Happy Election Day everybody! In celebration of this emotion filled day I thought it would be fitting to go over some statistics about women and voting.Â
Since gaining the right to vote in 1920, women have been extremely influential in presidential elections. According to data from the Census Bureau more women vote in elections than men. In the 2016 presidential election women made up 63% of voters.
While the relationship between ethnicity and gender is sometimes different, no matter the level of education, women always vote more than men. The lower the level of education the wider the gap, with the gap between men and women with a bachelor degrees being very slim–– but still present.Â
Now lets talk about party affiliation. A study done is the last three years found that 56% of eligible women voters identied as Democrat. This is no surprise considering that the Democrat party tends to fight for gender equality more than the Rebuplican party. In comparison, the same study showed 50% of men identified as Rebublican and only 42% identified as Decmocrat.Â
Why do all these numbers matter? The New York Times came out with an article claiming that women voters will play a huge part in helping vote Trump out of office. Because of the pandemic, there has been a huge push for early voting and mail in ballots. The number of ballots already submitted is 2/3 of the total from 2016. The polls already show a higher number of women voting than men.Â
Why is this important? If Democratic nominee Joe Biden wins, then America will have it’s first women vice president, Senator Kamala Harris! This historic election could be a huge step in the right direction for getting equal representation in politics. Additionally, Biden and Harris will help protect women’s reproductive rights, which are at risk after the recent appointment of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.Â
If you are an eligible voter, please go vote (if you haven’t already). Whether you are old enough to cask your ballot or not, make sure to do your research on candidates and policies. It is so important for the future of our county to care about what is going on. As a women I am proud to have voted for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to hopefully lead this country for the next four years.Â
Finally, make sure to take care of yourself today. Elections (especially this one) can provoke a lot of emotions. Turn off your phone. Talk to a friend. Visit your therapist or counseling services. Call a support hotline. Take a walk. Pet your dog. Or do whatever you need to do to take care of yourself in these stressful times.Â
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/11/02/us/trump-biden-election