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Mission & History

Mission

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

Our mission is to “Empower Voters” and “Defend Democracy”. We strive to make sure every vote is counted, and voter turnout increases due to our voter registration and education programs.

History

The League of Women Voters was founded by Carrie Chapman Catt in 1920 during the convention of the National American Woman Suffrage Association. That convention was held just six months before ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which, after a 72-year struggle, gave women the right to vote. The Palm Beach County Chapter was created in 1975.

The League was designed to help 20 million women carry out their new responsibilities as voters and encouraged them to use their new power to participate in shaping public policy.

The League neither supports nor opposes candidates or political parties at any level of government. But it does work on vital issues of concern to its members and the public by educating citizens about and lobbying for government and social reform legislation.

As a national volunteer organization in America, the League of Women Voters has evolved from what it was in 1920, a mighty political experiment designed to help 20 million enfranchised women carry out their new responsibilities, to what it is today: a unique, nonpartisan organization that is a recognized force in molding political leaders, shaping public policy, and promoting informed citizen participation at all levels of government.