12 Reasons Why Women Should Run to the Voting Booth

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With less than a week  to go until Election Day, you may be pondering whether to vote, more than who to vote for on November 4th. You may not be interested, don’t like the candidates, are too busy or can’t afford to take off the time. The result is the same: You won’t be alone. Over half of all Americans will not show up at the polls either.

Our advice to New York women: Slip on your pink tennis shoes, high heels or work boots and run to the voting booth!

What happens – or doesn’t happen – in the next few years in Albany and Washington DC will determine your economic health and your future, no matter your age, race, location, economic status or career path. Yet, even in New York where the Women’s Equality Act is being debated because of the reproductive health provision, discourse is virtually non-existent about the most critical challenges ahead for equality. WEA will be a significant step forward to bolster women’s rights, but it is the beginning, not the end, of our fight for economic equality.

Would-be representatives and sitting officials need to hear from us now and November 4th.  NYS PowHER offers up a dozen issues on our #POWHERList which must be addressed to create economic equality. All need champions in Congress and in state houses if we are to build that level playing field that may exist somewhere, but not here in the U.S.

12 Reasons Women Should Run to the Voting Booth on November 4th:

1.     Fair Wages:  If you work a full time job you should not live in poverty. Nearly two-thirds of minimum wage workers are women, and a woman working full time at minimum wage will earn about $14,500 – $4,000 below the poverty line for a mother with two children. Raising the minimum wage will be in the hands of your federal, state and/or local government officials.

2.     Better Job Opportunities:  Wear green, not pink, to work. With most women in underpaid “pink-collar” jobs, we need better career options, like those offered by non-traditional, male-dominated occupations, to break the cycle of poverty. Skill tradeswomen can make 3 times more than those in traditional jobs, and STEM professions (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) offer better opportunities and higher wages. Title IX compliance, Access to apprenticeships and training, and funding will be decided by your representative.
3.     Family Friendly Workplaces: 70% of us are working, but only 8% get paid if we need time off. This is a problem for all workers, but especially for women who can least afford unpaid days off for personal and family illness or emergencies, including the birth of a child. Paid leave and paid sick days should be on your legislators’ must-do list.
4.     Close the Wage Gap: We can’t wait another 50 years for equal pay. At the current rate, we will reach wage parity in 2058, which is too late to matter for every women working today! Across profession, age, education, economic status, and especially race, there is a gender wage gap which adds up to as much as $1,000,000 for some working women over a lifetime. But the pressure is building for state and federal legislators to strengthen 1960’s equal pay laws. Your vote sends a message that the time to act is now.

5.    Reproductive Options: Your reproductive choices should not affect your checkbook. Bottom line: Having control over our reproduction is equivalent to having control of our economic future.   New polling confirms that the vast majority of voters in NY and PA, whose legislative agendas include reproductive health protections, agree. Does your candidate?

6.     Child care: Working just to pay for childcare? Really? Quality care for children is hard to find and can cost more than housing and food and even college in America. It’s also a key factor in the “mommy penalty” for working women. The solution shouldn’t be not having children, freezing your eggs, or not working. But tax credits for families and businesses, incentives, and increased funding are, and you know who will decide that!

Need a few more reasons? Six more equally important issues on our #POWHERList are: Affordable Education, Flexible Schedules, Caregiver Pay, Retirement Security, Access to Capital, and Women’s Voices at the Table.

So, there are plenty of reasons to show up at the polls November 4, but why wait until then to let your candidates know what’s on your #POWHERList? Don’t keep it a secret. Whatever issue is most important to you, one thing is clear: You need to let your future representatives know now you are watching, and waiting – impatiently – for solutions.