Public Invited to Participate in Civil Civic Engagement Discussion and Brainstorm Ideas to Improve Civil Discourse
CARLSBAD, Calif. – July 8, 2024 – The League of Women Voters of North County San Diego (LWVNCSD) is slated to host an in-person event discussing the un-civil situations our public officials face and seeking ways to change that. Open to the public, this follow-on to last year’s popular presentation on Civil Civic Engagement features representatives from the Violence, Inequality and Power (VIP) Lab at the University of San Diego’s Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice presenting updated findings from surveys and interviews with local elected officials in San Diego, Imperial and Riverside Counties.
Attendees will hear from partners working to bridge the divides in opinion across our communities to get to solutions to this harassment. Carl Luna, Director of the Institute for Civil Civic Engagement will moderate while Rachel Locke, Director of the VIP Lab will speak about this year’s research findings. Their surveys reveal that nearly three-quarters of public officials have been threatened or harassed, with nearly half considering leaving their positions and that women officials are targets of this harassment more often than men. After the speakers’ presentation attendees will break into small groups to discuss the information and brainstorm ideas for policy solutions.
“Our communities depend on an open exchange of ideas and information to conduct the business of local government. Aggressive tweets, harassing behavior and hate-filled comments at public meetings are being reported by many in elected positions. We believe that our public officials should not have to accept threatening or harassing behavior as a normal part of elected service, rather we need to work as a community to find ways to address the problem,” noted LWVNCSD President Marian Vega Clancy.
This free community forum will be held on July 24 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm at Palomar College, 1140 West Mission Road, San Marcos, Calif. in the Learning Center, Room 438 and includes light refreshments. Ample free parking is available in Lot 12. As seating is limited, registration is suggested at: https://bit.ly/LWVNCSD_CivilDiscourse24. For further information please email events@LWVNCSD.org or leave a message at 760-736-1608.
About League of Women Voters North County San Diego
Founded in 1920, The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, grassroots civic organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. With over 100 years of experience, the League is one of America’s oldest and most trusted civic nonprofit organizations. The League of Women Voters of North County San Diego is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation encompassing North County from Del Mar north to Oceanside, and east to Escondido, and surrounding unincorporated communities.
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