During the run-up to the 2004 election, I traveled around the country in support of John Kerry. Day after day on the road, I was blown away by the unbelievable women I met. From Hollywood to Hoboken, I saw first hand that this country is made-up of amazing women who do their best to make their lives and the lives of those around them better. These women care deeply about health care, the War, national security, education and the environment, and they have the potential to bring these issues to the forefront of political debate.
Yet, in the last presidential election, 20 million eligible unmarried women did not vote, making unmarried women the largest group of non-voters in the country. For whatever reason (and there are many) they have opted out of the electoral process. In part I think this is because they do not feel that those running for office are communicating with them. In part it is because these women do not realize the power they have to communicate with those seeking higher office by voting in large numbers. If they use their voices they will have a profound effect on who becomes the next resident of this country.
The truth is these 20 million women have become the Holy Grail for both parties. For the first time in history, the majority of US households are headed by someone who is not married and a whopping 24% of the US population is unmarried women. The face of our nation is truly changing.
Everyone is talking to them now. But are they listening?
Women's Voices. Women Vote has been listening to these women and finding innovative ways to motivate them since 2000 when they began trying to understand why so many single women weren't voting. This year I took part in their new voter mobilization PSA campaign called "20 Million Reasons".
Today we are one year, almost to the day, away from the '08 presidential election and Women's Voices Women Vote is kicking off this national campaign to inspire and activate unmarried women to register and vote.
Watch the first in a series of provocative and patriotic public service announcements I participated in from WVWV here: