People need to vote because it is the way in which they participate in democracy. When people are not showing up to vote, there are decisions being made about their body, about their life, about their environment without them actually contributing to that conversation”

– Carmen Perez, President & CEO of The Gathering for Justice

According to The Miami-Dade County Elections Office, in the 2020 general elections, female voters participated at a higher rate (76%) than male voters (73%). In addition, female voters also have a higher level of voter registration (52%) than males (43%). 

As the 2024 election comes into focus, women in Miami-Dade and across the country are showing heightened interest in policy, legislation, and governmental budgets. There is a greater sense of concern among women stemming from legislation surrounding restrictions to reproductive freedom, access to childcare, voting rights, more, motivating many, irregardless of political party affiliation, to be more civically engaged. 

By leveraging women’s electoral power, we can work towards a future where women’s voices are fully represented, and their civic engagement shapes a more inclusive and equitable society. 

This event took place on Zoom Webinar on Thursday, August 3, from 9:00 am- 10:00 am and was a thought-provoking discussion during which experts explored the crucial role women will play in the upcoming 2024 elections.

Keynote

Vicki Lopez
Vicki Lopez Florida State Representative, District 113

Panelists

Dr. Monica Bustinza
Dr. Monica BustinzaDemocracy Programs Director | Engage Miami

Monica A. Bustinza has been actively involved in promoting civic education and engagement in South Florida since 2013. Her dedication to encouraging citizen participation has earned her various positions and recognitions in this field. She currently serves as the Democracy Programs Director at Engage Miami. In this role, she manages the organization’s voter registration and Get Out The Vote (GOTV) programs.

Since 2014, Monica has been an active member of the League of Women Voters of Miami-Dade County and presently serves as a board member. Previously, she was the Voter Services Chair, responsible for organizing voter registration drives, candidate forums, community engagements, and Decoding the Ballot presentations.

In addition to her work with Engage Miami and the League of Women Voters of Miami-Dade County, Monica is pursuing a Ph.D. in the Department of Public Policy and Administration at Florida International University (FIU). Her research focuses on various aspects of election administration, including local policy implementation, discretion, emotional labor, voter participation, and administrative burden. Before her graduate studies, Monica earned her Associate of Arts from Miami Dade Honors College in 2015, followed by a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Miami in 2017. On her journey towards obtaining a doctorate degree, she successfully completed her master’s degree in Public Administration.

Miles Davis
Miles DavisVoting Rights Director | America Votes
Marisol Zenteno
Marisol ZentenoBoard of Directors, League of Women Voters Miami-Dade | Adjunct Professor, Florida International University

After serving on the board of the League of Women Voters of Miami-Dade County, Ms. Zenteno served two terms as president in June 2018. Her focus was to increase voter turnout in underserved communities by following the League’s mission to educate, advocate and defend voting rights in our communities.

In her professional life, Ms. Zenteno is a State General Appraiser with the State of Florida. She has experience in a variety of commercial properties, including, but not limited to office buildings, industrial buildings, retail stores, restaurants and apartment buildings.

A graduate of Miami Dade College, she continued with her passion for public service and obtained a Master of Public Administration from Florida International University in 2017. She was Chair of the Miami-Dade County Commission on Human Rights. Most recently she was a candidate for the Miami-Dade Office of the Property Appraiser. As a first-time candidate, in a countywide election, she obtained 47% of the votes – over 180,000 people voted for her.