August 26^th is recognized as Women’s Equality Day, commemorating the 1920 adoption of the 19^thAmendment to the U.S. Constitution. As with most of our country’s history, the suffrage movement was not without its own issues of racism and discrimination. Black women were not widely included in conventions nor always recognized for their work in the movement.

While we celebrate 100 years of the female vote, it’s important to remember that women in many states still faced years of unfair obstacles and discrimination in trying to vote. Black women (and men) continued the fight for true voting rights and in 1965 the Voting Rights Act was signed into law. This significant legislation provided clear legal support to ensure equal voting rights for all, without literacy tests or other imposed “requirements” used to prevent Black people from exercising their right to vote.

Some women, however, were actually able to vote prior to 1920. Women in the state of Wyoming were granted the right to vote in 1869! Wyoming also boasts the first woman to hold public office, with Justice of the Peace Esther Hobart Morris, and the first female governor, Nellie Tayloe Ross in 1924.(“‘Equal rights’: Wyoming was first state to grant women the right to vote decades ahead of 19th Amendment”, Annie Todd, Special to USA Today) 

Across the rest of the states, suffragists had to persuade the men in power to vote for women to have the right to vote. Say that again. Men voted whether or not women would be allowed to vote. That is some bull shit right there but that is how things were. Now, women vote in higher numbers than men and there are a record number of women elected into public office. The composition of many elected positions however is still less than 30% female.

According to the Center for American Women and Politics (CAMP), Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University, the number of women in Federal and State level positions in 2020 is as follows:

• 7 Women in Cabinet and Cabinet Level Positions 
• 3 Women on the Supreme Court
• 127 Women in the U.S. Congress 2020 (23.7% of 535 seats)
  • 26 Women in the U.S. Senate (26% of 100 seats)
  • 101 Women in the U.S. House of Representatives (23.2% of 435 seats)
• 9 Women serve as State Governors (18% of 50 states)
• 2,156 Women in State Legislature (29.2% of 7,382 seats comprised of State Senate and State House/Assembly)
• 300 Women serve as Mayors of cities of 30,000+ (22% of 1,366)
• 27 Women serve as Mayors in the 100 Largest Cities (27% of 100)

Let us not take for granted what so many women before us fought hard to secure: the right to make our voices heard and influence decision making, to affect change – the right to vote.

Regardless how you feel about politics, I urge every single one of you to vote. If you don’t feel comfortable to vote in person this year, or are unable to for one reason or another, please check your local state/county rules and deadlines now to see what your options may be (ie. request an absentee ballot or vote early.) Plan now to ensure you’re able to vote in November!

Also, if you are healthy (and not high risk) I encourage you to consider working your local polling site. They need help now more than ever. For Ohio, go to https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/ for all your voting and polling information.

To learn more about the Women’s Suffrage Movement go to https://www.womensvote100.org/