There's a First Time for Everything

Women from all walks of life are registering to vote this year.

By Stephanie Agresta

Last month at the BlogHer Conference held in San Francisco, I had the opportunity to interview one of my mentors, Aliza Sherman.  Aliza Sherman, named by Newsweek magazine as one of the "Top 50 People Who Matter Most on the Internet," is a Web pioneer. You can read her full bio here, but believe me when I say she was one of the first community organizers and business leaders to see the power of the Internet. Her research, published in 1995, inspired me to write my masters thesis on women and the Web.  She's a very cool lady and my greatest professional inspiration.

But as I found out during this interview, Aliza had never placed a high premium on voting - until this year.  Watch this video and listen to Aliza speak candidly about her fear and avoidance of this important civic duty.

The 2008 presidential election is stirring many people that have never voted before. Here at WE Vote '08 we are sharing stories that encourage you to get involved, and more importantly, inspire you to get your friends to get involved as well.  Stay tuned as next week as we follow Aliza through the voter registration process and do a Q&A session regarding her experience.

Remember, it's not too late. Most states allow you to register up to 30 days before an election. Based on my scan of the data, you have until at least October 1st in every state to get registered. So check the map for your state's deadline! Since we are all busy women, let's just agree that we are all going to make sure we are registered no later than October 1st.  No procrastination ladies!

By the way, in addition to online methods, you can pick up a voter registration form at your county elections office, library, or U.S. Post Office (in most states). It is important that your voter registration form be filled out completely and be postmarked or hand-delivered to your county elections office before the deadline.

The upcoming party conventions will provide you with a wealth of information on each candidate. Tune in and make sure you REGISTER TO VOTE. We need to hear your voice this year (and every year).  I promise it's not as onerous as some of you may think.  We are here for you at WE Vote '08!  Feel free to email me with any questions: WEVote@wetv.com