search out individuals, groups, or businesses who would seem to be appropriate partners in bringing the issue to the public. You may find helpmates in unexpected places.
• And remember the LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS. Contact the League or call 410-464-1902 to find out whether LWV has a position on the issue, or whether they might consider facilitating a community meeting on the topic.

Voter apathy is the enemy of democracy. Democracy works only when citizens and voters know, appreciate, and take advantage of opportunities to influence public policy in their government. It is not always easy work, but with determination and commitment to being an individual who relishes being an active participant in the affairs of government at all levels - it does work.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

• Keep abreast of what is going on in your County, State, and Country. Don't relax your fact-finding incentives about the issues that matter to you. More information is always better.
• Get involved in any action or advocacy that is emerging on the issue. You can usually find out about this in the newspapers.
• Contacting your legislators is always a good idea; contacting others who are working on the issues helps.
• Attend government hearings on matters of concern; attend local county council meetings regularly, or at least when your ISSUE is up for action.
• Observe work sessions of the departments who are working on your issue.
• If your time is limited, as is the case with most people, but you want to participate in some limited way, join the organization which can help you do that.

JOIN THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS!