Historical Note
The 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.
* Karen Dawson, “A Brief History of the League of Women Voters,”
1985.
Content Description
The 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.