As we head into the end of the 2020 election season, talk of voting is abound. Prince William County has had early in-person voting available to residents since mid-September, leading to high rates of early voting. Although county residents are having an easy time voting with short lines and minimal wait times, other Americans are dealing with long lines, mail problems, and the Black voter disenfranchisement.

During this election season the League of Women Voters has been celebrating its 100 year anniversary.

February 14th, 2020 marked 100 years since the League of Women Voters was founded.

“The League began in 1920 as a ‘mighty political experiment’ designed to help 20 million women carry out their new responsibilities as voters, ahead of the 19th Amendment ratification later that year. Today, the League is strong across all 50 states with more than 750 active state and local Leagues.”

“For 100 years, the League has fostered an informed electorate through candidate forums, policy studies, and the voter information resource, VOTE411. With a commitment to nonpartisanship, never supporting or opposing political parties, the League has fought for pro-democracy measures like election protection, democratic reforms, equal access to the ballot, and other vital issues” says their national website.

Prince William Perspective spoke with Carol Proven, The League of Women Voters of Prince William and Fauquier Counties president, who has been an active member for about 10 years.

Proven reflected on her own family history as it relates to the League and women voting. “My grandmother’s were born in the 1800s so they couldn’t vote, either one of them, when they were 21. They had to wait until the 19th amendment was passed before they could vote. So that was really special. I grew up hearing them saying that. They were both very strong women and very vocal in their support of women, women’s rights, and women’s education. And my mother was in the League of Women Voters in New Jersey and I remember, this was in 50s and 60s, her meeting with other like-minded, strong-minded women. This is a continuum. The hundredth anniversary is great, but it’s not over, and we’re going to continue doing good things and moving forward. It’s like yeah we did go, we checked the box on the 50th, we’re checking the box on the 100th, and we’re going to keep moving forward and check the box on the 150th.”

She acknowledged that “The League started out of course as a white woman’s group.” In her view “It’s been a real struggle over the years. I think the League has developed a lot.”

On their website, the League has a 100 year timeline.

As an organization “Voter education and registration is our main theme.” Regarding their work in the county “We couldn’t have done all that we did with voter registration, as a third party registering group, without the help of our Prince William County Board of Elections.”

Additionally “One of our themes right now is DEI, diversity, equity, and inclusion. We have really pushed to get people of all races and creeds, religions, incorporated into it. We try to be very open, very welcoming, going out and seeking people.”

“We have tried at the national level all the way down to the local level to have this as our mantras: diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

Deborah Turner, President of the League of Women Voters of the United States, and a Black woman, published a statement saying “This anniversary falling months before a presidential election cycle in the middle of a pandemic is further reason to ensure every voter can exercise this basic American right. Casting a ballot is more than a decision on representation; it is an homage to the women and men who have been locked out of the process.”

“We continue to see voter suppression 100 years later – not in the form of poll taxes or literacy tests, but with misinformation campaigns, discouraging rhetoric that casts doubt on our great democracy or questions our country’s election integrity. We must rise above this, continue our work, and motivate others to action.”

Proven said “We’ve been celebrating for about a year before, this year unfortunately has been really lessened, and we’re going to be celebrating it next year. We had a kickoff meeting last year where we had several proponents of the ERA come and they spoke. Of course the ERA is a part of the 100 year anniversary. If we can pass that, then we’ll really be celebrating.”

For the League “It’s an ongoing celebration.” And “Whatever you do to celebrate a great thing in the times of Covid, we do. It’s a little difficult. We wanted to have a gala, which we couldn’t have.”

Looking toward the future, she said “It’s very important for us to have the ERA, Equal Rights Amendment passed.”

“We’re continuing to focus on getting people of all colors registered, having people feel free to go vote, and know what they’re voting about. Voter education is so important. We do a lot with voter education. I hope we continue to do that. We have debates and candidate forums. We have an application called vote 411 where people can go and see what the different candidates have said about a particular issue. There is so much to keep doing. We need an enlightened democratic society.

Recently Chair-At-Large, Ann Wheeler commended the League of Women Voters on their 100 year anniversary.