WVPA Thanks Volunteers!Thank you to all the volunteers across the state who helped to turnout the women's vote on November 4th. Many of you participated in grassroots efforts by hosting local phone banks, making phone calls from home, and even going door-to-door to do voter registration and voter turnout. WVPA's efforts were nonpartisan and directed at registering and turning out women voters and we did just that - we turned out the women's vote! Women's voices are critical to the democratic process - stay involved! About WomenVote PAWomenVote PA is a network of community groups, agencies, nonprofit organizations, and individuals working together to improve the status of women in Pennsylvania. Through voter registration and education about critical issues facing women and their families, we are working together to increase women's political participation in our state. More about WomenVote PA. Women's Votes
|
 |
Unmarried Women Vote Key in 2008 ElectionUnmarried women of all ages played a key role in the 2008 General Election. In fact, 70% of unmarried women voting on November 4th cast their ballot for Barack Obama, while only 29% voted for John McCain. According to a recent poll conducted by Greenberg, Quinlan Rosner for Women's Voices, Women Vote, this is the highest margin between unmarried and married women ever recorded for a candidate. In this election, unmarried female voters were the largest block of the electorate representing 26% of registered voters – that’s one out of every four voters! Additionally 11% of all voters in this election were first-time voters. The big challenge we face now is how to keep this new founded interest and energy in our democracy engaged. See Election Highlights. Giving Birth in ChainsBy Ali Peters, Intern WVPA and PA Prison Society If you have ever had a child, think back to the day she or he was born. Recall lying in the hospital bed and pushing to bring life into this world, or holding your newborn child for the first time. Now imagine doing all of this with shackles restraining you, chaining you to your hospital bed. This has been the experience of countless women in our country who have had children while incarcerated. More... Employers Urged to Adopt Time-Off for Democracy Policies on Election DayPhiladelphia - WomenVote PA held a press conference on Wednesday, October 15th, in the Mayor's Reception Room at City Hall to announce its campaign urging employers to allow flexible work schedules on Election Day. WomenVote PA was joined by Drexel University, the Philadelphia Bar Association, the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, the Committee of Seventy, and the League of Women Voters of Philadelphia, all of which support some form of Time-Off for Democracy. Drexel University used this opportunity to announce its recent adoption of a Time-Off for Democracy policy which allows employees to take up to one hour of paid time-off to vote on Election Day. See Press Release from event. Go to Time-Off Policy. Voter Registration and Voting InformationBoth the Pennsylvania Department of State and the League of Women Voters have provided useful tools for doing voter registration including absentee ballot applications, information for student voters, and how to find your polling locations. See voting resources. Health Care Insurance: A Growing NeedThe number of people without health insurance in the US continues to grow. Now is the time to ask all candidates running for office, from the local to the national level, how they intend to solve this growing problem. Making Health Care Coverage a Top Priority. What Women Need to Understand About RetirementThe Heinz Family Philanthropies and the Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER) have produced a book entitled, What Women Need to Understand About Retirement, and it is online and absolutely free!
|