ERNESTA BALLARD – Speaking Up and Voting Smart

Ernesta Drinker Ballard passed away on August 11, 2005 of complications following a stroke. An early feminist and outspoken citizen, Ernesta was a member of the WomenMatter Advisory Board. Her counsel and insight will be missed. You’ll find below her thoughts on politics, party, and speaking up. This article originally appeared in 2003.

Ernesta Ballard is a leader in her community on women’s rights as well as in her professional field – horticulture. As our two major political parties shift their philosophies, she leads the way in teaching us how to use our voice and our vote.

“My father was very Republican. Horrified by Roosevelt. After I grew up, I liked Rockefeller. And then I began to learn what I thought. What drives me is the choice issue. I never vote anti-choice.”

Ernesta Ballard makes a difference by both speaking up publicly and voting for the issue she cares most about. How do you do that when the political party you grew up in and are registered for may not match everything you believe in?

“What do I like about the Republican Party? I think it is impossible for anyone to govern a disparate country like ours, trying to make rules cover everybody. So it makes sense for the states to have more autonomy. Pennsylvania is so different from California.”

“I have met and worked with wonderful pro-choice women in a non-partisan way. So what does a pro-choice Republican do? Speaking up got to be my identity. I became a ward leader and I spoke up within the party for what I stand for. People were so surprised that a Republican woman would speak up for choice that I was interviewed on national radio.

When the Republican Party came out against choice, I do what I have to do. I vote pro-choice, although it meant in 2002 in Pennsylvania that I had to change registration in the primary and vote Democratic. There was only one pro-choice person in the major primaries. Not only did I switch, but I joined several others and we mounted a public drive to get other Republicans to do the same. We won the primary for Ed Rendell, the pro-choice Democrat. And, although I switched back to the Republicans after the primary, we spoke out and voted for Rendell in the general election. He is now our pro-choice governor.

I switched back to Republican to keep my voice heard in the party. It is important for women to discuss anything they care about everywhere they can. Choose your issue. Maybe it is the environment, education, or health. Then register in the primary so that you can vote for the person who thinks the way you do and can actually get elected. Give money to that candidate and help the campaign.

Women must be heard in the primaries. A message for “independents”. You are throwing away your franchise.”

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