LWV Membership Dues

“Membership dues” refers to the annual payment made by LWV members to belong to the League of Women Voters. Read on for more insight into the sliding scale dues model and how membership funds are used. 

How are membership dues funds used? 

Dues are split among the three levels of League (local, state, and national) on a percentage basis. Dues funds are used to support activities such as voter registration drives, educational events, voter outreach, and advocacy.  

For more details specific to the national level, refer to our financial reports. For local and state level details, refer to the individual local or state League. 

Why does LWV have a sliding scale dues model? 

The sliding scale dues model is a way to expand membership to as many people as possible while ensuring the organization has the resources required to empower voters and defend democracy. 

We encourage those who are able to pay an amount higher than the suggested level to do so, thereby enabling others to pay less.

Someone told me I could pay less than $20. How do I do that? 

Some local and state Leagues choose to subsidize individual members to allow them to pay below the $20 minimum. You can reach out to the League you plan to join to see if they offer this. 

My League dues were previously higher/lower than the suggested $75 amount. What should I pay now? 

You’re welcome to pay the dues amount that your League charged before switching to the new membership system. If your League’s dues were higher than the recommended $75 rate, you are encouraged to pay the amount you were paying before to help the League continue to operate at the same level. 

Can I sign up for a household membership? 

There is no longer a household membership, so the recommended rate for each individual member is $75. That said, you are welcome to pay the same amount for both members as you would have under the previous dues model. Please note that when signing up for more than one person, the dues amount you choose will be the dues rate for each member — for example, if you choose a dues amount of $75 and register two members, your total will be $150.

If I pay a higher dues amount than the suggested level, is the excess considered a donation? 

In the past, if you chose a higher dues amount, the additional funds went exclusively to your local League. Now, any amount that you choose as dues will benefit all three levels of the League (local, state, and national). If you would like to make a donation that goes just to your local League, you can do that on the second page of the join process. You can donate to the national League here or to your state League on their website. 

Are membership dues tax-deductible? 

As mentioned above, dues are split between the levels of League that a member is part of. Individual League chapters can be listed as 501(c)(3)s or 501(c)(4)s with the IRS; any portion going to a League that is a 501(c)(3) is tax-deductible. If your local or state League is a 501(c)(3), those portions of dues will be tax-deductible, and this will be indicated on the receipt that is emailed to you, which can be used as a tax receipt. Any portions going to 501(c)(4)s are not tax-deductible, which includes the portion going to LWVUS. 

Please note: because the full amount of dues will no longer be tax-deductible, it will no longer be possible to pay dues using an IRA or a donor-advised fund.

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