Every woman should register -- and vote

Women make up 51 percent of eligible voters. Yet 50 million women did not vote in the last election.

Not even a hundred years ago, women marched, protested the office of the president, and were unconstitutionally arrested, imprisoned and brutalized as part of the effort to win women the right to vote. Their argument? Taxation without representation is unconstitutional.

Any person eligible who does not register and take the time to vote is essentially being taxed without representation. We as women should honor the women who worked tirelessly to gain us the right to vote by voting our consciences. Many of these pioneers never lived to exercise their right.

This Saturday, a progressive coalition called America Votes will register as many people as possible, especially women, on what they are calling a National Women's Election Action Day. We at The Thinking Woman support and applaud this large-scale effort to register every eligible voter.

Of course, you don't have to be a progressive to vote. No matter what your political philosophy, make certain you are legally registered to vote. Check with your secretary of state's office or local voter registration office to verify that you are registered. If you are not, make sure you register in time for the November election. The deadline on this varies from state to state, so inquire now.

Let's make this year the year that the president was elected by a true representation of voters.

Remember, not voting is akin to taxation without representation.

• Women Should Vote Because:*
  We are 51 percent of the population, and with this majority voice we CAN influence the direction of critical policies important to us -- like childcare, choice, personal safety, economic security and a healthy environment.
• We are not effectively exercising our hard-earned constitutional right. 22 million registered unmarried women did not vote in the last election. And more than 50 million eligible women -- married and unmarried -- are not even registered to vote.
• A poll last year of some 3,000 women of diverse backgrounds conducted by the women’s voting project Women's Voices, Women's Votes found that 65 percent of the women polled believe this country is going in the wrong direction.
• Based on the findings of a recent survey by Business and Professional Women USA, retirement security, job opportunity, good schools and housing costs are all of HIGHER importance to women than homeland security.
• Voting statistics among all women can be improved. According to the U.S. Census bureau in 2000, some 30 percent of eligible women were not registered to vote.
• Registering is only half the battle. Almost half of registered unmarried women don't vote. If they turned out in numbers, unmarried women would be the largest voting bloc and would be the deciding "X" factor in close elections.

*from MOVEONPAC