League of Women Voters encourages community to vote

MENOMONIE, Wis. (WEAU) - August 26th is women’s equality day.

To recognize this day The League of Women Voters of Greater Chippewa Valley held a celebration with their main focus being to get people registering to vote...

“We want to celebrate that every year because we have to be reminded how important that having a voice is. It’s easy to discount someone who doesn’t have the right to vote. And today we’re celebrating this wonderful time when instead of having to put all of our efforts into persuading the people in charge to give us the right to vote, we could turn our efforts toward helping people get out there and vote.”, says President of the LWV of Greater Chippewa Valley, Ellen Ochs.

The event showcased a variety of women speakers who talked about their experiences in leadership roles. One speaker discussed the importance of the League of Women Voters.

“In 1920, not all women won the right to vote. White women won the right to vote. And I wanted to say that in part because I think that’s why being here today and what the league of women voters does is so important. It’s a good reminder that history is ongoing, that we can’t take for granted that things are going to continue to progress. And we need to keep fighting.”, says Rachel Henderson, President of Menomonie school board.

The theme for the event was equal means equal, president of the LWV Ellen Ochs says the theme relates to personal experiences.

“When I was on the county board, I had to kind of prove myself a little bit because I was the only woman. But eventually because they got to know me, they they trusted that more. But you have to stand up for yourself to be equal. And the other person has to let you do that. That’s only fair.”, she says.

The League of Women Voters of Greater Chippewa Valley has roughly 80 members, with 21 chapters in Wisconsin. It was created in 1920, in hope of teaching women how to vote and to get registered.

The organization is holding another event on how to register to vote on august 29th. This event will be virtual.

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