About the League

League of Women Voters^®
of the Ann Arbor Area

What is our mission? How are we structured? What is our history?

90th Birthday Celebration A Big Success. Our Mission. Other Leagues. Our History.

90th Birthday Celebration A Big Success

Hathaway's Hideaway on south Ashley Street started out as the old Second Ward Polling Place. It was the perfect location for the Ann Arbor Area League of Women Voters to celebrate 90 years of women having the vote and also 90 years of League activity promoting civic involvement.

Michigan President Jessica Reiser and Ann Arbor Area President Sue Smith.

Member Mary Hathaway and Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje

L to R: Mona Walz, Sunny Morse, Mary Stadel, Eunice Burns, Suzy Morse

Zoe Behnke models suffragette garb to promote the upcoming exhibit at the Washtenaw Historical Society.

L to R: Barbara Clark and Fran Lyman

L to R: Jessica Reiser, Judy Mich and Ann Arbor Councilwoman Maggie Teall

Sue Smith demonstrates an old-style ballot box.

Our Mission and Roles

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization encouraging informed and active participation in government. It influences public policy through education and advocacy. We never support or oppose any political party or candidate.
The League of Women Voters has two separate and distinct roles.

Voters Service/Citizen Education: we present unbiased nonpartisan information about elections, the voting process, and issues.

Action/Advocacy: we are also nonpartisan, but, after study, we use our positions to advocate for or against particular policies in the public interest.

To conduct our voter service and citizen education activities, we use funds from the League of Women Voters Education Fund, which is a 501(c)(3) corporation, a nonprofit educational organization. The League of Women Voters, a membership organization, conducts action and advocacy and is a nonprofit 501(c)(4) corporation.
Our Vision, Beliefs, and Intentions guide our activities.

Other League Organizations

Our Ann Arbor Area League is one of 22 local Leagues throughout Michigan. The list of leagues and their contact information can be found at <http://www.lwvmi.org/resources/local.html>
Our members are also members of

League of Women Voters of Michigan

and

League of Women Voters of the United States

History of the League of Women Voters

Read a short history of the League of Women Voters.

Comments, suggestions, questions? Contact our webmaster. Last revised: February 3, 2012 11:16 PST.