History of the League

In her address to the National American Woman Suffrage Association's (NAWSA) 50th convention in St. Louis, Missouri, President Carrie Chapman Catt proposed the creation of a "league of women voters to finish the fight and aid in the reconstruction of the nation." Women Voters was formed within the NAWSA, composed of the organizations in the states where suffrage had already been attained.
The next year, on February 14, 1920 - six months before the 19th amendment to the Constitution was ratified - the League was formally organized in Chicago as the national League of Women Voters. Catt described the purpose of the new organization:

"The League of Women Voters is not to dissolve any present organization but to unite all existing organizations of women who believe in its principles. It is not to lure women from partisanship but to combine them in an effort for legislation which will protect coming movements, which we cannot even foretell, from suffering the untoward conditions which have hindered for so long the coming of equal suffrage. Are the women of the United States big enough to see their opportunity?"

Maud Wood Park became the first national president of the League and thus the first League leader to rise to the challenge. She had steered the women's suffrage amendment through Congress in the last two years before ratification and liked nothing better than legislative work. From the very beginning, however, it was apparent that the legislative goals of the League were not exclusively focused on women's issues and that citizen education aimed at all of the electorate was in order.
Since its inception, the League has helped millions of women and men become informed participants in government. In fact, the first league convention voted 69 separate items as statements of principle and recommendations for legislation. Among them were protection for women and children, right of working women, food supply and demand, social hygiene, the legal status of women, and American citizenship.The League's first major national legislative success was the passage of the Sheppard-Towner Act providing federal aid for maternal and child care programs. In the 1930's, League members worked successfully for enactment of the Social Security and Food and Drug Acts. Due at least in part to League efforts, legislation passed in 1938 and 1940 removed hundreds of federal jobs from the spoils system and placed them under Civil Service.
During the postwar period, the League helped lead the effort to establish the United Nations and to ensure U.S. Participation. The League was one of the first organizations in the country officially recognized by the United Nations as a non-governmental organization; it still maintains official observer status today.
See also League History from the League of Women Voters of the US.

History of the League of Women Voters of the Salinas Valley

One of the first Leagues of Women Voters in California was the League of Women Voters of the Monterey Peninsula, organized in 1927. By 1935 a Monterey County League was formed, which continued until 1942 when the State League asked the Salinas members to form a separate League, in recognition of gas rationing, with the assumption that the two groups would merge again after the War. In 1944 the Salinas League elected its first president after the decision was made to maintain two separate local Leagues. It was formally incorporated on September 25, 1979. The first of many studies of the League of Women Voters of Salinas was a 1949 joint study with the League of Monterey Peninsula on the health facilities of Monterey County. A study of mental health facilities followed.
In the 1950"s the Salinas League studied the charter form of government for Monterey County, school unification and redistricting, and election procedures. The 1950's also saw the beginning of an ongoing interest in environmental and planning issues, which continues to this day. The League became involved in the development of the Master Plan for Monterey County.
The 1960's brought a renewed interest in local government with studies on property tax assessment procedures, the structure and functions of county government, and an evaluation of supervisorial redistricting. Later in the decade the juvenile justice system was studied. Positions developed through studies of recreation, housing and welfare led to League action in support of the acquisition of more park space, expanded day care facilities, and increasing the supply of low cost housing in the community.
Studies in the 1970's brought about a League sponsored proposal for a Monterey County Consumers Affairs Department. This proposal was adopted by the County Board of Supervisors. The department now exists within the District Attorney's office.
In the late 1970's two local planning studies were done. The League continued its interest in local planning issues by participating in the City of Salinas General Plan process. The League successfully lobbied for greater community participation in the General Plan study and several members served on citizens advisory committees.
In the 1980's the two Leagues in the county studied county government and water issues, resulting in two local positions.
Beginning in 1990 the Salinas League did a two-year study of city government and evolved a position on Salinas City government. From 1992 to 1994 a joint study of public libraries in Monterey County was completed by the two Leagues resulting in a position on local public libraries.
February 1995 was the 75th birthday of the League of Women Voters of the United States (National). The Salinas League joined in the celebrations of this anniversary. At the May 1995 annual meeting our name was changed to The League of Women Voters of the Salinas Valley.
In 1995 the League was involved in an election for Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas. Following considerable negative press over the clinic's board of directors, Supervisor Simon Salinas contacted the League to help the organization establish election procedures to ensure confidentiality of voters was protected. Extensive problems arose and required considerable time and ingenuity to develop the election and maintain the confidence of all parties. The League was paid by the clinic for its services and a fair election was accomplished.
In 1996 our League, with the help of the Monterey Peninsula League, held a Mock Election in the schools (grades 4-12) and had 5,l53 students voting! In 1998 the number of students voting doubled, representing over 25% of all students casting ballots in California. A Mock Election primary was added. The Joint League Mock Election Committee received several awards including a Voter Service Award and a Development Award at the 1999 California State League Convention. Mock Elections were held also in 2000 and 2002, including a primary Mock Election as well. Our local Mock Election participation in fall 2002 was 42% of the state-wide total.
The Joint League Study Committee was established by the LWVSV and the LWVMP in 1997-98 to study public agencies' responses and follow-up to the recommendations made in the final report of the 1996 Monterey County Civil Grand Jury. The scope of the study was expanded in 1998-99 to include structural issues and both Leagues approved a position, "Grand Jury System," in April 1999. In 2000 the committee's name was changed to Joint League Government Committee.
A system has been developed for the two Monterey County Leagues to communicate more fully regarding action matters of common concern. A Memorandum of Agreement was signed in February 1997. A review and revision is underway in 2003.

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