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The
League of Women Voters was founded in 1920 after passage of the
nineteenth amendment which guaranteed women the right to vote. The
League of Women Voters of Connecticut was established on January 18, 1921
and incorporated on October 16, 1924. Miss Mabel Washburn of Hartford was
LWVCT's first president. In the 1920s, LWVCT focused on child welfare,
labor laws, women in industry and social hygiene.
During the
1930s, LWVCT succeeded in getting a bill for jury duty for women passed
after nine legislative sessions. Following World War II, the League
supported child labor laws as well as emergency teacher training and state
aid for school building construction. Focus in the 1950s was on such
issues as the constitutional provision guaranteeing home rule. In the
1960s, issues included fair representation in the General Assembly, a
state constitutional convention and protection of tidal wetlands. School
finance, a bottle bill campaign and a statewide ERA referendum were the
1970s issues.
LWVCT achieved
two long time goals in 1986: removal of the party lever on voting machines
(after 40 years of lobbying) and merit selection of judges. Since that
time, the League has lobbied for mandatory recycling, automobile emissions
testing, preservation of wetlands and open space and affordable housing.
The League supported a state income tax and is now focusing on campaign
finance reform and quality integrated education. |
