Unless you've been unconscious since Aug. 24, you probably realize that America is shocked -- shocked! -- that Joe Miller managed to unseat Sen. Lisa Murkowski in Alaska's Republican primary. What has been mentioned in some of the news coverage about the primary -- mentioned, but not flogged nearly enough -- and what we should all actually find shocking is the fact that fewer than one-third of Alaska's registered voters showed up to the polls on primary day.

I don't want to point fingers, and I'm not going to guilt trip anyone. But I would like to point something out to the women out there: We haven't been voting long enough to take it for granted.

The Territory of Alaska granted women the right to vote in 1913, seven years before the U.S. Constitution was amended to make that guarantee nationwide. Inventions that predate women's suffrage in this country include the washing machine, neon lighting, Pyrex, the Tommy gun, and the cruise missile. Depending on how old you are, your mother or grandmother may have been born into a nation that did not recognize her right to have a voice in the political process.

I don't want to get all preachy; all I'm saying is, lots of women made lots of sacrifices so we could have the right to vote. The best way to honor them is to exercise that right.

And if I can't convince you of that, maybe Mrs. Banks can:

Contact Maia Nolan at maia(at)alaskadispatch.com.