U.S. Elections—VI Women Voters Will Outnumber Men

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29354, 5 November 1960, Page 10

U.S. Elections—VI Women Voters Will Outnumber Men

[United States Injormation Service!

WASHINGTON. In 1960, women in the United States are observing the fortieth anniversary of their victory in obtaining suffrage on a national scale. During these four decades potential women voters have come to outnumber potential men voters by nearly three million and women have become an indispensable part of political campaigns at the local, State and national levels. “Any practising politician is quick to proclaim the value of women in political work,” says the United States Chamber of Commerce in its pamphlet series, “Action Course for Practical Politics.” The chamber estimates that women “probably compose well over half the people active in American politics today.” One metropolitan political chief explains the situation in this way: “There are a lot of important party jobs that men just won’t—or can’t—do. Women not only will do them—they’ll do them with talent. Politics is mainly detail and follow-through and that’s what women have a real skill for.” These “detail” women do-many things. They handle mass mailings, operate telephone services, pass out campaign literature, cover each precinct in door-to-door “register and vote” drives, and help at the polls on election day. Party Organisers In addition, there are “idea” women who do research, prepare campaign literature, make speeches, and organise fund raising drives. Some serve as campaign managers, carrying the entire administrative responsibility of planning and organising a candidate’s bid for office. In both major political parties women are playing a more active role in shaping party policies and picking candidates. From the precinct to the national level they serve as party officials. Voter education is another field in which women are making a major contribution. “We have a National Federation of Republican Women, which numbers about 600,000 members, and the members of those clubs are, first of all, a major educational arm of the party,” says Mrs Clare B. Williams, assistant chairman of the Republican National Committee and director of women’s activities. “They are trained in who the candidates are, what the issues may be, and what the job is that needs to be done. And then they do it.” The Democratic Party operates its women’s activities through autonomous local groups rather than as a national federation. The purpose of the Women’s Division, according to its director, Mrs Katie Louchheim, is “to arm women with political techniques

and information which they can use in getting out the vote of both men and women.”

She notes a specific contribution that women have made to educating the voters. “It was women who started what we call the ‘candidate’s questionnaire’,” she says. “Before that the candidate made his appearance, but he didn’t answer questions. He didn’t meet face-to-face with people who wanted to know what he thought about specific issues.”

But voter-education programmes are not confined to political parties. The American Federation of Labour-Congress of Industrial Organisations’ Committee on Political Education has a Women’s Activities Division that operates, on a non-partisan basis, much as those of the political parties. Another influential non-partisan group is the League of Women Voters, largest women’s organisation, whose sole aim is to stimulate interest in informed voting and good government. Its regular programme of providing factual information and promoting discussion is stepped up in election years. Typical activities include furnishing fact sheets about candidates and issue, sponsoring meetings at which candidates speak and answer questions, conducting study groups, helping to register voters and supporting legislation which it believes to be in the public interest. Other women’s organisations, among them the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, Young Women’s Christian Association, National Federation of Business and Professional Women, and various service clubs, conduct less elaborate voter-education programmes. These are among numerous women’s groups whose outstanding work during the 1956 election was cited by the American Heritage Foundation, a private organisation that fosters good citizenship. “No Women’s V6te” Experience has shown that there is no “women’s vote” in the sense of cohesive, special-interest bloc. Women vote independently on the basis of their judgment and are not necessarily influenced by the voting preferences of their husbands or fathers. Their political opinions vary as widely as those of men and their interests are as broad. “It is a mistake to think there is any limitation on the issues women are interested in,” says Mrs Louchheim. Echoing this sentiment, Mrs Williams says, “I don’t think women have any narrowed alley of interests.” But, she adds, “I think peace is an issue which reaches women—the maintenance of peace” Women are also participating in elections and successfully —as candidates for office. There are 17 women in the Congress but it is at the State and local levels—where they can remain closer to home (ties and responsibilities—thait women are making the most progress. A record total of 347 are serving in State legislatures and many others hold other Statewide elective posts. Most recent estimates indicate that some 10,000 women hold responsible elective jobs in city governments and some 20,000 are serving at the country level. (Concluded)