LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS®

The League of Women Voters is an American political organization founded in 1920 by Carrie Chapman Catt during the last meeting of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, approximately six months before the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution gave women the right to vote. It began as a "mighty political experiment" aimed to help newly-enfranchised women exercise their responsibilities as voters. Originally, only women could join the league; but in 1973 the charter was modified to include men. The league is a grassroots organization with chapters in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The league is nonpartisan, refusing to endorse or oppose political candidates or parties at any level of government. The league does support or oppose many political issues after studying them and coming to a consensus on a position. The league works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and to influence public policy through education and advocacy, as well as through political lobbying of Congress.

The league is organized into two complementary halves: Voter service and citizen education; and program and action.

The League of Women Voters of Tarrant County is a membership organization and a nonprofit 501(c)(4) corporation.

• Viewed the courage of early suffragettes in the film "Iron Jawed Angels".
• Joined the Arlington League to produce and fund a Voters' Guide in the Star-Telegram. 
• With the Fort Worth League of Neighborhoods, we filmed the Candidates Forums for local television. 
• Met regularly with Steve Rabon and the elections office, mutually suggesting ways that we could improve the election process and increase voter registration and awareness. 
• Modernized our website and loaded it with Voters' Guides, Candidate Forums and lots of information.
• Moderated eleven Candidate Forums. 
• Registered voters at college campuses, 7 county sub-courthouses, the Will Rogers Coliseum, American Airlines, BNSF and Prairie Fest. 
• Put handbills with voter information in bags of groceries at KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut. 
• Gave talks to civic organizations about the importance of voting.
• The Environmental Committee increased awareness of safety issues as gas wells bloomed everywhere. 
• The Healthcare Committee  was determined to increase the number of school-based health clinics in Fort Worth and Arlington and they succeeded by finding grant money to supplement funds from JPS.
• Our New Membership Chair put on a real party/bash for potential members at Neiman Marcus' Zodiac Room.
• Attended four Naturalization Ceremonies and handed out voter registration applications. 
• Partied together in December, again in March, and yet again in June with beer and pretzels.
• Interviewed all nine Tarrant County legislators in Austin.
• Sponsored a lecture by Presidential Historian Paul Boller.
• Held a Forum on Transportation.
• Raised over $6000 for next year's budget.

See the Local Program for 2009-2010.