Today I had the honor of attending a reception with the Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan to mark the 90th anniversary of women’s right to vote.

It is fitting that the reception is at the Union League Club where NFPW members are gathering for the annual conference. This year also marks the 125th anniversary of the Illinois Woman’s Press Association. Many of the early members of this affiliate were active in the suffrage movement.

American women risked it all — including their lives — to secure the right to participate in elections. The 19th amendment guarantees women the right to vote in all public elections.

To learn more about mobilizing female voters visit www.VotingWomen.org.

You can also learn more by reading and viewing works by NFPW member Paula Casey. Her book, “The Perfect 36: Tennessee Delivers Woman Suffrage” and the DVD “Generations:  American Women Win the Vote” both capture pivitol moments in women’s efforts to guarantee their right to vote.