New National LWV Membership Dues System

Updated June 10, 2025

FAQ

LWV nationwide has switched over to a new membership data and dues management system for all Leagues as of February 3, 2025. This new system runs on a customized online membership software system developed by ChapterSpot, which interfaces with the existing LWV national database. The system is called 'the Portal,'  and its intent is to replace the need for over 700 local and state Leagues' to individually collect and track dues-related member information and dues payments, and instead maintain it at the  LWVUS national League SalesForce database. 

As with any major system, there have been a few issues in the initial days and some are still being addressed, and improvements are being made.

LWV members now have the ability to log in to the Portal to  review and revise their information whenever they want, and online dues payments must be made using the Portal. Payments via paper check must still be handled locally, at the individual League.

Here's what to expect:

• Expect Annual Renewal reminders from the Portal system you to login to the LWV Portal to renew online, repeated until you pay, or until your membership is expired. (For the renewal reminder schedule, see the FAQ question below .)
  
  • Note for LWVCS members:
    • Our ClubExpress system will no longer  be able to show pop-up renewal reminders when you log in to lwvcs.org
    • To check your next renewal date: on lwvcs.org,
      • log in,
      •  mouse over your name,
      • click to go to your Profile page,
      • look for “Exp. Date:”
        
        
• Choose your own dues amounts - no longer is an amount set by the vote of the members of your local League.
  • The new National system, to encourage a wider membership, has a "pay-what-you-can” model:” 
    • $20-minimum / $75-suggested / no upper limit,
    • Consider a combination of national dues and local donations to support the work of our League.
      
      
• Donations: While you can make a donation during the online renewal process  at the LWV Portal , 
  • The LWVCS Board requests that you consider making your donation directly from the LWVCS.org website (the fees are less when you donate locally).
  • If you wish, at any time,  to make a tax-deductible contribution to our local League, LWVCS,  click the DONATE button in any page header.

 FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions About the New Membership System

Q: What is this new System?

The new system is called the LWV Member Portal. It’s an online membership platform, based on the SalesForce database that LWVUS has used for many years, where you will be able to log in and update your own member information and renew your membership online. 

It replaces the Join and Renew applications od every local League, including ours at LWVCS, as well as giving access to members to update their own data in the US national (LWVUS) member database. 
All other functions of the LWVCS online system will continue as is, including our website, member, committee and volunteering files, calendar, and event registration system.

Q: Why is LWV adopting a new unified membership system?

LWVUS has stated that they anticipate many  benefits to this new system, including:

1.  Freeing up time for League leaders to focus on more substantive work by adopting technology that streamlines membership, 
2. Increasing and diversifying overall membership nationwide and accordingly increasing our ability to fulfill our mission.
3. Increasing the funding at the state and local levels where it is most needed by restructuring the dues sharing model.

Q: When did the LWV membership system switch over to the  Member Portal created by ChapterSpot?

February 3, 2025

Q:  How does RENEW and JOIN work in the new Portal system?

Here's a 2-minute overview of the process. View Portal RENEW Demo

Q: What levels of Membership are available in the new system?

All dues-paying members are classified as "Primary Member" no matter how much they pay for dues.

Q: Will there still be half-price Associate/Household memberships?

No. You can still sign up for yourself and someone else, but it’s not designated as a household membership anymore. As individuals, you can each choose any dues amount (min. $20),. If you wish to pay different amounts for each member (perhaps less for additional members in your household), they each need to sign up and renew separately.  In all cases, renewal reminders will be sent separately to each member.

Q: What will happen to current Associate/Household members?

On February 3, 2025 all previous Associate, Household, and Student members were re-classified as 'Primary Members.'

Q: Will there still be no-cost student memberships?

No. There will no longer be a 'Student' member type. The minimum $20 of the pay-what-you-can model is intended to extend the understanding of possible financial need to all members, including students.

NOTE: LWVCS plans to subsidize full-time student members to pay the $20 minimum. If you’re a student member, check with our Membership Director.

Q: What will happen to current Student members?

On February 5, 2025 all current Student members will be recoded as 'Primary. Member' with a renewal date of 12/31/2025.

Q: Will there still be free Lifetime memberships?

Yes, those who have been members for 50 or more years will be recorded as "Life" and still be dues exempt.

Q: So, after 1/31/2025 the only LWV member types will be  Primary and Lifetime Member?

Yes.

Questions about Dues & Donations in the New System

Q: What will the dues rate be after February 1, 2025?

• Dues will be “pay-what-you-can (minimum $20).”
• The LWVUS recommended dues rate will be $75.
  • But a member can pay any amount, starting at a minimum of $20/year.

A word about LWVCS Finances, Dues, and Donations

Q:  How much of my dues payment will go to my local League (LWVCS)? 

      A:  After financial processing costs are taken out (a varying % based on the size of the donation):

• 33% of your net dues payment will go to the national League (LWV-US)
• 47% of your net dues payment will go to our state League (LWV-CA) 
• 20% of your net dues payment that will go to our local League (LWV-CS)
  •  Then Our local League will share from its 20% with 2 ILOs,* 
    • SF Bay Area Regional League and
    • Santa Clara County (SCC) League

* ILO = Inter-League Organization,: a group formed by local Leagues within a county, metropolitan area or region to act on issues that are beyond a single local League's area in scope. 

Q: Are my dues and donation tax-deductible? (answer specific for LWVCS)

Not entirely.

 Any portion of DUES that go to a 501(c)(3) organization are tax-deductible. 
Under the new DUES -sharing setup, taxability is split the same way the dues are split, so:

• LWVCS's 20% iS tax-deductible, because we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-political, civic organization
  •   the LWVCS share of Dues (20%) and also 100% of all Donations (100%) to LWVCS are fully tax deductible. 
• LWV-US's  33% is not tax-deductible, because they are not a 501(c)(3)
• LWV-C (California)'s 47% is not tax-deductible, because they are not a 501(c)(3)

Q: Can I pay dues online?

Yes, that is the preferred method. You'll just be doing it through your LWVUS Member Portal login, not through your LWVCS.org login, although you can reach that site from links on the lwvcs website.

• While you can pay online by credit or debit card, the preferred online payment method is ACH (Automated Clearing House), because it has the lowest processing fees, so it maximizes the amount of money going toward League work.
  What's ACH? ACH is an electronic payment method between banks that uses the routing and account numbers from the bottom of your check, instead of a credit card number.

Q: Can I still pay by paper check?

Yes., but not online. This is not the preferred method because this requires more time and effort from the local League treasurer, but it is still possible. If you need to pay by check, the check should be made out to LWV-US and given (or mailed) to our LWVCS League Treasurer.
LWVCS members - please send your check with the form you can download from our Join/Renew page, or contact our Membership Chair to have it sent to you.

Q: When will I renew?

Annually, just as you do now.
FOR LWVCS members: Since we already use the “Rolling Renewal” model, there is no change in your annual renewal date.

Q: How will I know it’s time to renew?

You will receive automated email reminders from the LWVUS Membership Portal (instead of the ClubExpress system that we use today) when your expiration date is approaching:

• 60 days before your membership expiration (renewal) date
• 30 days before your membership expiration (renewal) date
• On your renewal date
• 45 days after your expiration/renewal date
• 60 days after your expiration/renewal date (informing you that you are now classified as an ‘inactive’ member)

Q: Will there be an easier way to renew?

• Yes. Once online in the Portal, you can check the box for auto-renew, choose the amount you want to pay annually for dues (and an optional automatic donation to our local League), and provide financial payment information. Then, each year, your membership (and optional donation) will automatically renew for the same amount.
• Annually, you will receive a reminder email notifying you that the renewal is coming up. If you do not want to make any changes, you won’t need to do anything.

Q: When I’m paying dues, can I still make a donation that goes exclusively to my local League?

Yes, whether you pay online or by check.

• Online:

• On LWVCS.org - We'd prefer you donate with your dues by clicking the RENEW button on the LWVCS website and following our 2-step process - it's all tax-deductible for you, and it saves fees for us.
•  Or on the Portal - on the page after you choose what you pay in dues, there is an option to make a contribution directly to our local League (or any other specific single League). 100% of that donation (less processing fees) goes directly to that League.
  
  

• By Check: If you choose to pay dues by check, you can write a separate check for your donation. The separate check  is necessary because:
  • Your Donation is fully tax-deductible and we deposit it locally
  • We have to forward your dues check to LWV-US separately for you.  Also, only 20% of your dues are tax deductible, (that's the part that we eventually get back)
    

Other Questions

Q: Can I sign up to get fewer emails?

Yes and No.

• No: As long as you are a dues-paying member of the League, messages about the status of your membership, such as renewals, will still be sent.
• Yes: You can unsubscribe from some types of messages, such as fundraising emails or optional newsletters, but that’s not done through the Portal  (you will always get your dues reminders😊)
  • To get less email from LWVUS, go to the bottom of any LWVUS email you got, click on “Manage Your Preferences” and respond at that page.

Q: What if I have additional questions later?

• For questions about the new ChapterSpot system, please email LWVUS at membership@lwv.org
  
  
• For questions about LWV of Cupertino-Sunnyvale, please email either membership@lwvcs.org or online@lwvcs.org