11/03/2010

Why it's important that all women vote

Over the years I've come to the firm opinion that all women should vote. The election process needs our input and we need to honor the past. 

Today was election day and as always, I did my level best to ignore the last minute campaigners. There weren't many out today. Despite polls to the contrary I always think better of candidates who don't have a huge presence out on election day. (I could write volumes on this but it's off the subject. Maybe next time?)

To me it's important that all women vote as a way of honoring our grandmothers and the suffragettes who made it possible. Every year we move further from recognizing the achievements of these great women. The sacrifices that they made are being lost to time. 

My maternal grandmother did not grow up with the security that she would ever be allowed to vote. She was born in 1906. Women weren't given the freedoms that we are today. Although the ability to vote was when she was about 14 years old some didn't  take advantage of the opportunity. Some of the ones who did voted the way their husbands directed.

It wasn't a perfect system back then but it was a start. I was able to make up my own mind when my husband and I went to vote today.