The collection includes records of monthly meetings of the LWV-MPA and organizational elections of league presidents and board membership roles. The collection is comprised of papers, pamphlets, board minutes, and meeting minutes. Folders within the collection hold photographs and newspaper clippings (copies) of LWV-MPA events and membership activity from the provisional grant in 1969 to 2012. Also included within the LWV-MPA collection are pamphlets and booklets published by the organization as well as correspondence from local and state politicians. Additions added beginning at the end of Box 4, 50th Anniversary Materials, 2019, and Meeting Minutes, 2010-. The collection is ongoing.
Processing Note: According to the donor agreement, all duplicates (.5 cubic ft.) were returned to the League of Women Voters.
Organizational History:
The League of Women Voters of the Mt. Pleasant Area (Mich.) (LWV-MPA) was established on September 18, 1969 as a Provisional League and was fully recognized October 14, 1969 at the state and national levels. The LWV-MPA is one of many active national chapters and within the state of Michigan. As stated in the Provisional of 1969, the League of Women Voters’ purpose is to “promote political responsibility through informed and active participation of citizens.” The League of Women Voters remains bipartisan and the LWV-MPA promotes political awareness of issues affecting voters within Isabella County, Michigan and at the national level.
The main purpose of the LWV-MPA is to educate the public on issues that affect voters and through organizational publications like The Voter and various pamphlets regarding special issues like public school financing, water and sewage for the City of Mt. Pleasant, local library funding, area landfills, as well as national issues like welfare reform and the Patriot Act of 2003. During election years (local, state, and national) the LWV-MPA held various candidate forums. The LWV-MPA also published booklets called “Know Your Town” (1971) and “Know Your Schools” (1977) to inform the public about governmental organizations within their community. The collection also houses the recognized bylaws and policies of the LWV-MPA.
Membership is open to the public and the organization is sustained through dues collected from its members. League members, through becoming politically active, often ran for public offices.
