101 Years After the 19th Amendment, What’s Next?

A society that fails to harness the energy and creativity of its women is at a huge disadvantage and this is especially true in the modern world. Therefore, 101 years after the 19th Amendment was adopted it is important to examine what’s next for America’s electoral landscape in general and women’s voting rights and participation in democracy in particular. This interesting article is by Democracy Docket. Here is an excerpt:

On August 18th, 1920, the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote was ratified and the effect on American democracy was profound. Women would go on to become the majority of eligible voters in the U.S., consistently turning out to the polls at higher rates than men since 1980. But, despite women voters remaining more engaged in elections than their male counterparts, there’s still a major disparity that, over 100 years after women earned the right to vote, Americans are fighting to rectify: Our elected officials are still majority male. 

In today’s Data Dive, we’re looking at a study that addresses the next pressing issue for women’s political participation: representation. Despite voting more often, women do not see themselves reflected in political office. Whether it’s a question of access, inspiration, motivation or voter preference, it’s hard for women to get elected in this country — at all levels of government. The research done by political scientists that we’ll dive into today tries to explain why — and outlines what steps could be taken to improve this century’s challenge for women and our democracy. 

For women, party matters. 

The study we’ll look at, “More Women Candidates: The Effects of Increased Women’s Presence on Political Ambition, Efficacy, and Vote Choice,” primes men and women from the Democratic and Republican parties with information on women’s hypothetical political representation and candidacies and assesses how voters and potential candidates would respond to these various realities. The results are complex, but there are a few key takeaways that stand out. 

Read the full article here. Also, see related Democracy Chronicles articles like those on the Founding Fathers, Election History, or even seen our section on American Democracy.