The collection represents the work of the League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy. The collection is a unique record of political activity in the East San Gabriel Valley covering a span of almost 50 years, from 1956 to 2005.

The League of Women Voters/ESGV has endured through 49 years of historic change in the East San Gabriel Valley. In June of 1956, a group of 43 women from West Covina met at the home of Phyllis Ogden to express a desire to form the Provisional League of Women Voters of West Covina. The November VOTER publicized a meeting concerning education as one component of the required “Know Your Town” study. School lunches went for 30 cents and a teacher’s starting salary was close to $4,000 a year. In April 1959, Susie Milette was elected president, and it was decided to keep dues at $5 a year. The new league was active in local affairs through formation of an Observer Corps to attend meetings of the West Covina City Council, local school board, and meetings of the Board of Supervisors. The following years found the League involved in local studies to evaluate West Covina’s Master Plan and develop a Recreational and Cultural Survey, and later, a study of the West Covina annexation to the Metropolitan Water District, a study that produced consensus and enabled the League to support the annexation.

12.0 boxes League of Women Voters/ESGV Collection SC2005/12_ Boxes 1-3: Administration & Operations (some files in chronological order) Boxes 4-6: Program Files: Action/Advocacy and Issues Studies (by topic) Boxes 7-8: Voter Service and Citizen Information (by activity) Boxes 9-10: Special Projects, Videos & Other Organizational Memorabilia Box 11: Supplemental Material (Oversize) Box 12: Publications Series Descriptions Series 1: Administration & Operations Annual Meeting Kits/Annual Meeting Minutes/Annual Meeting Reports Board Meeting Minutes Board Training/Leadership Budget & Finance; Finance & Fundraising Bylaws Job Descriptions/Leadership Training/League Orientation Local Policies & Procedures Membership Newsletters – The VOTER Nominating Committee Process & Reports Public Relations & Publicity (Media Relations) Series 2: Program: Study & Action Program Planning: Study Principles and Dynamics Study Units & Go-See Excursions ACTION ACTION & ADVOCACY Legislative Interviews – Principles and Dynamics – Selected Issues (Action on) Studies (Representative samples by topic) GOVERNMENT Campaign Finance – Elections – Gun Control – Initiative & Referendum – Reapportionment/Redistricting – State and Local Finance – Voting Rights INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Arms Control – Foreign Aid – Military & Defense Policy – Trade – U.N. NATURAL RESOURCES Air – Energy – Environmental Protection – Land Use – Transportation – Water – Waste Management SOCIAL POLICY Child Care – Children and Family – Education – Health Care – Housing – Juvenile Justice – (Meeting) Basic Human Needs – Violence Prevention – Youth/ Citizenship Awareness Series 3: Voter Service and Citizen Information Candidates’ Forums Candidates’ Online Services – SmartVoter Community Forums, Workshops & Seminars: Children at Risk, Community Leadership, Domestic Violence, Electric Deregulation/Energy, Health Care, Healthy Cities, Housing, Mobilizing Your Community, School Presentations & Programs, “Senior Summit I, II” (Resources for Seniors), Voter Registration Preparation, Voting Machine Demonstrations Mock Elections PROS and CONS Election Guides to Ballot Measures; Speaker’s Bureau Voter Assistance—Eligibility, Multilingual Services, Polling Places, Registering and/or Re-registering, Sample Ballots/Absentee Ballots, Voting by Mail) Series 4: Special Projects, Videos (representative samples) and Other Organizational Memorabilia including Selected League Publications Series 5: Supplemental Material (Oversize) Series 6: Publications