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Consensus Studies - MA

LWVMA Reparations Study for Black Americans

Background Information

At the 2023 League of Women Voters of Massachusetts (LWVMA) Convention, the LWV Amherst proposed a study of reparations to determine whether the LWVMA should adopt, by consensus, a position on reparations. Delegates voted by a wide margin to form a study committee.  The study committee was tasked with studying four questions: Why are reparations needed? Who should receive reparations?  What reparations should be provided?  How should reparations be provided?  The culmination of that study resulted in the preparation of two study reports:  (1) a Study Guide with consensus questions, background, and arguments in favor and against and (2) a Study Report addressing the four questions: Why, Who, What, and How.

Local leagues are being asked to form local reparation study groups and conduct consensus meetings to review these two reports and give the state league its consensus on the four questions presented in the reports.

What LWVN is Doing

LWVN has formed a reparations study committee and will be holding a consensus meeting on Sunday, March 2, 2025, after which it will submit to LWVMA its consensus (or the collective opinion or general agreement of its members) on the four questions being asked by the reparations study.  The Consensus Meeting will take place at the Durant-Kenrick House & Grounds, 286 Waverly Avenue, Newton from 3:00-5:00pm.

Special newsletters with digested information from the Study Report and Study Guide are being sent to members throughout January and February.  Please keep a look out for these newsletters.  These are only summaries and are intended to give you a sense of what the study materials include.  We encourage everyone to review the reparations study materials.  If you would like to share your thoughts in advance of the Consensus Meeting, please email us (we will keep all opinions shared in advance of the meeting confidential).

See our first special newsletter, sent January 20, 2025: Consensus Study on Reparations Part I.
See our second special newsletter, sent February 3, 2025: Consensus Study on Reparations Part II.
See our third special newsletter, sent February 17, 2025: Consensus Study on Reparations Part III.

If you would like to get involved with this study, or have any comments or questions regarding the study, please Contact Us.

How You Can Learn More

See the LWVMA Reparations Study Page for more information.

Read more →

Consensus Meeting Success!

Many thanks to all who showed up today to share their opinions on the state ballot process. We not only reached consensus on most of the questions, but we did it in less time that we thought–an all-around success!

A huge ‘thank you’ to LWVN members Pat Acton, Ellen Grody, Linda Morrison, and Theresa Fitzpatrick for all their work leading up to today’s discussion and help in running a very fun and efficient meeting.

Consensus Meeting on State Ballot Question Process: Sunday, January 13th, 2 – 4 pm

Calling all LWVN members! Join us for a consensus meeting to help determine LWVMA positions on the state ballot question process. We’re meeting on Sunday, January 13 at the Waban Library Center, 1608 Beacon Street in Waban, from 2 pm to 4 pm.

This is the second and final meeting on this topic. If you missed the first meeting, you can still join us!

Information on the issues surround the state ballot question process can be found here:

Study Guide with Questions (December, 2018)

Study Report on types of ballot questions, processes, information for voters, other states, and finances

Appendix 1: Key Players and Terminology

Appendix 2: Massachusetts Laws, Regulations and Court Cases

Appendix 3: Statement of Fiscal Consequences

Appendix 4: Initiative and Referendum in 7 Other States

Appendix 5: Additional Resources

Other resources on the LWVMA page

Materials for State Study on Ballot Question Process

Thanks to all who joined us today (Sunday) to learn about issues with the state ballot question process!  We will meet again in January for the consensus meeting on this topic.

So to help you prepare…a little light reading for the holiday season!  Click on the links below to be fully prepared on the pros and cons of each question.  We suggest you begin with the first link, and if you want more detail continue with the others.

Wondering about how state ballot questions work? Information and Discussion on December 9th

Do you fully understood the state ballot question process?  Ever complained about how long things take or been confused about what you are voting on?  We are participating in the LWVMA study on the state ballot question process, and will hold a meeting to talk about this topic.

Join us on December 9th, from 2 pm to 3:3o pm at the Durant-Kenrick House, 286 Waverley Avenue, Newton to learn more about the process with LWVN. We will have a consensus meeting on this topic in January, so this meeting will help prepare you for the questions we will have to consider to make new LWVMA policy.

This study incorporates the intersection of the League’s areas of mission: voting and advocacy. LWVMA has not studied the initiative and referendum process in MA and has no positions on this aspect of voting/elections.

Links to two key study documents, the Study Guide (including consensus questions) and Study Report (background information), are below.

Stay for our holiday party right afterwards!!