Democrats Abroad Sweden celebrates the 90th anniversary of women's right to vote this month! DAS member Sarah Hollister explains what women in America went through in order to get the right to vote.

The women's suffrage movement was launched in July, 1848, when women's rights advocates Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott organized a Women's Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, New York. 

As a result, Susan B. Anthony, who would later become its nationally recognized leader and spokesperson, came on board. In 1920, Carrie Chapman Catt took over the leadership becoming the driving force behind women's suffrage for the next twenty years.

The word "suffrage" is a Latin word that means vote, political support, to support with one's vote.

Women fought for it and suffered for it, although as noted in the definition above, the word "suffrage" has nothing at all to do with suffering.

Educated upper-class women stood arm in arm with working class factory workers and clerks. They picketed, handed out leaflets, organized and continued marching despite resistance that was deep, angry and occasionally violent. 

Standing on soapboxes, marching in the streets, they were spit on, slapped and insulted. Some landed in jail for their efforts. 

The opposition was well organized and well funded; the fight long and brutal. It took 72 years before the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution granting women the right to vote was made official on August 26, 1920. 

A single vote made the difference. "Be a good boy and vote for suffrage," Harry Burn's mother told her son before he left on the day of the vote. The 24-year-old legislator from the state of Tennessee listened to the words of his mother and at the last minute changed his vote from a Nay to a Yea in favor of the amendment. 

A tie was avoided and Tennessee became the 36th and deciding state to ratify. Because of that one vote, because of the hundreds of thousands of women like Harry Burn's mother, and certain men like Harry Burns himself, somewhere in your history, a woman, your great grandmother, great aunt, your great, great, became the first woman in your family to vote. 

Remember those women when you request your ballot for the November 2nd election. Their perseverance changed the world and so can you!

Come on down to Tully's Coffee Saturday, August 28 from 11:00am-13:00pm to register and request your ballot for your state primary and/or the General Election on November 2, 2010.

Remember: You must request your ballot for each election now, even if your Local Election Official usually sends it to you. This is a result of the Military Overseas Voters Empowerment Act (MOVE). Men are also welcome!

Voter Registration at Tully's Coffee
Saturday, August 28, 2010 at 11:00am
Tully's Coffee, Stockholm, Sweden