An Inside Look at the Moscow League of Women Voters

This article first appeared in the Moscow-Pullman Daily News "Nearby History" column on November 8, 2025.

By Kaitlynn Anderson, Museum Curator

Moscow League of Women Voters Finance Committee members. LCHS Photo: 01-11-334.

The Latah County Historical Society archive houses thousands of photographs and numerous records related to organizations, businesses, and buildings throughout the county. As local elections took place last week, it seems fitting to take a closer look at the Moscow League of Women Voters collection.

Within this collection of three boxes and artifacts, the creation, expansion, and involvement of the league is visible. In 1949, conversations of creating a Moscow chapter were being held as Pullman already had a local chapter. Originally named the Pre-provisional League of Women Voters before the unofficial creation in 1951, the local chapter was involved in the community. The group screened a movie created the United Nations, completed a know your town survey, and shared information on sanitation and local laws. Not only were they involved with local politics, but they shared information on the state and national level. The chapter created flyers sharing information about the Equal Rights Amendment and how the community could contact state government.

The financial records and membership records express the growing efforts of the league. When the Moscow chapter gained permission from the national chapter to use the official League of Women Voters insignia in 1952, there were 24 members. Two years later, the group almost doubled, reaching 44 members. In order to expand on the amount of work the chapter achieved in Moscow, several fundraising drives took place. One of the most notable fundraisers included the 1970 Year of the Voter. This fundraiser held significant importance as it celebrated the 50^th anniversary of the creation of the national League of Women Voters in 1920 after the creation of the 19^th Amendment. The local chapter held a fundraiser for the anniversary, and Moscow Mayor, Fred Handel, created a proclamation as well. The league displayed a small exhibit at the Washington Water Power, now the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center, regarding the anniversary.

Display at the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center in 1970. LCHS Large Collection: League of Women Voters.

Today, the Moscow League of Women Voters boasts one of the largest memberships in Idaho. The Speaker Series that the chapter held in its early years still occurs present-day. Members of the chapter work with Moscow High School to hold a mock election so future voters understand the meaning of utilizing their civic responsibility. Additionally, members often visit the University of Idaho to register first-time voters and new Idaho residents. Similar to the chapter’s origins, the current chapter continues to have a nonpartisan stance, thus welcoming anyone who is interested in joining.

While assessing the documents located within the Moscow League of Women Voters collection, the importance of archives became prevalent. Without these materials and other materials being donated to LCHS, researchers would not have an inside look at how the local group participated in local, state, and national issues. As part of our mission, LCHS strives to preserve history for current and future generations. Additionally, the records prove as a reminder that history repeats itself. Some of the issues that the Moscow League of Women Voters were educating the community on are similar issues that are still being discussed and relevant today.

Buttons promoting the League. LCHS 2010-34.02.

For more information on the Moscow League of Women Voters, visit their Facebook or www.my.lwv.org/idaho/moscow. If you are interested in learning about additional collections and materials within our collection, please schedule a research appointment or contact LCHS. Digital collections can be found and accessed through our website.