Woman, get thyself to the polls!
Read/Post Comments (0)
I read this week that Texas ranks 49th in the U.S. for women voters and 43rd for registered women voters.
Nationally, more women than men are registered to vote, more women than men vote, and a higher percentage of women than men vote (Center for American Women and Politics, 2004). Yet here in Texas, we rank 49th in the number of our women who actually turn out to vote. While all women do not vote in lockstep, women do tend to vote as a bloc. A gender gap in voting has existed in every U.S. presidential election from 1980 to 2004. The gender gap is the “difference in the percentage of women and men who support a given candidate.” Since 1980, a higher percentage of women than men have voted for the Democratic Party presidential candidate (Center for American Women and Politics, 2005). Because of the potential for the women’s vote to determine the outcome of elections, Republicans, Independents and Democrats now court women voters, and issues important to women receive more attention during campaigns.
It is crucial for us to remember in our election activities to strictly adhere to a thinking-rationale for our votes, seeking to vote on issues rather than stands by political parties. Choose carefully where you gather your information, consider the source bias and then take your position on critical issues such as educational equity, retirement security, a fair and balanced judiciary, civil rights, workplace equity, reproductive rights, healthcare reform, and equal pay. These issues are at stake each time we go to the ballot box.
As I talk to friends and organizational members across the state, I hear of efforts to register voters in collaboration with groups such as the League of Women Voters. Our Womens Group in Montgomery County teamed with LWV on several successful projects in recent years and at the Naturalization Ceremony on Aldine-Bender two weeks ago, our North Harris County Womens Group helped to register over 800 of the newly sworn-in citizens!
O Texas women, arise and get thyself registered and to the polls!
Nationally, more women than men are registered to vote, more women than men vote, and a higher percentage of women than men vote (Center for American Women and Politics, 2004). Yet here in Texas, we rank 49th in the number of our women who actually turn out to vote. While all women do not vote in lockstep, women do tend to vote as a bloc. A gender gap in voting has existed in every U.S. presidential election from 1980 to 2004. The gender gap is the “difference in the percentage of women and men who support a given candidate.” Since 1980, a higher percentage of women than men have voted for the Democratic Party presidential candidate (Center for American Women and Politics, 2005). Because of the potential for the women’s vote to determine the outcome of elections, Republicans, Independents and Democrats now court women voters, and issues important to women receive more attention during campaigns.
It is crucial for us to remember in our election activities to strictly adhere to a thinking-rationale for our votes, seeking to vote on issues rather than stands by political parties. Choose carefully where you gather your information, consider the source bias and then take your position on critical issues such as educational equity, retirement security, a fair and balanced judiciary, civil rights, workplace equity, reproductive rights, healthcare reform, and equal pay. These issues are at stake each time we go to the ballot box.
As I talk to friends and organizational members across the state, I hear of efforts to register voters in collaboration with groups such as the League of Women Voters. Our Womens Group in Montgomery County teamed with LWV on several successful projects in recent years and at the Naturalization Ceremony on Aldine-Bender two weeks ago, our North Harris County Womens Group helped to register over 800 of the newly sworn-in citizens!
O Texas women, arise and get thyself registered and to the polls!
Read/Post Comments (0)
Previous Entry :: Next Entry
Back to Top
