League of Women Voters Will Close Without New Leadership
Written By Ellen Putnam
Photographed By Nancy Clover
The League of Women Voters at last year's Victorian Fair
The Melrose chapter of the League of Women Voters has announced that, if new leadership cannot be found by next month, they will need to dissolve the chapter.
The national League of Women Voters organization was founded in 1920, after the 19th Amendment granted women in the United States the right to vote. It is a nonpartisan organization that focuses on voter registration and education, and maintaining a healthy democracy with informed participation from all citizens. Membership is open to everyone ages 16 and up. (Men have been welcome as full members in the League since 1974.)
The Melrose chapter of the League of Women Voters has played an active role in the community throughout its long history in Melrose, including helping to found the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, Zero Waste Melrose, the Human Rights Commission, and the Melrose Alliance Against Violence. They also host nonpartisan candidate forums, allowing voters to hear from candidates in local and state elections.
But the League’s membership has been declining across the country for some time. This New York Times article from 1978 already identified declining membership as a problem for the League, noting that, as women entered the workforce in greater numbers, fewer women had time for volunteering with community organizations like the League. And in an increasingly polarized political landscape, the national League organization has sometimes been accused of partisanship, whether fairly or not.
The League of Women Voters candidate forum in 2023
The Melrose League of Women Voters stated in their release announcing their chapter’s pending dissolution:
“With profound regret, the League of Women Voters of Melrose announces that it has voted to begin the process of dissolving its local chapter of the state and national League of Women Voters unless new leadership comes forward to continue its work.”
“After a long and productive history in Melrose for more than 75 years, membership has fallen and there is no one at this time to succeed the retiring leadership team in 2026.”
“If you or anyone you know is interested in continuing the work of the League in Melrose, please contact us through our website or by email at info@lwv-melrose.org, and we will be happy to meet with you for a discussion of what that would entail. The League’s primary mission is to encourage and facilitate voting so that democracy works well for everyone. We have focused our energy on assisting with voter registration, voting access, and voter education about issues and candidates so that all voters may be informed as they cast their votes.”
“New leadership would have to commit to succession in January 2026, but would have until June 2026 to take full control of the organization.”
