ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. — In 2020, women celebrated 100 years since the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote in American elections. 

And data shows that in the 2020 presidential election, women made their voices heard more than men.

Data from Center for American Women and Politics shows in the 2020 presidential election, more women voted than men by a 68.4% to 65% margin.

And the data shows that the gender gap has remained steady in all the major election cycles over the last several decades.

Leaders with the League of Women Voters in Seminole County say they continue to work to get more women to the polls, and to educate women and other voters on the issues they are facing.

“We want to empower women to feel like they’re super-energized to get out and vote and get their issues known,” said Deana Schott, with League of Women Voters in Seminole County.

It’s one of the messages Schott and the LWV communicate at community events, like one in the Midway community recently. She said part of their effort is just making women realize what power they already have. 

“And when you get these women together — and I was feeding off her energy and she was feeding off mine,” Schott said of an interaction with one woman. “And we both left feeling better about our situation and our ability to make a change through voting.”

LWV Seminole County President Cathy Swerdlow said her organization brings local women leaders face-to-face with students in “Girls in Government” events to show a younger generation what local government really looks like, and how they could have a path to becoming leaders themselves.

“It really is a desire to have them see themselves as a part of the community, and whose voice is worthy of being heard,” said Swerdlow.   

Schott said it’s all part of a mission to engage younger voters — some of whom might not be interested, or too busy, to get involved in the political process.

“You’re having your kids, you’re working really hard at your job, you’re amassing what you hope to be is — things for your future — and you’re taking kids to this and that,” she said. “And you’re not making a plan about how you’re going to make your family better by voting in your local elections.”

In a year where much of the news cycle is dominated by national politics, Schott said the LWV is trying to emphasize the importance of local elections and decisions to voters. 

“There’s all the fuss about national, but in reality, your local election is going to decide how much you pay for your car registration fees, whether the big pothole in your road is going to get fixed, if your mother has a heart attack and the fire department is going to get to her to get her the medication so nothing happens,” she said. “That is voting local.”

League members are hoping the power of women in the community can help unite a society that can often seem more and more divided.

“We should talk about being a part of our community that’s positive, and trying to listen and try to understand how our neighbors feel so that when we talk and interact, we can all work together to make our community and our state, our country, a better place,” said Schott.

But ultimately, Swerdlow said it will be up to the voters to decide, adding that part of women’s power, is protecting and appreciating the democratic process.

“As long as you have protected the rights of people to vote, and they’ve exercised their vote, then going along with that is respecting the outcome,” she said. “And you live with the outcome. And you make any changes that you feel personally need to be made, but the outcome is the outcome and that is the foundation of Democracy.”