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The Importance of the Women’s Vote

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This blog post was written by Michelle Ostrander from Western New York Women’s Foundation for our 2018 PowHer The Vote campaign.

In the 2016 primary election, only 19.7% of eligible voters in New York State showed up at the polls. This ranked New York the second worst in voter turnout.

When you break down national voters to look at gender, 83.8 million women were registered to vote in 2016, compared to only 73.8 million men but only 63.3% of eligible female adults went to the polls. That leaves an immense opportunity for improvement when looking at getting women to vote in this year’s Midterm Election on November 6th.

When specifically looking at the young women population (between age 18 and 44), 65% believe that the country would be better off if more women were serving in political office, leading to a focus on women’s issues.

Many of the issues that have arisen across the country over the past year directly impact women. That is why it is vital that all eligible women, especially young women, get out and vote on November 6th for the candidates that support the improvement of women’s issues.

Not sure where to start? Here’s what you can do to prepare for the General Election on November 6th:

  • Check your voter registration status – www.iwillvote.com
  • Register to vote:
    • Online at www.iwillvote.com
    • By Mail with a completed form from www.elections.ny.gov
    • In person at your local DMV or Board of Elections
    • By phone by calling 1-800-FOR-VOTE to request an application.
  • Learn about your state and local candidates – https://lwvny.civicengine.com/
  • Find your polling place here and don’t forget – voting is open from 6:00 am – 9:00 pm during general elections.
  • Share the importance of voting with your circle of influence – Social media is a powerful tool
  • Schedule time in your calendar on November 6th to vote.

The most important thing to remember this November is to show up and make your voice heard on the issues that are important to you.

In coming together, we will harness the energies and resources of hundreds of community assets – and who knows where that will lead!

To learn more about what the WNY Women’s Foundation is doing to help get women into positions of leadership and elected office, visit www.wnywomensfoundation.org.