Who Votes? Women Leading the Way

Who Votes?

Women Leading the Way: Building Coalitions and Grassroots Power to Get Out the Vote

Elections are won and lost long before Election Day, in conversations, community meetings, and the work of neighbors organizing neighbors. And throughout American history, much of that work has been led by women. Who Votes? is a post-election discussion that looks at what happened at the polls, who showed up, who didn't, and why. It also honors the women who have always led voting rights efforts, and asks what we can learn from their organizing to change the outcome next time.

From the suffrage movement to the fight against voter suppression, women organizers built coalitions, knocked on doors, and mobilized communities, often without being able to vote themselves and often at great personal risk. Through a candid breakdown of the results and a conversation with local women leaders and organizers, participants learn how community-led efforts turn interest into turnout, and how to start that work themselves.

What we'll explore:

• The turnout breakdown: Who voted, who didn't, and what the numbers say about whose voices were heard
• Women's legacy of leadership: From the suffrage movement and the leadership of Black women in the fight for voting rights to today's organizers, and the strategies that carried the work forward
• Barriers to voting: Access, information, trust, time, and the feeling that "my vote doesn't matter"
• Coalition building: How to bring together neighbors, faith groups, student organizations, local businesses, and advocacy groups around a shared goal
• Grassroots tactics: Door knocking, phone and text banking, voter registration drives, rides to the polls, and peer-to-peer outreach
• Sustaining momentum: Keeping people engaged between elections, not just during them

Who should attend: 

Community members, organizers, student leaders, volunteers, and anyone who wants to help more people participate. No experience needed. The program is nonpartisan.

Takeaways: 

Participants leave with a starter toolkit for organizing a voter engagement effort, including a coalition-building checklist, outreach tips, and a list of local partners and resources, along with a deeper appreciation for the women whose work paved the way.

Cost: Free