University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
The University of Montana--Missoula
Missoula, MT 59812
406-243-2053
https://www.umt.edu/library/asc
library.archives@umontana.edu
Mss
632
League of
Women Voters of Missoula
League of Women
Voters of Missoula Records
1946-2004
8.8 linear feet
The League of Women Voters of Missoula,
Inc. in Missoula, Montana is a non-partisan research group established in 1952
and still active. The goal of the League of Women Voters of Missoula is to
promote political responsibility through informed and active participation of
citizens in government. The League focuses on informing the local community and
League members of community, environmental, social and political issues through
local studies, group discussions and publications.
Materials are in English
Historical Note
The League of Women Voters in Missoula, Montana (LWVM) formed in 1951 and was recognized by the national board in 1952. Active
founding member and local historian, Audra Browman, stated that the goal of the
League of Women Voters of Missoula was to promote political responsibility
through informed and active participation of citizens in government. The Missoula League
targeted this objective by sponsoring various local studies, forums, publications, and other outreach. One prominent publication was the Missoula League's newsletter,
The Voter. Studies and priorities for action typically concerned local Missoula city-county issues.
Topics for study include city/county consolidation and other forms of urban planning, local government, school unification, environmental issues, and other social policies.
This collection contains administrative records, studies, and issue-specific research conducted by The League of Women Voters of Missoula. Most of the studies and issues focus on the Missoula community, although national and statewide topics are addressed as well. Highlights of the collection include voter guides and candidate profiles for local elections; descriptions of city-county boards, roles, and services; and general activism regarding education and urban planning. The LWVM newsletter,
The Voter, offers a periodic summary of the League's main efforts and issues from the 1950s through the early 2000s.
The collection is divided into five series:
Series I: Administrative Records, 2.0 linear feet, 1951-2004
Series II: Studies and Issues, 4.4 linear feet, 1951-2004
Series III:
The Voter, 0.8 linear feet, 1953-2004
Series IV: Scrapbooks, 1.4 linear feet, 1954-1960
Series V: Media, 0.2 linear feet, 1984
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of
Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and
The University of Montana--Missoula.
Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and
any other applicable statutes. Copyright not transferred to the University of Montana.
League of Women Voters of
Missoula, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library,
The University of Montana--Missoula.
Gift of the League of Women Voters of Missoula, 1987-1994, 2010, 2014, and 2015.
Materials have been organized by the processor in alphabetical, then
chronological order within series. Additional issues of
The Voter were added to the collection in 2010. In 2025, materials donated in 2014 and 2015 were added to Series I, II, and III.
Some published materials from other local chapters, the Montana League of
Women Voters and the National League of Women Voters were removed from the collection.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online
catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or
places should search the catalog using these headings.
Missoula (Mont.)--Politics and government--20th
century
Local
Government--Montana
Metropolitan
government--Montana
Political
participation--Montana--Missoula
Schools--Centralization--Montana--Missoula
Social
planning--Montana--Missoula
Women--Montana--Missoula--Societies and clubs
Women in
politics--Montana--Missoula
Administrative
records--Montana--Missoula
Newsletters--Montana--Missoula
Research (document
genres)--Montana--Missoula
Scrapbooks--Montana--Missoula
Sound
recordings--Montana--Missoula
Missoula
Women
Civic
Activism
Montana
Political Campaigns
The Voter
Series I
Administrative Records
1951-2004
2.0 linear feet
This series contains administrative records generated by the LWVM, including monthly and annual board minutes. Recorded within the minutes are the treasurer
reports, budget proposals, and updates on local and national studies. This series also contains membership lists, correspondence, calendars, and miscellaneous project planning materials.
This series is arranged alphabetically by topic.
1/1
Administration: By-Laws and Articles of Incorporation
1964-1999
1/2
Annual Reports for Local Annual Meeting
1971-1989
16/1
Annual Reports for Local Annual Meeting
1990-2002
1/3
Annual Reports to National League
1966-1972
1/4
Annual Reports to National League
1974-1983
1/5
Board Functioning
1980-1983
1/6
Board Members Records
1953-1966, 1989-2004
1/7
Board Minutes
1959-1962
1/8
Board Minutes
1963-1964
1/9
Board Minutes
1965-1967
1/10
Board Minutes
1968-1969
1/11
Board Minutes
1970-1971
1/12
Board Minutes
1972-1973
2/1
Board Minutes
1974-1976
2/2
Board Minutes
1977-1978
2/3
Board Minutes
1979-1980
2/4
Board Minutes
1981-1983
2/5
Board Minutes
1984-1985
2/6
Board Minutes
1986-1987
2/7
Board Minutes
1988-1990
16/2
Board Minutes
1991-1994
16/3
Board Minutes
1995-1998
16/4
Board Minutes
2001-2003
16/5
Board Orientation and Training Materials
1975-circa 1990s
16/6
Board Policies
1977-2000
16/7
Board Reports and Goals
1993-1998
16/8
Board Treasurer, Audit
2000
16/9
Board Treasurer's Reports, Budgets and Financial Statements
1980-2001
16/10
Bulk Mailing Rates
1983-1988
16/11
Calendar of Activities
1981-1999
2/8
City-County Consolidation, talk by Audra Browman
July 7, 1982
2/9
Community Public Relations
1963-1964
2/10
Copy of Speeches on the United Nations, School Board
Unification, City-County
1965
2/11
Election Facts and Elected Officials
1982-1990
2/12
Handbook
1986-1987
2/13
History of Missoula League
1951-1953
2/14
History Newspaper clippings
1982-1988
3/1
Inter-League Cooperation Policy
1982
3/2
League Archives
1968-1976
3/3
League Dues
1972 and 1982
3/4
Local League History
1951-1981
3/5
Local Government Publications
1963-1974
3/6
Local Publications
1974-1984
3/7
Membership Lists
1951-2003
3/8
Membership Records
1954-1982
3/9
National Security Concern
undated
3/10
Obsolete Letterheads
undated
3/11
Old Correspondence from State Environment
Quality
1972-1973
3/12
Unit Attendance
1976-1982
17/1
Fund Raising
1965-1998
17/2
Graphics and Printing
1985-1999
17/3
Intra League Correspondence
1988-1989
17/4
Luncheon Speaker Series
1990-1996
17/5
Luncheon Speaker Series
1997-2004
17/6
Member Surveys
1998
17/7
Membership Lists: Other Montana Chapters
1987-1989
17/8
Miscellaneous Committees
1987-1988
17/9
Miscellaneous League Correspondence
1987-1991
17/10
National Convention: Notes, Speeches, and Miscellaneous
1984-1998
17/11
National Program Planning: Survey Responses
1992
17/12
Nominating and Telephone Committees
1953-1998
17/13
Observer Corps
1982-1992
17/14
Program Planning
circa 1978-1990
17/15
Use of League Logo and Name Policies
1999
17/16
The Voter Expenses
1985-1990
Series II
Studies and Issues
1951-2004
4.4 linear feet
This series contains studies, research, reports, correspondence, and other resources dedicated to increasing civic engagement in the Missoula community. Documentation also includes the League's position on various issues, which are primarily local, however, national and statewide topics are also covered.
This series is arranged alphabetically by topic.
3/13
Administration of Justice
1970-1976
3/14
Annexation
1979-1980
3/15
Campaign Financing
1975-1976
3/16
City Zoning
1977-1979
4/1
Coalition for Local Government Study Reports
1975 and 1982
4/2
Coalition for Local Government Study Reports
1982
4/3
Coalition for Local Government Study Reports
1982-1983
4/4
Committee Reports for Air Pollution
1977
4/5
City/County Consolidation
1962-1976
4/6
City/County Consolidation Newspaper Articles
1975-1976
4/7
Daycare
1972-1974
4/8
Early Local Studies
1954-1964
4/9
Education ‘70
1969-1974
4/10
Equal Opportunity
1960-1973
4/11
Exceptional Children ‘57
1957 and 1961
4/12
Growth Study
1974-1976
5/1
Growth Study
1974-1978
5/2
Growth Study Photos, Zoning Maps, and
Clippings
1972-1979
5/3
Growth in Missoula
1978-1981
5/4
Health and Daycare
1978-1980
5/5
Hmong
1980
5/6
Hmong, Local Education
1980-1981
5/7
Housing
1971
5/8
Human Resources Vo-Tech
1967-1982
5/9
Land Use Planning
1972-1976
5/10
Library
1957-1973
5/11
Library
1967-1982
5/12
Local Government City Manager ’58
1953-1958
5/13
Local Government Reorganization
1976-1984
6/1
Local Government Study
1946-1962
6/2
Local Government Study
1963-1975
6/3
Local Government Study
1975-1976
6/4
Local Government Study Commissions County
Charter
1975-1976
6/5
Local Survey
1952-1953
6/6
Metropolitan Government Forms 1980-81
1980
6/7
Missoula Air and Watershed Study 1979
1977-1981
6/8
Missoula County Council of Women’s
Organizations
1946-1950
6/9
Missoula Rural Fire District
1978-1991
6/10
Missoula Rural Fire District
1984-1985
6/11
Montana Water Pollution Control
1953-1964
6/12
Montana Water Pollution Control
1954-1957
7/1
Montana Water Pollution Control
1963-1968
7/2
Old Positions
1967-1987
7/3
Original Studies
1951-1954
7/4
Original Studies
1955-1974
7/5
Parks and Recreation
1972-1977
7/6
Poll Reporting
1968-1976
7/7
Public Health (Health Board)
1955-1978
7/8
Publications and Voter Guides
1967-1974, 1988-2003
7/9
Schools
1976-1978
7/10
Schools, Budgets
1973-1982
7/11
Schools Hot Lunch
1971-1978
8/1
School Unification
1960-1981
8/2
School Unification
1964-1981
8/3
School Unification
1969-1976
8/4
School Unification Public Relations
1969-1970
8/5
Sewers
1954-1981
8/6
State Custodial Institutions
1967-1976
8/7
State Land Use and Taxation Study
1973-1977
8/8
Subdivision Regulations
1980-1989
8/9
Topics with no League Position
1981-1982
8/10
Water Study (Clark Fork)
1956-1973
8/11
State Position: Arms Control Position
1969-1983
8/12
State Position: Legislature
1964-1978
8/13
State Position: Montana Government, Efficient and
Equitable Financing of Public Education in Montana
1984-1988
8/14
State Position: Montana Government, State
Finance
1954-1986
9/1
State Position: Montana Government, State
Finance
1954-1986
9/2
State Position: Montana Government, Unicameral
Legislature
1967-1979
9/3
State Position: Montana Government, Unicameral
Legislature
1971-1980
9/4
State Position: Voting Rights, Candidate
Forum
1984
9/5
National Position: Social Policy, Equal Rights
Amendment
1978-1984
9/6
National Position: Social Policy, Equal Rights and
International Women’s Year
1975-1977
9/7
National Position: Social Policy, Income
Assistance
1971-1983
9/8
National Position: Social Policy, Indians
1968-1970
9/9
National Position: International Relations,
Trade
1967-1980
10/1
National Position: International Relations, U.S.
Relations with Developing Countries
1967-1988
10/2
National Position: International Relations, Arms
Control
1983-1988
10/3
National Position: Government, Ballot Issues
1984
10/4
National Position: Government, Campaign
Finance
1973-1976
10/5
National Position: Government, Citizens Rights to Know
and Participate in the State Legislature Process
1977-1987
10/6
National Position: Government, Congress and the
Presidency
1975-1976
10/7
National Position: Government, Public Policy on
Reproductive Freedom
1982-1990
10/8
National Position: Social Policy, Equal Access to
Education, Employment and Housing
1968-1988
10/9
National Position: Social Policy, Equal Access to
Education, Employment and Housing
1968-1988
18/1
Alliance for Better Campaigns
2000
18/2
Assault Weapons / Gun Control
1993-1994
18/3
Campaign Finance Reform
1997-1998
18/4
Candidate Debates
1994-1996
18/5
Capitol Reports, Montana Legislative Session
1993
18/6
Chemical Weapons Convention
1997
18/7
Childcare
1988
18/8
City Council Broadcasts Sponsorship / KUFM
1985-1987
18/9
City Ordinance, Pesticides
1991-1997
18/10
Clark Fork Coalition / Rock Creek Project
1988
18/11
Clean Air
1988-1997
18/12
Clean Water / Missoula Water Quality District
1988-1998
18/13
Criminal Justice Reform Act
1975
18/14
Education Study Group
1998-2001
18/15
Education / Unification of Missoula Schools
1958-1993
18/16
Families Achieving Independence in Montana (FAIM)
1998
18/17
Gays and Lesbians in the Armed Forces / Deviant Sexual Conduct Laws
1993
18/18
Get Out the Vote
1996
18/19
Healthcare (National)
1994-2000
18/20
Healthcare (State and Local)
1999-2000
18/21
Hunger Resource Center Coalition
1987
18/22
Initiative 125 / Committee to Defend First Amendment Rights
1996
18/23
Land Use and Urban Planning
1973-1992
18/24
Land Use and Urban Planning / Growth Management
2002
18/25
Land Use / Natural Resources, Parks
1958-1980
19/1
Legal History of Roe v. Wade
1992
19/2
Lobbying ABCs and Legislative Research Workshops
circa 1988-1994
19/3
Local Candidate Information and Voter Guides
1995-2000
19/4
Local Position Summaries
1987-2001
19/5
Meet the Candidates Flyer
1984
19/6
Miscellaneous Action and Correspondence
1979-1994
19/7
Miscellaneous Action and Correspondence
1995-2004
19/8
Missoula Area School Board Elections
1999
19/9
Missoula City and County Boards
circa 1985-1988
19/10
Missoula City and County Zoning
1998
19/11
Missoula Community Access Television (MCAT)
1990-1998
19/12
Missoula County Elections, Candidate Questionnaires
1999-2000
19/13
Missoula County Health Department Services
1955-1980
20/1
Missoula County High Schools, Discrimination in Hiring
1988
20/2
Missoula County High Schools, Sex Equality in Athletics
1990
20/3
Missoula County School Board Candidates Forum
1996-1998
20/4
Missoula Gambling Revenue
2000
20/5
Missoula Local Government Study Commission
1996
20/6
Missoula Measures
1997-1998
20/7
Montana Agriculture in International Trade
1988-1991
20/8
Montana Community Foundation Endowment Fund
1998-2001
20/9
Montana Energy Policy
1991
20/10
Montana Minimum Wage / Missoula Living Wage Initiatives
1996-1999
20/11
Montana Open Meeting Law
circa 1983-1997
20/12
Montana Youth Vote
2000
20/13
Neighborhood Councils Study
1997-1998
20/14
Newspaper Clippings and State Candidates Bulletin
1962-1963
20/15
Privatization Study
2000
20/16
Salmon Lake Causeway
1994
20/17
Seven-Up Pete Mine
1995-1996
20/18
Smart Voter (Online)
1997-1998
20/19
State Positions: New Since 1994
circa 2000
20/20
Women's Reproductive Rights / Freedom of Choice
1992
Series III
The Voter
1953-2004
0.8 linear feet
This series contains the League's newsletter, which circulated LWVM research, studies, and other issues to the wider Missoula community.
This series is arranged chronologically.
11/1
The Voter
1953-1956
11/2
The Voter
1957-1960
11/3
The Voter
1961-1965
11/4
The Voter
1966-1969
11/5
The Voter
1970-1972
11/6
The Voter
1973-1976
11/7
The Voter
1977-1978
11/8
The Voter
1979-1980
12/1
The Voter
1981-1983
12/2
The Voter
1984-1985
12/3
The Voter
1986-1987
12/4
The Voter
1988-1992
12/5
The Voter
1993-1999
12/6
The Voter
2000-2004
Series IV
Scrapbooks
1954-1960
1.4 linear feet
This series contains scrapbooks created by League members featuring newspaper clippings and photographs about League events, letters to the editor, and other positions taken by the LWVM.
13
Scrapbook
1954-1959
13
Scrapbook
1974-1975
13
Scrapbook
1976
14
Scrapbook
1951-1956
14
Scrapbook
1960
Series V
Media
1984
0.2 linear feet
This series contains audio and video material generated by the League.
This series is arranged by format.
15/1
"Taking Charge: 1984 Voter Registration Campaign," reel
to reel audio
1984
15/2
Unknown, ¾" videocassette
undated