In her address to the National American Woman Suffrage Association's (NAWSA) 50th convention in St. Louis, Missouri, President Carrie Chapman Catt proposed the creation of a "league of women voters to finish the fight and aid in the reconstruction of the nation." Women Voters was formed within the NAWSA, composed of the organizations in the states where suffrage had already been attained. The next year, on February 14, 1920 - six months before the 19th amendment to the Constitution was ratified - the League was formally organized in Chicago as the national League of Women Voters. Catt described the purpose of the new organization:

"The League of Women Voters is not to dissolve any present organization but to unite all existing organizations of women who believe in its principles. It is not to lure women from partisanship but to combine them in an effort for legislation which will protect coming movements, which we cannot even foretell, from suffering the untoward conditions which have hindered for so long the coming of equal suffrage. Are the women of the United States big enough to see their opportunity?"

Maud Wood Park became the first national president of the League and thus the first League leader to rise to the challenge. She had steered the women's suffrage amendment through Congress in the last two years before ratification and liked nothing better than legislative work. From the very beginning, however, it was apparent that the legislative goals of the League were not exclusively focused on women's issues and that citizen education aimed at all of the electorate was in order.

Since its inception, the League has helped millions of women and men become informed participants in government. In fact, the first league convention voted 69 separate items as statements of principle and recommendations for legislation. Among them were protection for women and children, right of working women, food supply and demand, social hygiene, the legal status of women, and American citizenship.The League's first major national legislative success was the passage of the Sheppard-Towner Act providing federal aid for maternal and child care programs. In the 1930's, League members worked successfully for enactment of the Social Security and Food and Drug Acts. Due at least in part to League efforts, legislation passed in 1938 and 1940 removed hundreds of federal jobs from the spoils system and placed them under Civil Service.

During the postwar period, the League helped lead the effort to establish the United Nations and to ensure U.S. Participation. The League was one of the first organizations in the country officially recognized by the United Nations as a non-governmental organization; it still maintains official observer status today.

History of the League of Women Voters of Downers Grove, Woodridge, and Lisle

Founding and Early Years

The League of Women Voters of Downers Grove was founded on August 9, 1921, making it one of the earliest local leagues established in the State of Illinois.
In the 1970s and early 1980s, the League expanded to include the communities of Woodridge and Lisle, officially adopting the name League of Women Voters of Downers Grove, Woodridge, and Lisle.

Pioneering Leadership

The League’s first president, Harriet Prince Parrish (1889–1967), represented the local organization as a delegate to the 1922 League of Women Voters of Illinois convention and chaired the legislative committee, which examined key political issues of the time.

Among the League’s founding members was Lottie Holman O’Neill, who became the first woman elected to the Illinois State Assembly in 1922. Throughout her 40-year political career, O’Neill championed equal rights for women, supported the eight-hour workday, and advanced legislation to improve state services for children with disabilities.

Community Impact and Modern Growth

Another distinguished member and past president, Betty Cheever (1928–2021), served as the first woman mayor of Downers Grove, holding office for 16 years. Under her leadership, the village achieved several major developments, including the introduction of Lake Michigan water, construction of the Belmont Road underpass, and the creation of Lyman Woods Park.
A League member for more than 50 years, Cheever attributed her public service philosophy to the League’s emphasis on civic engagement and fair governance.

Continuing the Mission

Today, the League of Women Voters of Downers Grove, Woodridge, and Lisle remains dedicated to empowering voters and strengthening democracy. The League continues to:

• Provide nonpartisan election and candidate information

• Offer voter education programs

• Collaborate with other local Leagues to promote transparency, accountability, and informed participation in DuPage County government

For more than a century, the League has stood as a trusted voice for voters and an advocate for responsible, informed citizenship.

See the History section of the League of Women Voters of the US website.