League of Women Voters-Naperville Records

The League of Women Voters-Naperville has long been focused on encouraging active and informed citizen participation in government and increasing understanding of major public policy issues. The League works to influence public policy through education and advocacy. The founding members of the League of Women Voters-Naperville began meeting in 1955, and in 1956, the League of Women Voters-Naperville was granted provisional membership in both the state and national organizations.

Increasing the number of voters and the overall turnout for elections has traditionally been a significant piece of the League’s activities. Voter registration drives became not as critical with the passage of Motor-Voter registration, a national League of Women Voter’s accomplishment, which allows citizens to register to vote when they apply for drivers’ licenses. Voter education on issues and candidates remains a key focus for the LWV-N. Debates, town meetings, and the publication of a Voter’s Guide (which outlines ballot candidates and issues and promotes the League’s choices) are methods the League uses to provide this service.

Local issues are another key focus of the League of Women Voters-Naperville. The League studies local issues relating to the growth of Naperville, educational systems, and the environment and, based on the results, advocate for change. Specific topics of interest encouraging the responsible growth of Naperville include the structure and form of the city government, parking and transportation adequacy, zoning, housing, and civil service structure that matches the growth. The League has advocated for smaller class sizes, gifted programs, and curriculums that meet the needs of all students in the K-12 school system. The formation of a park district, the creation of a recycling center, and continued promotion for improvement of parks and forest preserves are a few of the environmental issues the League has tackled.

The League of Women Voters-Naperville publishes a monthly newsletter which informs the membership of upcoming events and current issues. The League also disseminates information on its activities through its web site and through local media outlets.

Source: League of Women Voters Naperville, “About Us” (http://naperville.il.lwv.org/about.html, March 2006)