19th Amendment: Women's Journey to Political Equality

The 19th amendment has radically shifted the face of the American electorate. In November 1920, women cast less than one third of all votes. In November 2016, the majority of voters were women. The amendment states that “the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” Clearly, the 19th amendment states that both men and women are allowed to vote. It makes no guarantee, however, that women will hold elected office.

Suffragettes were able to gain women the right to vote on August 18, 1920, yet the United States is not projected to have equal numbers of elected men and women until 2121. Currently, less than one fourth of congressmen and state legislators are women. Likewise, just one eighth of governors are female. Equal numbers of

female lawmakers, however, are essential to a representative democracy. Susan B. Anthony, the famous suffragette, once remarked that “there never will be complete equality until women themselves help to make laws and elect lawmakers.”

The most prominent reason why there is not gender parity in our elected offices is because women display less political ambition than men. Despite studies that have shown that there is no gender bias in voting or fundraising, women are still hesitant to run for office. They are also less likely to want to campaign or be recruited by a political gatekeeper.

I understand why women do not run for office at the same rate.

A few weeks into my freshman year of high school, it was announced that class elections would take place at the beginning of October. The thought of running for student government had never crossed my mind, but I decided to run for freshman secretary on a whim. Running for office made me nervous; I thought student government was just a popularity contest. Like many other women, I felt less confident, despite my qualifications. Even though I was scared, I put my heart into the race, making posters, asking for petition signatures, and talking to my classmates. My efforts paid off: I won.

My freshman election led to four years of involvement with student government, culminating in my election as Student Body President. Student government opened numerous opportunities to me; I was able to join my county’s Student Congress, connect with high level county administrators, and find solutions to my school’s problems. Although I did not realize it when I ran for freshman secretary, my early involvement with student government also means I am more likely to run for elected office in the

future.

Now, I try to encourage my female peers to run for office. Men are more likely to be asked to run by party leaders, friends, and family, so on a small scale, my personal interventions are important to help reach gender parity. Recently, I encouraged a friend who was a year younger to run for Model UN council. Despite her hesitations about qualifications, she ran a robust campaign and won a seat on the council. Seeing other young women in elected offices makes me more hopeful for the future. One woman at a time, we can achieve Susan B. Anthony’s vision of complete gender equality.