From the Left…
The Democratic Ninth District

A faithful and constant life long Democrat I believe that all persons are created equal and deserve equal access to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I believe that all legal citizens should be encouraged to register and cast votes that are counted.

One of the most important votes ever recorded passed the 19th Amendment!

Go with me to Nashville, Tennessee, House of Representatives , August 18, 1920. Never had more women attended . They came by the hundreds to the statehouse wearing their floppy hats and floor length skirts.

By 10:00 AM, when the speaker rapped for order, Nashville had become a center of national attention. Hotels and rooming houses bulged and leaders of the women's suffrage movement, anti-suffrage lobbyists, reporters and photographers had arrived.

The huge chamber, packed to the walls, was hushed as antisuffrage forces made a motion to table the 19th amendment, tantamount to its death. The vote proved a tie, 48 to 48. Sitting to the right of the rostrum was Harry T. Burn, twenty-four year old youngster among legislators, who had just received a letter from his mother: "Dear Son", the note read, ""Hurrah and vote for suffrage!" Burns was seeking reelection. At first he voted to table the amendment hoping it would come up again after the election, but the issue was not to be avoided. The anti-suffragists called for a vote. A change of one vote for or against would determine the right of 27,000,000 women to vote in national elections.

The chamber became ominously silent as the clerk began to drone the roll call. When he reached the name Harry T. Burn, there was a moment of hesitation....then in a clear voice, Burn called "Aye". The chamber seemed to explode. The vote of approval was passed!!! Women and men yelled,clapped and cheered! Women now had the right to vote.

Voter satisfaction and participation are at or near an all- time lows, and for good reasons. Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R) asked Why should a person vote for candidates who prefer smear over substance, money over principle and length of service over tangible action?" Ralph Nader said that citizens are staying away from the polls in droves because of their disgust,despair and disillusionment with tweedle-dum,tweedle-dee politics. Robert Strauss warned his fellow Democrats of the "brutal truth" of an unprecedented disengagement from politics by the American People.

Our challenge is to register more voters and get the approximately 400,000 registered voters in our District to the polls voting for strong Democratic candidates.

I serve as 1st Vice Chair of the District and was presented a "Lifetime Achievement Award" by DPG Chair, Jane Kidd at the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner May 17th. I was a delegate to 2004 National Convention and enjoy politics as a family affair. My daughter and I attended President Jimmy Carter's inauguration and my granddaughter and I celebrated her graduation by attending President Bill Clinton's inauguration..Looking forward to next inauguration of a Democratic President!

Margaret Ball