Patricia Anne Dillon Cafferata was born in 1940 and attended Bishop Monogue High School in Reno; Mills College in Oakland, California; and Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. She received a bachelor's degree from Lewis and Clark in 1963 with a major in elementary education and a law degree from Southwestern University School of Law in 1989. She is currently an attorney in Reno, Nevada.
Ms. Cafferata, a Republican, has long had an interest in politics; her mother is Barbara Vucanovich (R), one of Nevada's representatives to the U.S. Congress. In 1976 Ms. Cafferata unsuccessfully ran for Nevada State Treasurer. She was elected to the Nevada State Assembly for District 25 in 1978 and in 1982 was the first woman elected to the Nevada State Treasurer's office. Although virtually guaranteed reelection as Treasurer, she chose to run for Governor of Nevada in 1986 against Democrat Richard Bryan. After her election loss she entered Southwestern University College of Law, passing the Nevada bar exam in 1990. She ran for the office of District Attorney of Lyon County that same year but did not win. Two years later she was appointed to fill the vacant Lincoln County District Attorney's position. In 1998 Cafferata ran for District 25 Assembly seat but was defeated in the primary election. Cafferata currently has a private law practice in Reno.
In addition to her political interests, Ms. Cafferata has been
active in many community organizations, including Doctors' Wives
of Washoe County, the Reno-Sparks Chamber of Commerce, Washoe
County Historical Society, St. Mary's Hospital Guild, Washoe Medical
Center League, and Republican Women's Club of Reno.
SCOPE AND CONTENT
The papers of Patty Cafferata were donated to the Special Collections Department by Ms. Cafferata in July and December, 1993; an additional gift was made in October, 1998. The collection consists of fifteen cubic feet of materials which date from 1958-1998. A portion of the collection, those papers of Cafferata's political campaigns (Series II), has been closed until after her death and prior to that, may only be examined with advance permission of the donor.
The collection has been divided into four series following the basic arrangement of the donor: materials related to political offices held by Cafferata, political campaign management materials, personal papers, and videotapes. The largest part of the collection is Series I which documents the public offices held by Cafferata. Included are speeches, calendars, information relating to topics or legislative bills sponsored by or of interest to her (D.U.I legislation, hazardous waste sites in Nevada), and scrapbooks. Administrative files document her responsibilities as treasurer and include materials about the state's financial portfolio and public investment pools, and files which track her activities as an office holder. This series also holds scrapbooks compiled during Cafferata's political campaigns and terms of office. The scrapbooks consist of clippings, photographs, programs of events, and other mementos. Some speeches and scrapbook clippings reference Cafferata's mother, Representative Barbara Vucanovich.
Series II, Political Campaigns, may only be examined with prior permission of the donor. This series documents her campaign strategy, campaign management, and financial backing. The records for this series appear to be fairly complete. Some of the records in this series are public records, for example, campaign financial statements, and are available at the office of the Nevada Secretary of State. The series also includes sample ballots which are available at the County Registrar of Voters' office.
Series III contains personal papers which touch lightly on Cafferata's personal interests and activities outside the political sphere. Included are college term papers, calendars, certificates, reports, clippings, and some correspondence about Doctors' Wives of Washoe County, Cafferata's teaching career, Nevada Women's Conference and law classes at Southwestern University College of Law.
Processed by: Susan Searcy
Date: December 17, 1993 and October 19, 1998
The papers of Patty Cafferata have been arranged into the following series:
I. Political Offices
II. Political Campaigns
III. Personal Papers
IV. Videotapes
Series I. Political Offices. 1976-1990. 7 cu. ft.
This series represents papers created by Cafferata because of her personal interest in politics and while holding political office. Included are speeches, calendars, information relating to legislative bills sponsored by her, scrapbooks, and other files which track her activities as an office holder. The series has been divided into four subseries which are chronologically arranged: pre-public office period, State Assembly, State Treasurer, and post-public office political activities. There are no restrictions on use of this series, and, except for speeches, does not include material related to Cafferata's political campaigns.
Box 1
93-69/I/1 - PRE-PUBLIC OFFICE POLITICAL INTERESTS
I/1/1 National elections. 1976.
I/1/2-4 Speeches. 1976-1978.
I/1/5-6 Calendars. 1978-1979.
93-69/I/2 - STATE ASSEMBLY
I/2/1-2 Calendars. 1980-1982.
I/2/3 Speech - 1980 Campaign Management School.
I/2/4 Legislative orientation. 1981.
I/2/5 Legislation. 1981.
I/2/6 Legislative statistics by Assembly. 1981.BOX 1
I/2/7 Legislative Commission's Subcommittee to Study the Operation of Nevada's Drunk Driving Law (S.B. 83). Aug. 27, 1982.
I/2/8 Operation of S.B. 83 (D.U.I.) . Thurs. Oct. 14, 1982.
I/2/9 D.U.I. legislation. 1981-1982
I/2/10 D.U.I. legislation: ACR-111.
I/2/11 Opinion poll. 1982.
I/2/12-13 Speeches. 1981-1983.
I/2/14-15 Scrapbooks - Assembly [District] 25. 1981.
93-69/I/3 - STATE TREASURER
I/3/1-3 Calendars. 1982-1984.
Box 2
I/3/4-18 Speeches. 1983-1987; 1990.
I/3/19-22 Calendars. 1985-1988.
I/3/23-26 Phone messages. 1983-1987.
I/3/27 Completed agendas. Oct. 1983 - Nov. 1986.
Box 3
I/3/28 Number not assigned.
I/3/29-30 Functions attended and declined. April 1985 - July 1986.
I/3/31-32 Publicity and press releases. 1984-1987.
I/3/33 Dictionary of terms used in connection with tax-exempt securities, etc.
I/3/34 Scouts in Government Day. 1984.
I/3/35 AB711, 1985 (never heard). Required employers to provide information about hazardous chemicals.
I/3/36 Local government investment pool.
I/3/37 Audit hearing, Las Vegas. Mar. 27, 1985.
I/3/38 "Instructions from Bob" [on Treasurer's responsibilities and duties].
I/3/39 Weekly portfolio reports. Dec. 14, 1984 - Dec. 26, 1986.
I/3/40 Investment pool month-to-month comparisons. Jan. 1, 1985 - Nov. 1986.
I/3/41-42 Investment records. June 10, 1986 - Jan. 2, 1987.
I/3/43 Board of Finance reports. 1985-1986.
I/3/44 State revenue charts.
I/3/45 Cash management.
I/3/46-47 Investments [calendars]. Jan. 1983 - 1989.
I/3/48a General mailings, newsletters.
I/3/48b Treasurer's plans, goals. Report on the prime rate from 1947-1983.
I/3/49-50 Nevada Department of Taxation annual reports, 1982-1984.
I/3/51 Report on State Treasury Activities and Function by the National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers, and Treasurers. 1983.
I/3/52 Nevada Commission on Economic Development annual report. 1983-1984.
I/3/53 Nevada State Plan for Economic Diversification and Development by the Nevada Commission on Economic Development. 1985.
I/3/54 Financial demographics from City and State Magazine. May 1986.
I/3/55 Financial management monitoring/embezzlement.
I/3/56 "Treasurer's Notes" newsletter. Spring 1986.
I/3/57-58 Notes on history of Nevada and the State Treasurer's office.
I/3/59 Presidential invitations.
I/3/60-61 Mementos. 1984
Box 4
I/3/62-64 Mementos. 1986.
I/3/65 1986 Governor's race election results.
I/3/66 1986 Governor's race clippings.
I/3/67-74 Scrapbooks. 1982.
I/3/75 Guest book. 1978-1986.
I/3/76-82 Scrapbooks. 1983-1984; 1985-1986. These volumes were placed on shelf at end of manuscript collection.
I/3/83-84 Scrapbook. Aug.-Dec. 1984.
I/3/85-87 Toxic waste scrapbook. 1984-1985.
Box 5
I/3/88 Toxic waste scrapbook. 1984-1985.
I/3/89-94 Scrapbooks, elections. 1986.
93-69/I/4 - POST-PUBLIC OFFICE POLITICAL ACTIVITIES
I/4/1-6 Calendars. 1988-1990.
I/4/7-9 Scrapbook. 1990.
Series II. Political Campaigns. 1978-1998. 5 cu. ft.
This series contains records of Ms. Cafferata's campaigns for public office in the state of Nevada, beginning with an unsuccessful bid for State Treasurer in 1978, through her run for District Attorney of Lyon County in 1990. Included in this series are campaign plans, financial records, clippings, sample ballots, event files, schedules, press releases, sample mailings, mailing lists, donor lists, correspondence, and photographs. Not included here, but originally related to this series, are speeches and scrapbooks. They have been filed in Series I, "Political Offices." As per Ms. Cafferata's instructions, all the materials now in Series II (with the exception of the photographs) are restricted until after her death and may only be viewed with advance permission from the donor. Photographs have been removed from the manuscript collection and placed in the photo archives of the Special Collections Department.
Series II has been subdivided into five subseries based on Cafferata's individual political campaigns: State Treasurer's race, 1978; State Assembly, 1980-1981; State Treasurer, 1982; Governor, 1986; and Lyon County District Attorney, 1990. Arrangement of this series follows Cafferata's original arrangement. Material added at a later date has been integrated into the appropriate series but added to the end of those series.
Box 6 - RESTRICTED
93-69/II/1 - STATE TREASURER'S RACE. 1978.
II/1/1 Campaign plan.
II/1/2 Schedules.
II/1/3-4 Press releases.
II/1/5 Mailings.
II/1/6-10 Financial records.
II/1/11 Post-election correspondence.
II/1/12 Clippings. 1977-1978.
II/1/13-14 Sample ballots. Sept. and Nov., 1978.
II/1/15 Sample mailings.
II/1/16 Campaign volunteer index. [see box 13]
93-69/II/2 - STATE ASSEMBLY RACE. 1980. RESTRICTED.
II/2/1 Mailings.
II/2/2 Steering Committee.
II/2/3-4 Financial records.
II/2/5 Patty's events.
II/2/6 Press releases.
II/2/7 Donors and volunteers index. [see box 14]
93-69/II/3 - STATE TREASURER'S RACE. 1982. RESTRICTED.
II/3/1 Campaign plan.
II/3/2 Campaign manager.
II/3/3 Campaign promises.
II/3/4-5 Financial records.
II/3/6 Speeches.
II/3/7 Biography of candidate.
II/3/8-9 Correspondence.
Box 7 - RESTRICTED
II/3/10 Event information forms.
II/3/11-15 Mailing samples.
II/3/16 Press releases.
II/3/17 Schedules.
II/3/18 Past events.
II/3/19-23 Donors and fund raisers.
II/3/24-29 Mailing and fund raising lists.
II/3/30 Candidates and office holders.
II/3/31 Nevada Republican Central Committee.
II/3/32 Washoe County Republican Central Committee.
II/3/33 Deputy Registrars.
II/3/34-39 Various special interest group lists.
II/3/40 Yard signs.
II/3/41 Precinct walking.
II/3/42 Rides to the polls.
II/3/43 Statewide opinion poll: "A Survey of Voter Attitudes in the State of Nevada Prepared for Patty Cafferata." July, 1982.
II/3/44 Maps.
II/3/45 Editorials.
II/3/46 1981 Statistical Supplement to Legislative Districts.
II/3/47-49 Sample ballots.
Box 8 - RESTRICTED
93-69/II/4 - GOVERNOR'S RACE. 1986.
II/4/1 Brodeur/Martin campaign consultants.
II/4/2 Campaign plan.
II/4/3 Steering Committee.
II/4/4-5 Campaign donations.
II/4/6-11 Financial records.
II/4/12-15 Correspondence.
II/4/16-31 County organizations: Carson, Churchill, Douglas, Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Pershing, Storey, Washoe, and White Pine.
II/4/32 Cow County swing.
II/4/33 Deputy registrars.
II/4/34 Number skipped.
II/4/35-36 Calendars.
II/4/37 Schedule.
II/4/38-39 Events.
II/4/40 Fact sheets.
II/4/41 Hecht list [financial statement].
II/4/42 Las Vegas office set-up.
II/4/43 Nevada Judicial Directory.
II/4/44 Press kits/bids.
II/4/45 Press releases.
Box 9 - RESTRICTED
II/4/46 Media - T.V., radio.
II/4/47-49 Mailings (samples).
II/4/50-52 Mailing lists.
II/4/53 Clark County clubs and officers.
II/4/54 Tom Young's mailing list.
II/4/55 National Republican Congressional Committee Campaign Services Directory. 1985-1986.
II/4/56 State, County, Judicial, and Legislative Officers in Nevada [directory]. 1981-1982.
II/4/57 Nevada Association of Counties. 1986 Directory of County, State, and Federal Officials.
II/4/58 IBD's - Toxic waste.
II/4/59 Campaign notes (yellow pad).
II/4/60 Ideas - other peoples' [campaign literature].
II/4/61 Business cards.
II/4/62 Signs (requests).
II/4/63 Speaking requests (from Patty).
II/4/64-66 Sample ballots.
II/4/67 Volunteers.
II/4/68 Votes polled by county.
93-69/II/5 LYON COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S RACE. 1990. RESTRICTED.
II/5/1 Opposition research (Keith Loomis, Robert Bennett).
II/5/2 Speeches.
II/5/3 Press releases.
II/5/4 Mailings.
II/5/5 1990 Governor's race calendar.
93-69/II/6 Post 1990 Campaigns. Video tapes transferred to Special Collections photo archives.
II/6/1-3 Audio cassettes. 1988-1996.
II/6/4-5 Appointment calendars. 1994, 1995.
II/6/6-10 Scrapbooks. 1990-1998 (placed on shelf next to last box of collection).
II/6/11-12 Appointment calendars. 1996, 1997.
II/6/13 Political correspondence. 1986-1989.
II/6/14 Scrapbook. District 25 Assembly race. June - Sept. 1998. On shelf after last box of collection.
Series III. Personal Papers. 1958-1998. 3 cu. ft.
This series documents a portion of Ms. Cafferata's life outside of her political interests. Both the earliest and most recent materials date from her college days and include term papers and calendars from Mills College (1958-1961) and from Southwestern University School of Law (1988-1989). Mrs. Cafferata was active in the Doctors' Wives of Washoe County organization and her activities in the mid-1970s are documented in news releases, reports, and correspondence. The bulk of this series consists of calendars, 1958-1992, and research papers written for law classes at Southwestern University. This series is arranged into two subseries: miscellaneous personal materials, and law school papers.
Box 10
93-69/III/1 - MISCELLANEOUS PERSONAL PAPERS.
III/1/1 College term paper: "Reno, Biggest Little City in the World." Jan. 1961.
III/1/2a School teaching. 1963-1964.
III/1/2b Reading Dynamics Institute. 1966.
III/1/3 Playmates Nursery School. [1967].
III/1/4 Monogue High School Class of 1958 Reunion Year Book. [1968].
III/1/5 Doctors' Wives of Washoe County. 1974-1979.
III/1/6 Doctors' Wives rummage sale. 1976.
III/1/7 E.L. Pine Elementary School Parent Faculty Club. 1976.
III/1/8 Nevada Women's Conference. 1976.
III/1/9 Miscellaneous.
III/1/10-19 Calendars. 1958-1992.
III/1/20 Certificates. 1995-1998.
III/1/21 Article from Stanford Magazine about Treat Cafferata. Fall, 1988.
Box 11
93-69/III/2 - LAW SCHOOL.
III/2/1-22 Research papers.
Box 12
III/2/23-27 Law school exams.
Series IV. Videotapes. 1997-1998. 19 tapes.
This series contains video tapes of interviews of Cafferata and those by Cafferata, mostly for the Reno public access television, SNCAT. There is a variety of topics.
These tapes have been transferred to the photo archives of the Special Collections Department.