Men and women in the U.S. continue to differ in voter turnout rate, party identification
A century after the 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote, about half of U.S. adults (49%) – including 52% of men and 46% of women – say granting women the right to vote has been the most important milestone in advancing the position of women in the country, relative to other notable events and achievements, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey.
And women have largely exercised this right: In every U.S. presidential election dating back to 1984, women reported having turned out to vote at slightly higher rates than men, according to a new analysis of Census Bureau data by the Center. At the same time, the gender gap in party affiliation continues to widen.
The League’s one-stop-shop for all election information, VOTE411.org, is providing information about candidates and ballot issues, but we need everyone to help counter the confusion caused by the pandemic and intentional misinformation.
NM is fortunate in having election officials we can trust. We do not have discriminatory voting laws, and we aren’t seeing last-minute changes to elections that are occurring in many states. We can reach out to young voters, women, and people of color who are being disproportionately affected by the misinformation and mud-slinging.
Sadly, the challenges many states are experiencing in 2020 are the result of the gutting of the protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Voter suppression is just as dangerous as the blatant discrimination that occurred decades ago with poll taxes and literacy tests.
The efforts to suppress the rights of voters are going to be felt long after Election Day. Redistricting decisions based on the results of this election and the 2020 Census will also be affected and felt for decades to come.
The next Congress must fulfill its obligations under the Constitution to repair the current voter discrimination and suppression by restoring the protections that were in the original Voting Rights Act. Shamefully, some local, state, and federal officials are creating barriers to voting rights. It is time to end their political careers. The right to vote is sacred and essential to a functioning representative democracy.
Thank you for getting out the correct information and helping voters find their way.
Meredith Machen
League of Women Voters of New Mexico
Empowering Voters - Defending Democracy