JOCO Chapter History

In the United States before 1920, unless you were a 21-year-old white, Protestant male property owner, you couldn’t vote.

Although League of Women Voters nationally started as an outgrowth of the women’s suffrage movement, Johnson County did not have a “local” League until 1952, when Johnson County was in transition from a rural to an urban community. In a county made up of thirteen second and third class cities and two townships, the Shawnee Mission High School District was the only unifying governmental unit in northeast Johnson County. For twenty years the name of the local League was League of Women Voters of Shawnee Mission. In 1972 the name to League of Women Voters of Johnson County to better represent all League members in the County. There are 22 separate, first, second, and third class, incorporated cities.

The first League studies proposed in 1952: A study of the school system; The Urban Township Plan; Publication of the survey “Know Your Town Government”; and a study of  how the personal property taxes are assessed, combine into a single topic “A Study of Urban Township Government.” The first League Day at the Legislature was held in February 1953.

The first Candidates Meeting was held in 1956.

League successfully sponsored the Shawnee Mission Park System and established by state law in June 1956.(Johnson County Park and Recreation District today) In 1957, League published the first “Guide To Johnson County Government”.

League of Women Voters has been instrumental in establishing The Mental Health Association; the Community Mental Health Center (Rainbow); Human Relations Commission; Johnson Community College, the reorganization of county government, juvenile services, community corrections, water management and many other services. The broad categories in our Position Handbook under which most of our positions and studies fit are Government , Natural Resources, and Social Policy.

From a Johnson County population of 60,000 in the early ‘50’s to an anticipated 600,000 by 2020, when League of Women Voters of the United States turns 100, League of Women Voters of Johnson County will celebrate 68 years.