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The Orange County League of Women Voters Celebrates the Centennial of Women's Suffrage Ahead of Tuesday's Primary

Photo: Danielle Prieur
Photo: Danielle Prieur

The women dressed like suffragettes in white flowing gowns with colorful sashes that read "votes for all" as they called on everyone to participate in Tuesday’s election outside the Orange County Regional History Center.


Tuesday is an important day for the Orange County League of Women Voters.

It's not only Florida's primary election, but it's also the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment.

League co-president Gloria Pickar said that's why it was especially meaningful for her to cast her vote-by-mail ballot this year in honor of the sacrifices of so many women before her who fought for that right.

“Women fought and struggled for the right to vote. They worked on it for 70 years before they got the right to vote, that’s a long arduous struggle. "

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Pickar said the anniversary is an important reminder that women of color had to fight for decades before they got the same privileges as their white counterparts. 

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer who attended the ceremony and wore a navy blue face "Vote" face mask said he hopes today's event encourages more people to become civically active. 

“Women fought for the right to vote and in today’s age you don’t even think about them not having the ability to vote. So, sometimes bringing up history and making sure that people know it wasn’t always that way is a very important thing.”

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Dyer encouraged people to vote-by-mail if they don't feel comfortable voting in person because of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Vote-by-mail ballots are due to supervisors of elections by 7 p.m. on Election Day.


If you'd like to listen to this story, click on the clips above.

Danielle Prieur is WMFE's education reporter.