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WHEREAS, women did not have the right to vote in the United States for the first 144 years of our nation's history, until the 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920 which prohibited states and the federal government from denying citizens the right to vote because of their gender; and
WHEREAS, upon passage of the 19th Amendment, the women and men who had worked tirelessly to attain suffrage for women began working to support women as voters, forming the League of Women Voters; and
Whereas, the League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that has worked since 1920 to improve our system of government and impact public policies through citizen education and advocacy; and
WHEREAS, the League of Women Voters promotes representative government and individual liberties established in the Constitution of the United States; and
WHEREAS, the League of Women Voters collaborates with other organizations to achieve mutual community goals; and
WHEREAS, the League of Women Voters continues to advocate for more informed citizen participation in elections, for broad dissemination of reliable information, and - as this Council has repeatedly resolved - for safe, secure, accurate, recountable, voter-verified-ballot, accessible voting systems; and
WHEREAS, the League of Women Voters for 90 years has held the public trust by respectfully bringing elected leaders and the public together through nonpartisan civil discourse; and
WHEREAS, Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh have benefited tremendously from the countless volunteer hours donated by League of Women Voters members over its 90-year history of enhancing our democracy;
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh recognizes the League of Women Voters for their work promoting active, participatory elections and democracy through local, state and national activities, and does hereby urge all residents of the City of Pittsburgh to pay tribute and respect to the League of Women Voters; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council, in honor of the 90th Anniversary of the League of Women Voters, does hereby proclaim August 26, 2010, to be "League of Women Voters Day" in the City of Pittsburgh.