Celebrating 104 Years of Empowering
Voters and Defending Democracy
On Tuesday, February 14, 2024, the League of Women Voters will celebrate its 104th birthday. From the very beginning, the League has been a nonpartisan, activist, grassroots organization. Over the last century, we’ve fought for election protection, democratic reforms, and equal access to the ballot—all while maintaining our commitment to nonpartisanship and fostering an informed electorate.
In 1847, the first women’s rights convention was held in Seneca Falls, NY, setting the agenda for the women’s rights movement. The suffragists were initially split into two organizations. The goal of the NATIONAL WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION was to gain voting rights by an amendment to the constitution. In contrast, the goal of the AMERICAN WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION was to gain voting rights through the individual states. Four decades later (1890), these two organizations merged to form the NATIONAL AMERICAN WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION (NAWSA) and became the movement’s mainstream organization.
In 1920, when the 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote was finally ratified, the NAWSA disbanded, as their work was finally done, and the LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS (LWV) was formed on February 14th. Its purpose was to
educate the newly franchised women so that they could vote with confidence. A point to ponder. It took from 1847 to 1920 – almost three-quarters of a century – for the women’s rights movement to finally achieve the right for women to vote! The LWV serves as a living memorial to the leaders of the women’s suffrage movement; we must and will continue the work of generations of passionate, persistent, patient, pivotal women. Read more here.
History of the League of Women Voters of Bucks County
On the day the 19th Amendment was ratified, The PENNSYLVANIA LEAGUE OF WOMEN CITIZENS officially became the PENNSYLVANIA LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS.
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