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League of Women Voters

ABOUT THE LEAGUE

The League of Women Voters of Richardson is a nonpartisan, grassroots civic organization that encourages informed and active participation in government. The League works to increase understanding of major public policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Membership in the League is open to everyone. With 100 years of experience, the League is one of America’s oldest and most trusted civic nonprofit organizations.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

LWV is an organization fully committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in principle and in practice. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to the organization’s current and future success in engaging all individuals, households, communities, and policymakers in creating a more perfect democracy.

There shall be no barriers to full participation in this organization on the basis of gender, gender identity, ethnicity, race, native or indigenous origin, age, generation, sexual orientation, culture, religion, belief system, marital status, parental status, socioeconomic status, language, accent, ability status, mental health, educational level or background, geography, nationality, work style, work experience, job role function, thinking style, personality type, physical appearance, political perspective or affiliation and/or any other characteristic that can be identified as recognizing or illustrating diversity.

NONPARTISANSHIP POLICY

The League NEVER supports or opposes a political party or candidate.

HISTORY OF THE RICHARDSON LEAGUE

The League of Women Voters of Richardson received its charter in 1962. Members of our local League are also members of the League of Women Voters of Texas and the League of Women Voters of the United States. Our members have the opportunity to work together on issues important to Richardson, to the state of Texas, and to our nation.

We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We are nonpartisan, meaning that we never support or oppose any political party or candidate.

The Richardson League is best known in the community for providing election information to voters by sponsoring candidate forums and producing nonpartisan Voters Guides. In addition, we conduct voter registration drives and produce a local Guide to Elected Officials.

The Richardson League also studies public policy issues and takes positions on those issues through a process of consensus. Issues such as land use, education, public health services, and the Richardson city charter have been studied. Many improvements have been championed over the years including:

Unified polling places
Richardson's inclusion in the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Rail System
Better regulation of child care facilities
Implementation of citywide recycling
Expansion of public parks
Televising city council meetings
Raising the ratio of nursing and counseling staff to students in public schools
Helping families enroll in the Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

HISTORY OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE UNITED STATES

The League of Women Voters of the United States was founded in 1920 by the suffragists who led the fight for voting rights for American women. The League of Women Voters of Texas had been founded six months earlier, in 1919.

Read more about the history of the League of Women Voters of the United States and Texas on their respective websites.