Ladies, something big is happening in November — and I’m not talking about my cat’s half-birthday.
This November we’ll have the opportunity to cast our vote for the next president of the United States. We can all feel that this election represents a tipping point for our country. If the million or so polarizing posts and comments across the Internet are any indication, people have pretty strong feelings about the candidates.
But don’t worry, this is not a post about who you should vote for; your politics are your own personal choice.
This is a plea that no matter what your political party — no matter which candidate you feel best represents the issues closest to your heart — you march into your local polling station and cast your vote. We should be able to look back in history and say, “We were given the opportunity to choose our own destiny, and we did.”
And lest you think that’s what we do every four years, I assure you, that’s not the case. In 2012, only 59 percent of eligible women voters actually marked their ballots. 59 percent.
We can do better. We have to do better.
Let’s forget ourselves for a moment, and think about our children. As women and as mothers, we are raising the next generation. This vote isn’t just about us — it’s about them.
Our kids are watching us. All the time. They take their cues from us, every day, in ways we don’t even realize. If they see us treat the right to vote like it’s not important, they will believe it’s not important. If we take this beautiful thing — this opportunity to have a direct impact on the policies and leaders who shape our world — for granted, they will also take it for granted.
It is for this reason — and a million others, really — that Babble has joined forces with the leaders of women’s magazines and digital communities all over America to push for change. #OurVoteCounts is a commitment made by dozens of kick-ass women in media to encourage all women to register to vote.
So please, register here and meet us at the polls come November 8. And encourage your mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends to get registered, as well.
Remember: Your voice matters. #OurVoteCounts.