Purpose: Observers help our chapter understand our local government and monitor possible governance issues as they develop. This can lead to chapter action such as making public statements, organizing local advocacy, and creating educational programs, such as forums.

Other benefits include sharing our observations with the public. We currently create summaries from the reports, which are published in the Heights Observer.

Activity: Volunteers observe public meetings of governing bodies including city council, school board, and library board and write up reports, using a form, which guides what information is needed. Observers will be trained and mentored.

Currently we have observers for Cleveland Heights City Council, Cleveland Heights-University Heights school board and the Heights Libraries board but could use more. We have no observers for University Heights City Council!

With more observers, our chapter could also monitor public meetings of other committees, commissions, and boards created by the cities and school board.

For more information about the League and observing, see:



Observe Your Government in Action

Join the Observer Corps

Contact: heights@lwvgreatercleveland.org; please put “Observer Corps” in subject line. Let us know if you have preferences on which governing bodies you would like to cover.

Purpose: Registering voters is the first step in engaging voters and GOTV (get out the vote). Also important is reminding voters to verify and update their registration if they have moved or changed their name.

Activity: Register voters at high schools and other designated locations or events. Training will be provided.

Contact:  heights@lwvgreatercleveland.org

Please put “Voter Registration” in subject line. Let us know when you are typically available – weekdays, evenings, week-ends? – and if you have already been trained. 

Purpose: To educate the public on policy issues that our chapter has identified as important for public enlightenment and engagement.

Activity: Similar to candidate forums, but instead of contacting candidates, we find speakers or a panel and moderator. At the forum, we need card runners and someone to monitor a literature table and provide voter registration information. We need forum organizers to line-up participants, venue, video, publicity, etc.

We’d welcome a volunteer(s) willing to organize forums throughout the year or to organize just one or two forums.

Contact: heights@lwvgreatercleveland.org

Please put “Forums – policy issues” in subject line. 

Purpose: to promote chapter activities and issues of concern to the Heights Chapter

Activity: This covers a wide range of activities and commitments including public speaking, making media contacts, publicizing chapter events, social media posting, and taking photos of chapter events and activities for use on the website and in social media posts. 

Contact:  heights@lwvgreatercleveland.org

Please put “Communications” in subject line.

Purpose: To engage youth and inculcate interest in civics and civic responsibility.

Activity: This project is developing and needs volunteers willing to help with its development. We aspire to develop a connection with local high schools in the CHUH community and to engage youth through voter registration and with youth programming. We would like to work with teachers but will also work with organizations outside of schools, such as Girl Scouts and other youth groups, and with students and youth directly. Students can join the LWV with $5 dues. Anyone over 16 can become a voting member. 

Youth engagement is a priority of both the LWVUS and LWV Ohio. See:

LWV Ohio Youth in Action

Contact: heights@lwvgreatercleveland.org: please put “Youth engagement” in subject line. Let us know you if you have any connections with youth organizations.

Purpose: to provide voters the opportunity view in person candidates running for office. Candidates provide short statement, but content mainly comprises candidate responses to questions submitted by the audience/voters.

Activity: volunteer opportunities vary greatly in time commitment. At the forum we need timers, question screeners, a literature table monitor, people to sign in candidates, and usher/card (for questions) runners. Also, we need moderators, which is a greater time commitment and requires training. We also need forum organizers to contact candidates, line up venue and video arrangements, arrange publicity, etc. 

Candidate forum activity is greater during the odd-year local election season but can also take place as a collaboration with other chapters during even-year elections for statehouse and county council candidates.

Contact: heights@lwvgreatercleveland.org

Please put “Candidate forums” in subject line.

Purpose: to provide many voices to support an issue or public stance on which the League is working.

Activity: Contact legislators and other public officials in many ways: calls, emails, postcards, letters, public testimony at hearings, public comment at local governmental meetings, write letters-to-the-editor, and more. We need individual voices to raise concerns; because, only specified League leaders can speak on behalf of the League.

Contact: heights@lwvgreatercleveland.org

Please put “Advocacy” in subject line. Share with us what issues you care about and for which you are willing to raise your voice.

• Be a distribution point for election supplies – “VOTE” yard signs, voter guides, etc. 
• Be a distribution point for advocacy supplies - post cards, yard signs
• Distribute yard signs
• Distribute voter guides

Contact information will be provided as the specific need arises either by email or on the chapter webpage.