League of Women Voters of Lafayette, LA

Welcome to the Lafayette League! We are actively recruiting members and hope you will join the League and participate in its community activities.

Candidate Debates

Originally live on AOC channel 2 — (LUS 3, Cox 15)

See archived web stream available anytime @ Acadiana Debates

DECONSOLIDATE? FOR OR AGAINST?

Early voting October 8-15 and the primary election October 22!

Lafayette Parish voters will decide whether the parish government will stay consolidated with the city government of Lafayette or whether there be a separate parish government and a separate city of Lafayette government. The proposition asks which charter or charters passed by the Charter Commission you want. A vote For will put two separate governments in place. A vote Against will keep the parish and city of Lafayette in Lafayette City-Parish Government.

Shall the existing Home Rule Charter and plan of government for the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government, approved at a public referendum held on November 3, 1992, as heretofore amended, be replaced by

(a) Home Rule Charter and plan of government for the City of Lafayette, according to Article VI, Section 4 of the Constitution of Louisiana and other applicable law, and
(b) Home Rule Charter and plan of government for the Parish of Lafayette according to Article VI, Section 5 of the Constitution of Louisiana and other applicable law,

both as prepared and submitted by the duly constituted Charter Commission to the Clerk of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Council and to the City-Parish President on April __, 2011, and shall such separate Charters for the City of Lafayette, and for the Parish of Lafayette be adopted?

___FOR ___AGAINST

What are the differences between the current city-parish charter and the proposed, separate city and parish charters? Click here for the answers to frequently asked questions and a chart comparing them.

Know Your Local Government Booklet and Webguide

The League released the products of its 2-year study of local governments. Both a booklet and webguide were produced. The booklet summarizes the core concepts and basic structures of our local governments in a convient format. The webguide extends that with an in-depth look at many of our local units of government.

Understand your current local government as the community prepares to change its basic charter. "You gotta know where you are before you can know where you're going!"

The League has published the Guide to the Elected Officials for Lafayette Parish Voters, the only comprehensive source of its kind. It includes all the Louisiana officials who are elected, in whole or part, by the citizens of the parish. The Guide is presented in both html (for online reading) and pdf (for printing) formats.

The League's study focusing on the potential of the Lafayette fiber project continues. League participation in the Communty Coalition for Lafayette Public Schools, which followed the League's previous study project "Everybody's Schools," remains a priority.

The League study projects are at the heart of the local League. Our studies take the point of view of the community; they are not associated with any special interest beyond local citizenship. The League members' engagement in a thorough and dispassionate exploration of local issues that seldom get such concentrated attention is one of the unique contributions of the League to its community.

The League's "Everybody's Schools"
The League School Facility Study, "Everybody's Schools," remains an active topic in Lafayette's civic and political conversation. The League continues its participation in advisory councils and makes presentations about the study in community forums. You can schedule a League speaker by email.

Of Interest: The Community Coalition for Lafayette Schools has produced its report following up the school facility issues initially addressed by the League's "Everybody's Schools." That valuable report, "State of our Schools," is availble online.