Kentucky Girl Scouts remind the women in their lives to honor the 19th Amendment and vote

Today, more than 65 million Americans who are eligible to vote are not registered – and more than 24 million of those are women. While many young girls and women know only of the United States as a country where a woman’s right to vote is allowed, protected, and encouraged, the year 2020 reminds us that this right was hard-fought, marking the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment’s passage. On Jan. 6, 1920, Kentucky became the 23rd state to ratify the 19th Amendment, which states: “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.” Kentucky was on the forefront of the movement for women’s suffrage, not just in the South, but in the nation.

Girl Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness Road (GSKWR) is dedicated to advocating to our Kentucky community members about their responsibility to vote on Election Day Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020. While most Girl Scouts may be too young to vote, their voices are a powerful force when they encourage the adults in their lives to vote. Through Girl Scouts’ Promise to Vote Day on Oct. 24, 2020, girls will use virtual Girl Scout ‘Promise to Vote’ booths to ask adults in their communities to commit to voting in the November election.

In each succeeding national election fewer and fewer eligible voters actually voted, with less than half the eligible women in the U.S. voting, indicating that forty-five million women did not vote. With this reality, it is more important than ever to remind all eligible voters of the impact of their votes. The foundation of our democracy is built on the value we place in empowering Americans to engage civically and to allow their voices be heard. One goal of Girl Scouts is to help girls develop into resourceful and active citizens. We highly value civic engagement and education, and we believe that an informed and active electorate is essential to the success of a democracy. We are proud that 90% of Girl Scout alums are registered voters and exercise their right to vote.

In addition to voting in the upcoming election, I challenge every person in Kentucky to encourage those around them to do the same, especially young adults. Each year, 3-4 million high school students become eligible to register and vote, yet fewer than 50 percent of individuals ages 18-24 actually exercise their right to vote. Everyone can help others find their polling place or remind them of the different ways they can vote this year — early voting or by voting at the polls on election day.

As the leader of an organization that seeks to invest and empower girls and young women, we must never take the right to vote for granted. In the words of women’s suffrage movement activist, Alice Paul, “There will never be a new world order until women are a part of it.” Now that we are part of this new world order, we have the privilege and responsibility to vote and to prepare girls to do the same. Through education and empowerment, we seek to prepare girls so that when they are eligible to vote, they will understand the significance of voting and the sacrifices made by those who have gone before them to ensure their voices are heard. Will you join us in The Promise to Vote?

Susan Douglas is Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness Road.