Why Should I Vote?
Voting is the most important tool that women and communities of color have to help shape the policies that affect their lives and those of their loved ones. Voters cast ballots for elected officials who make major decisions that impact the lives of women, girls and people of color.
Every election, voters have a choice to elect candidates to positions of power who make critical decisions about state, local and federal budgets, education, and health care. These candidates are involved in key decisions that shape the future of our families, communities and our nation.
Elected officials create the laws that impact almost every aspect of voters' lives. More specifically, they:
- create the laws that impact every aspect of voters’ lives; from working to prevent and end violence against women, to increasing the minimum wage to protecting the right to vote.
- vote for or against proposals and legislation that impacts women, girls and people of color.
- decide if and how to respond to city, state, national and international issues including the lack of affordable health care, economic downturn, housing foreclosures, and immigration reform; and
- decide if and how to respond to city, state, national and international crises such as hurricanes, flooding, and terrorism.
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Why Should Women Vote?
Women are a powerful voting bloc in the United States. Women typically have higher voting participation rates than men. The United States Census reports that in the 2008 Presidential Election, women had a higher voting rate (66 percent) compared to males (62 percent).
Young women, in particular, play a critical role in the outcome of elections. According to a Rock the Vote report, there are nearly 22 million women between the ages of 18 and 29 eligible to vote in the U.S. Young women vote at higher rates than their male peers. In fact, in 2004 young women led the overall young voter turnout increase, jumping 10 percentage points over 2000 levels.
Women influence the direction of critical policies such as childcare, healthcare, personal safety and economic security, budget and tax issues, education, and a healthy environment. Senior women especially, are concerned about campaign issues related to retirement security specifically Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare.
When women vote, it drastically shapes the outcome of any given election. Women largely determine the issues debated on the campaign trail and as a large voting bloc, they significantly influence which candidate wins.
Every election voters have a choice:
- A choice on who to elect to positions of power.
- A choice on who to elect to be involved in discussions and decisions regarding direction of local, state, national and international policy and action.
- A choice on who to elect to be involved in discussions and decisions that shape the future of our families, communities and nation.
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This year the choice is even more important. When voters go to the polls, they will be casting their ballots for elected officials who will be involved in deciding what is done about major issues facing the country including:
• Health Care
• Medicaid
• Medicare
• Social Security
• Economy
• Housing foreclosures
• Lack of affordable housing
• Rising costs of college
• Energy policy
• Immigration Reform
• Taxes
• Terrorism
• War in Iraq
Some people believe that voting is not important or does not matter. But the old cliché is true; one vote can make a difference.
Want to be heard in Washington D.C. and in state capitols across the country? Want the issues you care about addressed- issues that people across this country care about including fixing the high cost of housing and healthcare, addressing the rising prices of gas and food and ensuring that all children receive a quality, affordable education from preschool to college? The first step in being heard is registering to vote.
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