League celebrates 90 years of action

Ninety years ago, Carrie Chapman Catt first proposed a League of Women Voters to "finish the fight" and work to end all discrimination against women. And so the League of Women Voters was founded on Valentine's Day in 1920, six months before the ratification of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote.

Today we are a grass-roots organization with 850 Leagues throughout all 50 states. Although the League is known widely for our voter education efforts, the League of Women Voters of the Barrington Area has been an institution in the Barrington Area since 1939, working on presenting candidate Forums and voter education meetings about such topics as the Illinois state budget problems and getting information about judicial candidates.

The League is strictly nonpartisan, but we have always been political, advocating to effect change at the national and local level. As we enter into a new year, we don't know exactly what issues will confront the Barrington Area.

We do know that the League will be there doing what it has been trusted to do for more than 90 years: discuss the important issues, ask the difficult questions and demand accountability from our local government. Our members join the League because they know that whatever happens to our democracy over the next 90 years, it should be up to us, the people.

The League of Women Voters is the organization where hands-on work to safeguard democracy leads to civic improvement, and this year, on our 90th Anniversary, we hope you will stand with us in this work. If we don't do it, who will?

Martha Stamper

President, League of Women Voters of the Barrington Area