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

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