Women’s votes will weigh heavy on this year’s presidential election.

Tonight at 7:30 in Catt Hall the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics is sponsoring Dianne Bystrom who will be speaking on “The Gender Gap: The Importance of Women Voting in 1996.”

Bystrom, director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics and League of Women Voters General Meeting, will focus on the importance for women to vote in this year’s presidential election.

Bystrom’s speech will discuss the phenomenon of the gender gap and how it affects and has affected presidential elections.

“There’s been gender gaps in every election, and each year they take different forms,” Bystrom said.

Bill Clinton and Bob Dole’s closeness in the polls means there will be more importance stressed on women to vote, Bystrom said. Bystrom also said the votes of working women will be a major factor in the election.

“The gender gap is very wide in the support of Clinton,” she said.

Bystrom said that she wants to get young women to vote. “No matter who they vote for, they need to vote.”

Amy Beert, Catt associate, will also speak at the lecture. Beert will talk about the Get out the Vote project in the Catt Center and the voter registration program.

Bystrom hopes women attend the discussion and learn about the position they are in to affect this year’s presidential election.