Overview of the Collection
Historical NoteThe League of Women Voters formed in 1920, the same year that women’s suffrage became incorporated into the United States Constitution. The Bellingham/Whatcom County Chapter incorporated in 1956. The founding of the League was in direct response to the women’s suffrage movement of the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries. The League sponsors national, state and local chapters. Because Washington State enjoyed full suffrage since the year 1910, it claims one of the oldest state chapters in the United States. The League originally focused on the rights and status of women, and then broadened to include all political, economic, social, and environmental issues relevant to women in the United States. The ongoing mission of the League is to “promote political responsibility through informed and active participation of citizens in government.”* The League is religiously unbiased and nonpartisan, seeking to liberate women from inequality through educational programs and political lobbying. The League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County focuses primarily on educating voters through information on voter registration, where and when to vote, what the issues are and who the candidates are. The League also focuses on a number of social, political, economic and environmental issues, and lobbies actively at local, state, and national levels. The local League frequently sponsors candidate debates which have often been televised and/or aired on the radio. The League also sponsors nonpartisan speaker panels that give pro and con viewpoints on important issues and legislation. The local League also distributes a yearly publication titled They Represent You, which provides the names and contact information for elected officials. Content DescriptionThe League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County records span the dates 1930-2000, with the bulk of the material dating from the 1960s to the 1990s. The collection is comprised of administrative materials, financial materials, and materials related to League activities, issues, and advocacy. The collection also includes League publications and reference materials, awards and publications, and audio/visual materials. Administrative materials date from 1946-1999 and consist of articles of incorporation, bylaws, and historical information about the League. The series also contains meeting minutes that document the activities and interests of the local chapter over the past four decades. The materials include information about annual meetings and conventions, and guidelines and handbooks for the League’s board of directors. There is information about recruiting and retaining members, and tools for planning and implementing the League’s programs. There are also records from the League’s finance, nominating, and telephone committees. Financial records span the dates 1959-1998 and include information and tools for fundraising, income and expense records, budget reports, bank statements, check registers and treasurer’s materials. Materials related to the issues and activities of importance to the League date from 1930-1997 and contain both reference materials and records of League activity. The League’s primary areas of interest included campaigns and elections, especially voter support and education, and campaign finance reform. The League was also very active on issues related to the environment such as shoreline management, solid waste disposal and recycling, and water quality issues. The League often focused on economic issues and taxation, and closely monitored both the juvenile and adult justice system. They also collected a lot of information regarding voter services, support, and education. League publications and reference materials date from 1959-2000. The materials come from local, state, and national branches of the League of Women Voters. The bulk of the series is made up of issues of the Corner 4 Voter, the official newsletter of the Bellingham/Whatcom County League. There are also various issues of the Voter from other regions within Washington, as well as the national branch. The series also contains informational and educational publications issued by the national branch. Awards and publications about the League span the dates 1965-1993 include materials related to League recognition, and newspaper articles highlighting League activities. Audio/visual materials date from 1970-1997 and consist of audiocassettes, reel-to-reels, slides and VHS tapes, produced by or in conjunction with the League. The materials relate primarily to local campaigns and candidate debates, although some of the materials are educational in content, documenting issues of concern to the League. Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Access :
The collection is open to the public. Preferred Citation :League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County records, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Washington University, Bellingham WA 98225-9123 Administrative Information
Arrangement :
The League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County records are organized in accordance with the following series arrangement:
Detailed Description of the CollectionThe following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
This series contains publications from various chapters of the League of Women Voters. The Corner 4 Voter is the official newsletter of the Bellingham-Whatcom County chapter and comprises the bulk of this series.
SubjectsThis collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||