Grace Kubofcik, co-president of the League of Women Voters of Howard County, has been involved with the organization since the early 1980s. The county chapter is more than 60 years old and has 170 members, 20 percent of whom are men.
Kubofcik spoke with The Examiner about what makes the organization unique.
Has the Howard league always been active?
They were the movers and shakers in helping make this a charter county.[In a charter county, voters approved a structure of government in which the executive andlegislative powers are divided between an elected executive and council.]
The president of the league took a year and a half leave of absence to work with the charter commission, and the league took the position that charter was right for the county.
The organization tried to be slightly ahead [so] when legislation came forward, they could say, “Let?s have a debate or a discussion about this.”
What is the process for determining league positions on legislation?
The first thing [we look at] is: Is it something we have a position on?
Then whoever is the action chair … steps forward and says here is the legislation.
Then the testimony gets drafted.
Right now it?s wonderful with e-mail.
We just send it out to [the board], so there are 14 or 15 people casting their eyes on the testimony.
How much time do you spend examining legislation?
There are a lot of things that don?t involve legislation.
This month, we have been in two high schools doing voter registration.
I have been to meetings this week representing the league.
If shook out a month, it?s about 60 hours of work, but that could be sitting in a work session to giving testimony.
Sometimes you are doing a lot, and sometimes you are learning a lot.
How do you think the Howard chapter compares with others in the state?
The largest and extremely active league is Montgomery County [with more than] 600 members.
For a small league ? and we are fairly small [with 170 members] ? we are pretty big in state league organization.
I have a goal to get membership close to 200 before we leave.
