A chorus of voices rang through Franklin’s Tartan Hall as the the Macon County League of Women Voters celebrated 15 years of political engagement Monday night (June 14).

“Happy birthday to us, happy birthday to us, happy birthday dear voters, happy birthday to us,” they sang.

The Macon League is a division of a national, nonpartisan political organization, which encourages citizens to be informed and actively participate in government whether it be through discussion, voting, contacting representatives or perhaps even running for office.

“We are not focused on pushing any one issue unless its information,” said League president Maethel Shindelman.

The League — born from the women’s suffrage movement that resulted in the 19th Amendment in the 1920s — originally served to teach women how to exercise their new right to vote. However, the League expanded its mission to include all citizens, meaning that despite its name the League is open to both women and men.

“It certainly is an organization that you can be proud of,” said Macon League member Pat Boyd.

Locally, the League was established first in Highlands by Elinor Metzger. Metzger had joined the League in Atlanta in 1948 around the time the United Nations was being formed. At the time, the U.N.’s concept as a peacekeeping unit was appealing — now, Metzger said, things aren’t quite what they seemed.

After moving to Highlands, Metzger was motivated to organize a local League when battles over sewer expansion pitted the town against its Franklin neighbors.

“A lot of people were concerned about it from different points of view,” Metzger said. “Unfortunately it was a very political issue with a lot of people in Highlands and it divided our membership.”

The rift shifted the League from its base in Highlands to Franklin.

Now the League — which has chosen to maintain its focus on local issues rather than state, national or world — has become known as a reliable source of both sides of the political debate. Its candidate forums are among the public, political and press community’s most well respected and well attended.

Four years ago, when county commissioner Bob Simpson was running for election, the forums provided an important service in an unusually long primary season.

“The only outlet we had was the League of Women Voters,” Simpson said.

Since the election, Simpson has found that the League carries significant weight.

“I’ve learned that when I want something done I should call a woman,” Simpson said, calling out members Susan Ervin — a leader of the Macon County Planning Board and a host of other organizations; Kay Coriell — a driving force behind the Macon County Greenway; and Sue Waldroop — Friends of the Library president.

The League meets at noon the second Thursday of every month in Tartan Hall at the First Presbyterian Church in Franklin. Meetings are free and open to the general public.

“I joined the League so that I could feel like a part of the community,” said member Janet Sakellarios.

While individual memberships are available — $45 for one-year — household memberships — $65 for one-year — are popular (anecdotal information indicates many husbands join the League’s ranks after hearing their wives come home talking about politics).

The next League meeting will be held July 14. For more information about the League contact Shindelman at 828.524.5192 or wilandor@aol.com.

“The main thing I would like is to see larger participation,” Ervin said.