Purpose: Observers help our chapter and community understand our local government and be aware actions and decisions that affect us. It also allows us to 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.

Activity: Volunteers observe public meetings of governing bodies including city council and committees, school board, and library board and write up brief reports that will be posted on our website, with highlights shared on our social media. Observers will be trained and mentored.

For more information about the League and observing, see:

The Shaker Heights Observer Corps



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:  shakerheights@lwvgreatercleveland.org

Please put “Voter Registration” in subject line.

Purpose: To educate the public on policy issues that our chapter has identified as important for public education 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: shakerheights@lwvgreatercleveland.org

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

Purpose: To promote chapter activities and issues of concern to our chapter and the entire Shaker Heights Community.

Activity: This covers a wide range of activities and commitments including our monthly newsletter the Voter, emailing, webmaster, making media contacts, publicizing chapter events, social media posting, writing and/or designing printed materials, and taking photos of chapter events and activities for use on the website and in social media posts. 

Contact:  shakerheights@lwvgreatercleveland.org

Please put “Communications” in subject line.

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

Activity:  We aspire to develop a connection with local high schools in the Shaker Heights community and to engage youth through voter registration and with youth programming.

Legacy Fellowship. Our chapter offers a one-year Legacy Fellowship to a motivated student of any gender who is a resident of and attends a high school located withing Shaker Heights. Legacy Committee members select the fellows, help them develop their learning and service projects for the year, educate them on the workings of Shaker City, Schools and Library decisionmakers, and engage them in the work of the League. Learn more about the Legacy Fellowship here.

Student Corps. We look for opportunities to work with youth in area high schools on voter registration and engagement, as well as getting them involved in chapter events and activities. Students can join the LWV with $5 dues. Anyone over 16 can become a voting member.  We would also like to work with teachers in Government, Civics and other courses on voter education and outreach.

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

LWV Ohio Youth in Action

Contact: shakerheights@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 to connect with 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 varies depending on the number of election races in any given year.

Contact: shakerheights@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. Learn more about our Advocacy Committee here.

Contact: shakerheights@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.

From time to time, throughout the year, there are one-off tasks in need of willing hands. When those arise, we'll send out a request via our newsletter, email, or here on the website.

• 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
• Distribute our member directory