Vote Like a Girl & Women Take Back Wisconsin
by Ashley Jordan, Washington County, WI
Like other so-called “battleground states,” all eyes were on Wisconsin in the recent presidential election. Wisconsin women played a pivotal role in winning the state for Vice-President Biden and Senator Harris.
As a feminist writer, activist, and resident of the state best known for beer, cheese, and being predictably “purple” in its politics, I knew progressive organizers and volunteers like me were going to have to hustle to reclaim Wisconsin for Democrats. The presidential election was the culmination of years of grassroots activism in heavily conservative areas, and we knew we couldn’t afford to miss the chance to harness the collective energy and enthusiasm of our volunteers to defeat Donald Trump.
We planned to engage in all of the typical campaign outreach and voter contact channels, such as phone banking, postcard writing, and (virtual) town halls and meet and greets. But we believed that this time around we needed something more—an event specifically designed to inspire women to storm the polls on November 3.
Under the leadership and vision of a fellow activist and organizer from Washington County, “Women Taking Back Wisconsin” was born. Our founding team of organizers met for months figuring out how to create a meaningful weekend of action that would rally women to cast their ballots for Biden. Through countless phone calls, emails, and hours of brainstorming, we decided on a three-day online event filled with speakers, swag, musical performances, meditation, and of course, connecting with voters.
The problem was that we were operating from a budget of zero. Our event date was only months away, and we had no money and barely enough time to organize, let alone fundraise. However, I recalled hearing about an awesome canvassing event my Virginia activist friends organized that was sponsored by Vote Like a Girl. I didn’t know much about Vote Like a Girl, but I was immediately taken by the feminine energy behind their name. It embodied the spirit of our event and captured the formidable political force we knew Wisconsin women could be in deciding the election.
So, I took a chance and sent a cold email through the Vote Like a Girl contact page. I hoped for a bit of help, but what I received was an abundance of kindness, support, and generosity—without hesitation or qualification.
Before we had anything else, we had Vote Like a Girl’s commitment to sponsor our cause. Their partnership gave us the confidence and encouragement to get our weekend of action off the ground. It empowered us to turn our plan from an obscure pipe dream into a reality. We were able to deliver on our promise to get-out-the-vote among Wisconsin women because Vote Like a Girl delivered on theirs, donating hundreds and hundreds of merchandise items to outfit all of our participants.
Ultimately, enough Wisconsin women answered our call and made “Vote Like a Girl” more than just a mere message on their free swag. They showed up and showed out, walking in the footsteps of all of their foremothers who fought, sacrificed, and died for suffrage. They used their electoral power to “clap back” against Donald Trump and usher in a new era in America through a new administration.
Thank you, Vote Like a Girl, for believing in Wisconsin women. Keep fighting the good fight, and we’ll keep fighting alongside you.