The president of the League of Women Voters of Iowa says the group isn’t just for women. Jan McNelly of Webster City says the League of Women Voters is open to men, too. Men have been eligible for League of Women Voters membership for 30 years, and about 10 percent of the members in Iowa are men. To become a member, one need only be 18 or older, and be a legal U.S. resident. McNelly says the League’s mission is to help “concerned citizens” learn more about issues. She says it’s important to learn more about what candidates will do if elected rather than to learn about their personalities. McNelly was among those celebrating Women’s Suffrage Day this past week — the 83rd anniversary of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which gave women the right to vote. McNally says the work women suffragists started is not finished — and she says members of the League of Women Voters “are ready to work.” The League of Women Voters was formed in 1920 and has been active in Iowa, which boasted some of the prominent names in the women’s suffrage movement. The League has over 700 members in Iowa and has a history of political action. The League of Women Voters successfully challenged the Congressional redistricting plan the Iowa Legislature crafted in 1972.
