> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # League of Women Voters' Rose Kaufman receives honor for a lifetime of work - URL: https://www.smdp.com/league-of-women-voters-rose-kaufman-receives-honor-for-a-lifetime-of-work/ - Published: 2007-10-15T15:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-24T03:27:08.000Z - Author: Melody Hanatani - Tags: Education, Montana, #archive-import *Informing the electorate* NORTH OF MONTANA Rose Kaufman filed into a room where a Parent Teacher Association meeting was being held, the mother of three children was interested in learning more about the school district in which her children had just started attending. The 37-year-old Philadelphia native was shocked at the manner in which the meeting in Toledo, Ohio was being conducted — at the helm was a school principal, controlling the flow and pace of discussions, parents unable to get a word in edgewise. “I learned the principal had been at the school since the days before electricity,” Kaufman said last month. “She was a strong principal and probably very good at what she was doing, but nobody had a chance to make a suggestion.” Eager to learn more about school and local policies in her new city, Kaufman picked up the phone and signed up for the League of Women Voters in Toledo. That one call in 1951 spawned more than 56 dedicated years with the League of Women Voters. At 93 years old, Kaufman is still going strong with the non-partisan political organization, now with the Santa Monica branch. Kaufman was honored last month by the League and the city of Santa Monica for her 56 years of volunteer service, presented with a proclamation that declared Aug. 19 at “Rose Kaufman Day” in Santa Monica. The 47-year Santa Monica resident has spent the majority of her long and fruitful career with the League in voter services, compiling pro and con information on ballot initiatives. She has served as president twice in the league — from 1964-65 and 1982-83 respectively. During the 2006 election, the league distributed more than 3,000 copies of a voter education handout listing the pros and cons of every local measure. There were five measures in the most recent local election — measures U, V, W, Y and BB. The pros and cons are compiled from supporters and opponents of each ballot initiative. Even if the information is inaccurate, Kaufman said she doesn’t edit the content provided to her. Most importantly, League opinion is never inputted. Kaufman was born and raised in Philadelphia and moved to Toledo in 1950 where she attended the University of Toledo. After 10 years in Ohio, Kaufman and her family uprooted to Santa Monica after her husband, Phillip, secured a job as a chemical engineer. For a politically active woman, moving to a politically active small town was a perfect fit. It also helped that Santa Monica lacked the frigid climate of Toledo. Santa Monica had the vibe of a small and intimate town in the 1960s, a time when neighbors were close and children could walk or ride a bicycle to school, Kaufman said. The area from Montana to Wilshire had mainly small houses, rather than apartment complexes and condominiums that are interspersed amongst the single-family homes today. “I liked the small town, but things do not stay the same,” said Kaufman, who has lived in the same home north of Montana Avenue since she moved to Santa Monica. “I think as changes come, some things are better, some are worse.” Her children all went through the Santa Monica- Malibu Unified School District. Kaufman herself also received some education in Santa Monica, attending the local junior college to learn Spanish and psychology. Much has changed since the Kaufmans’ early days in Santa Monica. Traffic has worsened as Santa Monica continues to establish itself as a vacation and entertainment destination. Home prices have skyrocketed as many of Santa Monica neighborhoods have undergone gentrifica-tion. Kaufman said that she would not have been able to buy her home with the housing prices of today’s market. Kaufman has stayed active in Santa Monica’s civic life, participating in a number of committees including the advisory board to WISE Senior Services and the executive committee for Santa Monica College’s Emeritus College, which offers classes for senior citizens. Perhaps most impressive for Kaufman is her record of speaking at City Council meetings — more than 33 times, one of which came in October 1981 when she spoke on the budget. It’s much easier for residents to participate in city government in a small town like Santa Monica, she said. “My philosophy is we all relate to each other,” she said. “We all owe each other consideration and a helping hand if necessary.” Kaufman registered to vote in 1936 at the age of 21\. Voter apathy was low and participation was much higher back then, especially during the throes of the Great Depression. She recalls feeling excited voting in her first election when Franklin D. Roosevelt was running for re-election. It was a feeling of accomplishment, a feeling that she could actually make a difference. “There was a very strong support for Franklin D. Roosevelt,” she said. “He was more or less the savior of society.” She added, “There’s more voter apathy in good times than in bad.” *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 15, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/101507.pdf?ref=smdp.com)