Women voters are less likely to engage in vote selling.
So states Political Analyst and Director of the Caribbean Development Research Services (CADRES), Peter Wickham, who at the time was delivering the National Organisation of Women (NOW) lecture at Solidarity House on Monday night.
He said that for one thing, women are more likely than men to vote come election time. “Women tend to control the electorate in terms of numbers. There are still more women in the electorate and they are still more likely to vote. I always tell my clients that the female vote is more valuable than a male vote, because a male vote is inclined to be slightly more fickle.
“The other thing is that invariably when votes are bought, it is usually the men from whom votes are bought. Women are less likely to sell their vote because the conversation that surrounds vote buying is something that would make most women uncomfortable...”
This is why it is imperative that all politicians and parties aim to get the female electorate on their side. “So a female who promises you her vote is considerably more valuable than a male who promises you his vote, because you know that women have a higher propensity to actually vote. If you get women on your side, you are doing well. If you don’t have women on your side, it is always a red flag. Oftentimes when I look at the vote data and you look at can-didates who are struggling, invariably it is those who have less women in terms of the voting cohort.”
He said that it is clear that women have the power to change governments and this is the scenario across the region as well.
“Women have and continue to change governments in the Caribbean… It is apparent that a shift in terms of public opinion on the part of women can and has changed governments in Barbados and as I said, the same can be said across the region where you see this shift...”
The Political Analyst added that the absence of female supporters should therefore serve as a warning signal.
“If there is statistically significant correlation between women and political support, especially for a party that is not in government, it spells trouble because it means that they are less likely to be changed.” (PJT)