Since its inception in 1938, the League of Women Voters of Wellesley has played a central role in promoting the informed participation of the town's citizens in government. Throughout the past eight decades, the League has provided services to the voters, including voter registration, voting information, rides to the polls, a guide to candidates for local office, as well as candidate forums and debates.
Beginning with the "Ask-It Wagons" and Town Affairs dinners of the 1940s, the League has sustained its mission to educate and foster open dialoge among the citizens of the town. Today, the League holds numerous events throughout the year featuring speakers on a wide range of local, state, national and international issues. For 40 years, the League published Know Your Town, a handbook of information for new residents. The League currently updates its Town Government Handbook and distributes it to newly-elected members of Town boards and Town Meeting Members.
The League has also been instrumental in educating citizens on issues of local concern and has studied and advocated in support of issues before Town Meeting and the voters of Wellesley. Over the years, the League has focused on a wide range of topics beginning with town planning and the schools in the 1940s, water resources in the 1950s, special education and support of the METCO program in the 1960s, youth services, land use and home rule in the 1970s, day care, school bus safety, recycling and hazardous waste disposal in the 1980s, and the Town's Comprehensive Plan, structure of Town government, and affordable housing in the 1990s. Most recently in 2020-2021, the League conducted a local study on affordable housing. The League has also focused more broadly on other issues in the areas of foreign policy, gender equity, healthcare, education reform and climate change through study groups, projects, and hosting speakers for public events.
It is the goal of the League to be responsive to the issues of the day and to the concerns and interests of its members. The League of Women Voters of Wellesley also supports the on-going work of the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts and the League of Women Voters of the United States.
Roster of Past Presidents
| 1938-1940 | Betsy Stevens | 1990-1992 | Dona Kemp |
| 1940-1942 | Helen Sechrest | 1992-1994 | Betsy Snyder |
| 1942-1944 | Kay Durrell | 1994-1996 | Janet Langer |
| 1944-1947 | Carolyn Russell | 1996-1998 | Irene Flint |
| 1949-1951 | Marion Niles | 1998-1999 | Lynne Latham |
| 1951-1953 | Elinor Vogler | 1999-2000 | Ann Hile/Carol Stalzer |
| 1953-1955 | Peg Thompson | 2000-2001 | Lynne Latham |
| 1955-1957 | Virginia Chirug | 2001-2002 | Kathy Nagle |
| 1957-1959 | Anne Booth | 2002-2004 | Ellen Gibbs |
| 1959-1961 | Lee Kreinheder | 2004-2006 | Steering Committee |
| 1961-1963 | Lydia Goodhue | 2006-2007 | Jean Childs/Irene Flint |
| 1963-1965 | Ruth Wright | 2007-2009 | Marlene O'Brien |
| 1965-1967 | Peggy Downes | 2009-2010 | Jean Childs/Irene Flint |
| 1967-1969 | Madi Grant | 2010-2012 | Jean Childs |
| 1969-1971 | Peggy Lakis | 2012-2013 | Marlene O'Brien |
| 1971-1972 | Lib Woodley | 2013-2014 | Jessica Langerman/Marlene O'Brien |
| 1972-1973 | Joellen Toussaint | 2014-2015 | Marlene O'Brien |
| 1973-1975 | Pat Palmer | 2015-2016 | Jean Childs/Irene Flint |
| 1975-1976 | Judy Weil | 2016-2017 | Susan Clapham |
| 1976-1977 | Nadine Basta | 2017-2019 | Anne Rippy Turtle |
| 1977-1979 | Jane Davidson | 2019-2020 | Susan Clapham/Ellen Hallett |
| 1979-1981 | Jean Childs | 2020-2021 | Susan Clapham/Laura Brown-MacKinnon |
| 1981-1983 | Linda Guinane | 2021-2022 | Laura Brown-MacKinnon/Wendy Garber |
| 1983-1985 | Barbara Owen | ||
| 1985-1987 | Cathy Milton | ||
| 1987-1989 | Kathy Mullaney | ||
| 1989-1990 | Carri Hammett |
