History

History

League of Women Voters of Hawai'i County

The Hawai'i County League of Women Voters has been part of the Big Island Community since the 1960s. Our members want to empower voters and defend democracy. We encourage active participation in government to increase the understanding of public policy issues, with a focus on the following county-level areas:

  • Voter Education and Access
  • Sunshine in Government
  • Ethics in Government
  • Ethics in Government
  • Community Development Plans

We are active in Voter Registration Drives which is the heart of the League's mission. We volunteer and help with vote counts for many community associations across our island. We have also hosted Candidate Forums for State Races. Voting is your opportunity to support your community and have a say into its future. Every vote counts and each vote makes a difference.

League of Women Voters of Honolulu County

At the League of Women Voters of Honolulu, we believe that democracy thrives only if citizens play an active role in elections and government oversight. Some of the most effective and enduring ways to engage citizens include registering voters, promoting voting and education about and advocacy for critical issues.

When Allan Saunders arrived in Hawaii in the 1940s to teach political science at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, it was a time of great change. Inspired by the work he observed by the League on the mainland and the turning political tides here in the islands, Allan and his wife Marion founded The League of Women Voters of Honolulu in 1948 to carry out the mission of "making democracy work."

In continuing that pursuit, the Honolulu League is involved in coordinating and moderating campaign debate and forums, holding meetings and conferences on public policy issues, assisting in vote counts, and serving on State and City and County commissions and advisory committees.

League of Women Voters of the United States

The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, has fought since 1920 to improve our systems of government and impact public policies through citizen education and advocacy. The League's enduring vitality and resonance comes from its unique decentralized structure. The League is a grassroots organization, working at the national, state and local levels.

There are Leagues in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Hong Kong, in addition to the hundreds of local Leagues nationwide. The League of Women Voters of the United States and the League of Women Voters Education Fund operate at the national level with grassroots support from state and local Leagues.

The League of Women Voters is strictly nonpartisan; it neither supports nor opposes candidates for office at any level of government. At the same time, the League is wholeheartedly political and works to influence policy through advocacy. It is the original grassroots citizen network, directed by the consensus of its members nationwide. The 900 state and local Leagues – comprising a vast grassroots lobby corps that can be mobilized when necessary.

Over time, the League's legislative priorities change to reflect the needs of society and critical issues of concern. The organization remains true to its basic purpose: to make democracy work for all citizens. The League of Women Voters makes a difference in the lives of citizens because of the energy and passion of thousands of members committed to our principles.