The League of Women Voters of Colorado held a virtual Legislative Action Committee training that outlined how volunteers will lobby and advocate ahead of the 2026 legislative session.

Organizers Linda Hutchinson (LAC co-lead), Kathy Ebersberger (LAC co-lead) and Andrea Wilkins (LAC co-lead) told attendees the training is the first of a three-part series and emphasized that LAC activity must be rooted in the League’s position books. "We’re really just kind of trying to ensure that everyone starts out on the same page," Wilkins said.

Why it matters: LAC members are authorized to speak for the state league only after the LAC establishes a formal position. The training clarified the difference between education, advocacy and lobbying, and stressed that political campaign activity cannot be conducted in the League’s name because of 501(c)(3) requirements. "Nonpartisanship is a requirement for the League of Women Voters of Colorado's 501(c)(3) registration," Ebersberger said.

Key details: Organizers said the LAC typically includes about 30–35 citizen lobbyists and will begin meeting Jan. 16, two days after the General Assembly convenes Jan. 14. Meetings will be held biweekly on Fridays from 9–11 a.m. via Zoom. Members were shown how to find LWVCO and LWVUS position books via the website’s Take Action → positions path and were told slides and a toolkit would be shared after the session.

Roles and limits: Presenters described the League’s four core functions—voter services, education, advocacy and lobbying—and explained boundaries for member behavior. Ebersberger warned volunteer lobbyists that during the legislative session they must avoid donations to legislators and must differentiate between personal political activity and actions taken on behalf of the League. "When you have your League hat on, you are not able to work on campaigns for legislators," she said.

Member support and communications: Organizers described email distribution lists for LAC members, online voting during the session, and task-force collaboration. Members with login or membership-access issues were directed to contact LWVCO staff, including Jane Dunk, or the LAC leads for assistance.

What’s next: The League will hold the second and third training sessions on Dec. 5 and Jan. 9 (both Fridays, 9–11 a.m.). The recording, slides and LAC toolkit will be distributed to participants after the meeting.