The Guam Bureau of Women’s Affairs is spearheading the island’s involvement in a national visual and social media campaign this month to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which guaranteed women the right to vote.
“Guam currently boasts the largest number of female government leaders in our nation’s history, so it is especially important that we embrace this campaign and use it to not only highlight issues facing women in our workforce and in society; but also, to get more women and young people in general to register to vote during this women’s suffrage centennial election year,” said Jayne Flores, BWA director.
The national Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission has invited all states and territories to participate in its “Forward through the Darkness, Forward into Light,” social media and light campaign to mark this important anniversary that 100 years ago signaled a giant leap forward for women’s rights.
The Bureau of Women’s Affairs is encouraging all Guam residents, businesses, government agencies, and non-profit organizations to participate in the national campaign by posting pictures of friends, coworkers, customers, and teams wearing the women’s suffrage centennial colors of purple and gold (yes, we realize these are the colors of George Washington High School as well, with the hashtag #ForwardintoLight and by posting one of the logos in this linked Women’s Suffrage Centennial national media kit https://drive.google.com/
One of the national women’s suffrage centennial logos contains the slogan, “We’re In! Are you?” Flores notes that coincidentally, “this is very similar to the campaign slogan of our first Maga’håga, Lourdes Leon Guerrero,” and that Governor Leon Guerrero will highlight this important anniversary with a virtual Women’s Suffrage Centennial Proclamation signing at 3:00 p.m. Friday, August 21, in the Governor’s Large Conference Room at Adelup.
“The BWA also invites businesses and government agencies to participate in the #ForwardIntoLight campaign by, if possible, changing their outdoor lights to purple and gold colors and displaying these colors through August 26th, the actual date of the ratification of the 19th amendment,” added Flores.
“We also think it is very fitting to mark this 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage by encouraging more of our residents who are eligible, to register to vote. They can do so in one of several ways, per the Guam Election Commission, and the last day to register at the GEC is Wednesday, August 19th,” Flores said.
Ways to register to vote in Guam’s Primary Election on Saturday, August 29, 2020*:
Volunteer Voter Registration (through registrars in the community) closes August 7, 5:00 p.m.
Online Voter Registration via Guam Election Commission website at gec.guam.gov closes August 7, 5:00 p.m.
Motor Voter Registration (DMV) (register when you apply for a Guam Driver’s License or Guam ID)
closes August 7, 5:00 p.m.
District Voter Registration (at every Mayor’s Office except Hagatna), August 7 -19, M-F, 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. (Note: the GEC office will serve as district registration for Hagatna and will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. from August 7 – 19.)
Note: Voter registration for the primary election closes at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 19, 2020.
*Source: Guam Election Commission
(News Release from the Office of the Governor of Guam)
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