Evening star., 1944-06-04
By Gould Lincoln.

figures showing the political strength
of the women's vote. The Bureau of the
Census shows that there are nearly
100000 more potential woman voters
than men.
1.-THE lists of newly elected party Of
ficials now coming into Democratic
headquarters show that almost 100
women are now serving as county chair
men-a position which has usually been
reserved for men.
All-Woman Ticket.
-Four Democratic women have al
ready been nominated for Congress and
a half dozen other women are run
ming for nomination. In Lawrence
County, Ind, an all-woman Democratic
county ticket has been nominated for
Office"
The Census Bureau pointed out, in its
release on the voting strength in
America today, that under the more
normal conditions that existed in 1910
the total number of potential voters was
79,863,451.- These were citizens 81 years
of age or over. The potential male vote
was 40,111, ,436, and female vote, 80, ,752,-
016. The men had the better of it by
359,420. No attempt was made to ex-
plain why the sex ratio had changed.
In 1910 the excess Of men over women
in this country was 100000. These
amazing changes are something to
ponder about.
The actual vote cast for President in
1910 was 4s,815,3l2. This figure consti-
tuted ga per cent Of the potential vot-
ers. What will happen this year is any,
body,s guess. Undoubtedly there will be
a tremendous interest in the election in
this war year. The preliminary cam
paigning already has indicated that.
The New Dealers will put forth every
possible effort to retain control of the
Government. The Republicans, on the
other hand, believing that they have a
real chance this year, may be counted
upon to strain every nerve to win.
Generally speaking the trend in this
country for years now has been toward
an increase in the number, of voters
with an increase in the percentages of
actual voters to the potential vote. This
is shown in table prepared by the
Census Bureau comparing the total pop
ulation and the number of votes cast In
the presidential elections of 1882. 1886
and 1910. In 1882, 319 per cent of the
total population voted. The total popu-
latlon included, of course, those who
were too young to vote as well as those
OF voting age. In 1886, the percentage
OF voters to population was 35.6, and in
1910, 378.
Voters May Number 55,327,930.
If there were no abnormal factors to
affect the volume of voting this year
and the ratio of actual voters to the
number of potential voters remained the
same as In 1910, the number of voters
In the coming presidential election
should be 55,327 $50. And as matter
OF fact If conditions were normal today,
this figure would probably be low be-
cause OF the trend, already mentioned,
toward a higher percentage of voters.
The tables of. the Census Bureau re-
veal the percentage of total population
which exercised the right of suffrage.
according to States, in the 1910 presi-
Dental election. Illinois led all the
rest, with percentage of 534. Indiana
was second, with So. Others in order
were Delaware, 5l.2; Colorado, 48.9; Mis-
souri,, 48.5; Nevada, 482; Ohio, 48.1:
South Dakota, 48; Iowa, 479; New
Hampshire, 47.9; Kansas, 47.s; New
Jersey, 47.4; California, 47.3; Massa-
chusetts, At; New York, the most pop
ulous State in the Union, turned up with
46.8 percentage vote, and PENNSYLVANIA
the second largest State, with 412 per-
centage vote.
South Carolina had the smallest per-
centage vote in that election, only So
per cent of the States population exer-