Southern Indiana Business July-August 2020 | Page 28

Rebecca Nash fills her ballot at a booth while voting at the American Legion in 2019 in Sellersburg.
News and Tribune File Photo
The power of the
women’s vote
Women vote at a higher rate than men,
but hold fewer elected positions
By Daniel Suddeath
Women have smashed the glass ceiling when it comes to voting, as they are more likely
to cast a ballot in an election than men and that has forced candidates to address their
concerns.
But there was a long road that had to be traversed before women even garnered the
right to vote, and political leaders and experts believe the battle still hasn’t been won.
Rhonda Wrzenski, associate professor of Political Science at Indiana University Southeast, said numerous
groups opposed the effort to allow women to vote because they believed it would lead to preferences
for more progressive policies and alter business practices.
“Political leaders also feared that women would want to see a change in the type of candidates representing
them,” Wrzenski said.
28 July / August 2020