I’m so pleased that there is a day set aside for recognizing women, making a statement about the blessing of Suffrage, the ability to vote and have a voice in our own governance. It took from 1776 to 1920 to acknowledge women in this way, as our culture has developed over more than 2 centuries. It took Rep. Bella Abzug’s efforts to have this day set aside to recognize the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granting women the right to vote.
In these cynical times, when so many have lost confidence in the integrity of our representatives, and even of the process itself, it’s amazing to realize how much power there is in one vote. There have been several elections recently when less than 1% of the votes cast made the difference between candidates.
So please don’t let the current atmosphere of division and conflict prevent you from exercising this hard-won right to cast your vote.
In the Presidential election of 2016, about 55% of voting age citizens cast ballots.
That measure of turnout is the lowest in a presidential election since 1996, when 53.5% of voting-age citizens turned out.
72% of women citizens in the US were registered to vote in the 2016 election. 22.5% of them reported that they did not vote.
Regardless of how you identify politically, consider that those 22.5% of women who did not vote- could have changed the outcome of the election.
Do you have a passion for public service? Do you have a point of view that’s not well-represented? Are you interested in stepping up to represent your neighbors? Consider running for public office- local, state or national. Do you know a woman in your life who would be great in public leadership? Nominate her to run today.
Check out the website, sheshouldrun.org.
She Should Run provides women with the encouragement and resources they need to run for office. They have an Ask a Woman to Run tool, to help her get started on a path to public office.
Women’s Equality Day is August 26. Even more important, National Register to Vote Day is September 25, 2018. Take hold of the right we fought for, and won, as women. Register and Vote!
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