First Tuesday of November

Tomorrow is the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November, better known as Election Day. 

A uniform date for presidential elections was enacted by the Congress in 1845. Why was November chosen? In the 1840s the US was largely an agronomy society. By early November, harvesting would be completed and the winter snows would not have set in. Short distance transportation was accomplished by foot or hoof. It could easily take citizens a day to get to their polling location. Throw in astute political intuition that Sunday Sabbath was absolute, Monday would be needed by many to get to the polls, and Tuesday became the day to vote. So what is up with the first Tuesday after the first Monday thing? Well the Electoral College must convene the first Wednesday in December with the election held at most 34 days prior. Some bright soul figured out that if there is a November Monday before the first November Tuesday the math works.

This year some Senate seats and all of the House of Representatives seats are up for grabs. As are a host of State and local races around the country. Here in my corner of New Jersey we have County Freeholders and School Board races coming to a conclusion. What will that conclusion be? That is up to you and me. So exercise your civic duty and go vote!

PS. To anyone that votes at the Roxbury High School, we have treats and I Voted stickers!

Suffrage Amendment Ratified, Women Have Vote

The above was the headline in the New York Times on August 25, 1920 announcing the cerfication of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. The privilege of voting has always been important to me. I remember the distress of not being able to vote in the 1980 Presidential election along with the rest of my dorm because I didn't turn 18 until nine days later. Following in my Grandma Armstrong's footsteps, I have worked as a poll worker on Election Day for over 20 years. As a woman of the 21st century, it is hard to believe that less than 100 years ago, women in the United States did not have the right to vote. By 1920 when the country finally granted women the right to vote my Nana Burket had survived growing up with nine brothers, lived through a world war, married and given birth to her first child. Unfortunately Nana died in 1981 long before I had grown out of the “it's all about me” teen stage. I missed out what would have been a profound discussion of what it was like to have gained the fundamental right of a citizen... to participate in government by our vote.

Women’s Suffrage Timeline

1787: The Constitutional Convention places voting rules in the hands of the states. Only New Jersey granted women the right to vote

1807: Women lose the right to vote in New Jersey

1848: The Seneca Falls Convention proposes women’s suffrage by Elizabeth Cady Stanton

1861-1865: The American Civil War. The suffrage movement was largely on hold during the conflict

1867: Susan B Anthony forms the Equal Rights Association

1869: The 1^st US territory, Wyoming grants unrestricted suffrage to women

1870: The 15th amendment to the US Constitution is adopted granting voting rights to former male African-American slaves

1872: Susan B Anthony registers and votes in Rochester, New York, stating that the 14^th Amendment to the US Constitution gives her the right to vote

1874: The Supreme Court in the case of Minor vs. Happersett rules that the 14^th Amendment to the US

1875: Women begin winning the right to vote in school election starting with Minnesota and Michigan

1878: A federal amendment to the Constitution granting women the right to vote is introduced by Senator A.A. Sargeant of California

1882: The US House and Senate appoint committees on women's suffrage

1884: The House of Representatives debates women suffrage

1886: The suffrage amendment is defeated in the Senate

1887: The Supreme Court strikes down the law that gave women the right to vote in the Washington territory

1887: Women win the right to vote in Kansas municipal elections

1893: Colorado votes for women suffrage as western states and territories continue to lead the charge on women’s right to vote 

1912: Theodore Roosevelt's Progressive Party includes women suffrage as a part of its platform

1913: The Senate votes on a women suffrage amendment, but again it does not pass

1916: Woodrow Wilson and the Democratic Party Platform pledge to endorse women suffrage

1916: The first woman is elected to the US Congress. Montana sends Jeannette Rankin to the House of Representatives

November 14th, 1917: The "Night of Terror” suffragist prisoners are beaten and abused

1917: The New York becomes the 1^st Eastern state to grant women full suffrage

1918: The House of Representatives passes the women’s right to vote

1918 Women suffrage is once again struck down in the Senate

1918: President Wilson declares his support for women suffrage

1919: The National American Woman Suffrage Association becomes the League of Women Voters

June 4, 1919: The Senate finally passes the women suffrage

August 18, 1920 Tennessee ratifies the suffrage amendment

August 26, 1920: The 19^th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, stating, "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. Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation," becomes law.

The suffrage fight took over 100 years to result in women gaining the right to go into the voting booth. The least we can do is get out and vote every first Tuesday of November.

Citizens' Campaign = political activism

I attended an inspiring meeting where Harry Pozycki of the Citizens’ Campaign spoke on citizen activism. The Citizens’ Campaign cultivates a culture of service to develop a new generation of leaders – “leaders who put service over personal gains”. To accomplish this they hold live events and online classes to educate New Jersey residents how to “navigate the power structure of government and to exercise leadership beginning with their own hometowns.” After the speech I went to their website and took their online appointed office course. The course highlighted some of the boards towns typically create such as the planning or zoning boards. The Citizens’ Campaign developed the Citizen Service Act, opening appointments to government policy boards and commissions. In November 2009, Governor Corzine signed the Citizen Service Act into law. Now interested citizens can obtain a list of boards and commissions as well as vacancies from the Municipal Clerk or from the town’s website. Now that’s a step in the right direction. Next I think I’ll take the Citizen Legislator class so I can learn how to present local cost cutting proposals. 

Civic Duty: Pull the Lever

Today NJ is holding their School Board elections. When I dropped my dad off to vote at his polling place, I was presently surprised by the large turnout. As a poll worker for the primary and general elections, I am very aware of the low voter turnout for most elections. Historically Presidential elections get the largest turnout of elections held. Yet the 2008 Presidential election only tallied a 64% turnout. I’m sorry but for a country whose existence was created as a response to taxation without representation, I find it appalling that every eligible citizen over the age of 18 does not avail themselves of the right to vote.

Voter turnout began to decline in 1964 hitting its lowest point during the 1996 Presidential election when only 49% of the electorate voted. Midterm elections for Congress and State government elections have an even more dismal attendance. Sadder still, the Daily Record is reporting that the usual turnout for a School Board election in Morris County is a paltry 18%.

The November election for Governor garnered a 47% of possible ballots cast. Today’s School Board election 36% of my fellow Roxbury residents showed up to cast their vote doubling the usual county turnout. I am hopeful that even more citizens across the nation will stand up and be counted at this year’s Midterm primary and election.

Reminder New Jersey residents, Primary elections will be held on June 8^th. See you around the polling place.