Relevant Webinars
The "
It's My Vote: I Will Be Heard" campaign by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is designed to empower millennial women to register and vote in what may be one of the most historical elections of our time.
In this series of three webinar trainings, you will learn all the information you need to register, educate, and turn out voters. Watch one or all three and help to make a difference this Election Day!
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The Fight for the Right to Vote
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| The Fight for the Right to Vote in the United States |
In the United States today, if you are over the age of 18, a citizen, and the resident of a state, you can vote (with some exceptions). So, how have voting rights changed since the first election in 1789?
In this brief video, Nicki Beaman Griffin outlines the history of the long fight for a more inclusive electorate.
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Click
here
to view an infographic that breaks down voter demographics from the last historical election in 2008.
The
League of Women Voters is a citizens' organization that has fought since 1920 to improve government and engage all citizens in the decisions that impact their lives.
Formed from the movement that secured the right to vote for women, the centerpiece of the League's efforts remain to expand participation and give a voice to all Americans.
The Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) is nationally recognized as the leading source of scholarly research and current data about American women's political participation. Its mission is to promote greater knowledge and understanding about women's participation in politics and government and to enhance women's influence and leadership in public life.
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Civic Engagement &
Women's Right to Vote
Finally, it's November. After a long election campaign season, there is a greater chance than ever before that the United States could elect its first female leader. If Hillary Clinton does win, she would end a nearly 230-year streak of men in the position, and America would join a growing group of nations that have had a woman at the helm.
Who will be the deciding factor in this year's election?
This election year, a lot of attention has been given to what's being called the
Rising American Electorate, a moniker coined by the
Voter Participation Center, which is made up of unmarried women, people of color, and millennials. Women make up half the population and are the majority of voters, yet young women have historically
not exercised their full electoral might. According to research by the
Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE),
since 1972, when 18-and 19-year-olds won the right to vote, young women have been more likely than young men to vote. But overall, young people (including young women) are dropping off at the ballot box. Voter turnout in 2012 was 45 percent for people between the ages of 18-29, down from 51 percent in 2008.
When women vote, they change the conversation. According to an analysis of exit poll data by the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), women's votes decided the 2012 presidential election. The gender gap -- defined as the difference in the proportions of women and men voting for the winning candidate -- was 10 percentage points that year, with 55 percent of women, but only 45 percent of men, voting for President Obama. Candidates know they need the women's vote to win, so women have a real chance of driving the discussion on the issues they care about. But that conversation is only influenced by those that actually show up at the ballot box. There's a lot on the line, and while women have plenty of influence, it's reduced with every absent vote.
Notably, women's votes not only decide who is sitting in the Oval, gubernatorial, or city council member office. They impact the trajectory of our country and how it influences people's daily lives. That old trope of every vote counting is true. It will affect how long it will take college students to pay back student loans, women's access to reproductive health services, the assurance that women are receiving equal pay for equal work, and above all, that everyone's right to vote is respected and upheld.
*Adapted from Lisa Maatz' blog below
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New Blog Post!
 In this blog, "
Millennial Women Will Be The Difference In This Election," Lisa Maatz,
Vice President of Government Relations at the American Association of University Women (AAUW), talks about the significance of millennial women voters and how they very well may be the deciding factor the U.S.'s next president.
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| Have Thoughts to Share? Write For Our Blog! Tell us your voting story - do you remember your first vote or your hardest vote? A time that you worked hard to get out the vote?
We'd love to here from you! Share your thoughts by writing for our blog. Click here for more information. |
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