Western Washington University
Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Goltz-Murray Building
808 25th Street
Bellingham, WA 98225-9123
Phone: 360-650-7747
http://www.acadweb.wwu.edu/cpnws/



Guide to the League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County records, 1930-2000


XOE0155lwv





Finding aid prepared by Rozlind Koester.

Finding aid encoded by Emiley Jensen., 2007
Funding for preparing this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the Washington State Legislature to the Washington Women's History Consortium. Funding for encoding the finding aid was awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.


Overview of the Collection

 
Repository Name:
 

Western Washington University
Center for Pacific Northwest Studies

Goltz-Murray Building
808 25th Street
Bellingham, WA 98225-9123
Phone: 360-650-7747
http://www.acadweb.wwu.edu/cpnws/

 
Collection Number:
 

XOE0155lwv

 
Creator:
 

League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County.

 
Title:
 

League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County records

 
Dates:
 

1930-2000 (inclusive)
1960s-1990s (bulk)

 
Quantity:
 

16.5 linear feet.

 
Languages:
 

Collection materials are in English. 

 
Summary:
 

The collection includes the records of the Bellingham chapter of the League of Women Voters. Records concern membership, activities, elections, and publications by both the local and national offices.

 

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.

Arrangement

The League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County records are organized in accordance with the following series arrangement:

  • Series I: Administrative materials, 1946-1999
  • Series II: Financial records, 1961-1998
  • Series III: Issues and activities, 1930-1997
  • Series IV: League publications and reference materials, 1959-2000
  • Series V: Publicity and recognition, 1965-1993
  • Series VI: Audio/visual materials, 1970-1997

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information 

The League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County records were donated by the Bellingham/Whatcom County branch of the League of Women Voters in 1998.

Processing Note 

Duplicates and non-archival materials were removed from the collection.

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

Subjects

This 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.

 
League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County.
Bellingham (Wash.) -- Politics and government.
Conservation of natural resources -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County -- History -- Sources.
Environmental protection -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County -- History -- Sources.
Voter registration -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County -- History -- Sources.
Voting -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County -- History -- Sources.
Water resources -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County -- History -- Sources.
Women -- Political participation -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County -- History -- Sources.
Women -- Societies and clubs -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County -- History -- Sources.
Women -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County -- History -- Sources.
Women in community organization -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County -- History -- Sources.
Women social reformers -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County -- History -- Sources.

Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.


 

Series I:  Administrative Materials, 1946-1999

 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box/folder
1/1


Articles of incorporation and bylaws
  1946-1992
 
1/2

Informational and historical materials
 (text/html) 
  1960-1980
   
Annual meetings
 
 
1/3

Annual meetings
  1971-1985
 
1/4

Annual meetings
  1988-1993
 
1/5

75th Anniversary materials
  1995
 
1/6

National Convention materials
  1981
 
1/7

State Convention materials
  1991
 
1/8

State Convention workbook
  1971 May
   
Annual reports
 
 
1/9

Annual reports
  1971-1983
 
1/10

Annual reports
  1983-1990
   
Board of Directors
 
 
1/11-1/12

General reference materials
  circa 1968-1997
 
2/1

“In League” - Guidelines for League Boards
  1980, 1989
 
2/2

Leadership training
  circa 1978-1986
   
Committees
 
 
2/3

Finance committee
  1986-1990
 
2/4

Nominating committee
  circa 1986-1992
 
2/5

Telephone committee
  1985-1986
   
Correspondence
 
 
2/6

General
  circa 1990-1997
 
2/7

Memoranda (state chapter)
  circa 1990-1993
 
2/8

Memoranda (national chapter)
  circa 1990-1994
 
2/9

League forms (blank)
  undated
   
Logbooks
 
 
2/10

Logbook
  1981-1985
 
2/11

Logbook
  1983-1984
 
2/12

Logbook
  1984–1987
 
2/13

Logbook
  1986-1993
 
2/14

Logbook
  1987-1989
 
3/1

Logbook
  1992-1994
 
3/2

Logbook
  1994-1995
   
Meeting Minutes
 
 
3/3

Minutes
  1963, 1965 -1969
 
3/4-3/5

Minutes
  1968 -1974
 
3/6-3/7

Minutes
  1971-1977
 
3/8-3/9

Minutes
  1974-1979
 
3/10

Minutes
  1980-1984
 
4/1

Minutes
  1985-1986
 
4/2-4/3

Logbook
  1988-1992
 
4/4

Minutes
  1992-1993
 
4/5

Minutes
  1997-1999
   
Membership
 
 
4/6

Dues
  1994 July–1995 April
 
4/7

Job preference lists
  circa 1992
 
4/8

Membership information
  circa 1970s-1990s
 
4/9

Maintenance lists
  1992-1993
 
4/10

Membership lists
  1949-1999
 
4/11-4/12

Membership cards
  circa 1974-1995
 
5/1

Tools
  circa 1976-1992
   
Programming
 
 
5/2

General reference materials
  circa 1956-1990
 
5/3

Guidelines and tools for action
  circa 1970-1990
 
5/4

Local planning
  1968
 
5/5

National planning
  1968-1986
 
5/6

State planning
  1981, 1993
   
Public Relations
 
 
5/7

Public access to meetings
  1985-1986
 
5/8

Public relations tools
  circa 1962-1988
 
5/9

Speakers’ Bureau
  1964-1977
 
5/10

Stationary (blank)
  circa 1992
 
5/11

Unit discussions
  1968-1971

 

Series II:  Financial records, 1961-1998

 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
   
Bank account and budget statements
 
 
box/folder
6/1


Statements
  1982-1987
 
6/2

Statements
  1988
 
6/3

Statements
  1991-1992
 
6/4

Statements
  1992-1993
 
6/5

Statements
  1993-1994
 
6/6

Statements
  1994-1997
 
6/7

Budget planning materials
  1961-1986
   
Check Registers
 
 
6/8

Check register
  1984-1986
 
6/9

Check register
  1986-1988
 
6/10

Check register
  1988-1991
 
6/11

Check register
  1991-1994
 
6/12

Check register
  1994-1996
   
Education Fund
 
 
6/13

General reference materials
  circa 1970-1990
 
6/14

Planned Giving (Legacies)
  1982-1988
 
6/15

Portfolio
  1997-1998
 
7/1-7/2

Portfolio
  1997-1998
   
Fundraising
 
 
7/3

Allied Arts Festival yearly fundraiser
  1990-1993
 
7/4-7/8

Contributor cards
  circa 1965-1995
 
8/1

Contributor cards
  circa 1965-1995
 
8/2

Finance drives
  1963-1980
 
8/3

Finance drives
  circa 1980s
 
8/4

Finance drives
  1985-1993
 
8/5

Finance drives
  1993-1996
 
8/6

Finance tools
  circa 1964-1981
 
8/7

Fundraising ideas
  1989-1992
 
8/8

“In League” sample letters
  1959-1981
   
Expenses
 
 
8/9

Expenses
  1986-1987
 
8/10

Expenses
  1993-1994
 
9/1

Expenses
  1994-1995
 
9/2

Expenses
  1995-1996
   
Income
 
 
9/3

Income
  1986-1987
 
9/4

Income
  1992-1994
 
9/5

Income
  1994-1995
 
9/6

Invoice book
  1980
   
Reports
 
 
9/7

Reports
  1979-1982
 
9/8

Reports
  1982-1985
 
9/9

Reports
  1985-1987
 
9/10

Reports
  1988-1990
   
Treasurer’s Materials
 
 
9/11

IRS records and information
  circa 1967-1992
 
9/12

“Ledger-de-Main” for local League treasurers
  1974
 
9/13

Violet E. Rudd estate
  1986-1996

 

Series III:  Issues and activities, 1930-1997

 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
   
Agriculture
 
 
box/folder
10/1


General reference materials
  circa 1984
 
10/2

Agriculture study
  1988
 
10/3

Composting and soil enhancers
  1990-1993
   
Campaigns and Elections
 
 
10/4

Campaign financing
  circa 1980
 
10/5

Campaign financing – state study
  1983-1985
 
10/6

Campaign finance reform
  1997
 
10/7

Election reporting for KOMO
  1981
 
10/8

Fair campaign practices
  1976-1988
 
10/9

Initiative 99 – Presidential primary
  1988
 
10/10

Initiative 582 – campaign reform
  1992
 
10/11

Presidential debates
  1976-1992
 
10/12

Redistricting and reappointment in Washington
  1978-1980
 
10/13

TCI cable presentation of candidates
  1992, 1996
 
10/14

Voters’ pamphlet
  1999
 
10/15

Voter registration information
  undated
 
10/16

Whatcom County election guidelines
  1992
 
10/17

Whatcom County Judicial campaign
  1991-1992
   
Child welfare
 
 
10/18

General reference materials
  circa 1983-1993
 
10/19

Childcare
  circa 1989-1992
 
10/20

Child support and custody – state study
  1993
 
10/21

Family Initiative – Washington State Dept. DSHS
  1991
 
10/22

“Kids Count” – data book
  1991
   
Conservation
 
 
10/23

“Preserving a Way of Life: A Natural Heritage Plan for Whatcom County”
  1991
 
10/24

Whatcom County Conservation District Annual Plan & Report
  1992-1994
   
Economy
 
 
11/1

General reference materials
  1989-1999
 
11/2