Palatine honors League of Women voters
Palatine leaders paused during a recent village board meeting to recognize a political group that has worked behind the scenes for the last 50 years: the Palatine Area League of Women Voters.
The nonpartisan political organization promotes informed and active participation in government. They will celebrate their milestone anniversary on Aug. 10 at the historic Clayson House in Palatine, with a tip of the hat to their suffrage roots.
Donning colorful bonnets for the garden party event, they will hear a performance recreating the roles of suffragettes Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, performed by Lynn Rymarz of Schaumburg and Jeanmarie Dwyer-Wrigley.
While League members are best known for their candidate forums and voter registration activities, they explore many other topics, ranging from observing school and local government meetings, to taking formal positions on national issues.
The Palatine Area League is one of 900 state chapters, and it now reaches beyond the village of Palatine to serve Hoffman Estates, Inverness, Rolling Meadows and Schaumburg, or a population base of around 245,000.
Its anniversary celebration recognizes the start of the original Palatine chapter, members say, and it comes three years after members of the League of Women Voters Arlington Heights-Mount Prospect-Buffalo Grove, celebrated the same milestone.
In February, the League of Women Voters celebrated its 88th birthday, both at the state and national level.
The League dates its founding back to 1920, just six months before the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, giving women the right to vote.
"We take our legacy of providing trustworthy and balanced resources to citizens and lawmakers, seriously," said Mary Wilson, national League president, at the national celebration in February in Washington. "The League of Women Voters truly has left its footprint on American history, and I believe our democracy is stronger because of it."
In preparation for this year's presidential election, Palatine area members last year launched "Prepare to Vote," an initiative targeting residents of Palatine and Schaumburg townships.
Currently, they are in the midst of holding nearly two dozen voter registration events at local libraries, schools and other community locations, including the Palatine Farmer's Market.
League President Marilyn Morel of Palatine says its goals are to encourage residents to vote, to become informed about candidates' positions, and to familiarize themselves with their voting site, voting day procedures and voting equipment.
Illinois State President, Paula Lawson, says League members are busy hosting candidate forums at all levels, including state senate, state representative and countywide positions.
"It's one way for a lot of people to see the candidates face to face, at the same time, and on a level playing field," Lawson says. "And we think we ask better questions than the press, more issue-orientated questions and less 'gotcha questions.' "
The forums also can serve as a recruiting tool for the League, says 28-year member Rosemary Shellander of Palatine.
"I joined largely due to the League's candidate forums," Shellander says. "How candidates answer voters' questions is very revealing, so a forum provides an important opportunity for local voters to hear candidates, in an unfiltered format."