Women's Voices. Women Vote. - News Articles

The Lasting Lesson from Election '08: Deliver on the Hopes for Change That Led Unmarried Women to the Polls

2008-11-12T17:35:00Z

More than a week after a historic election, political analysts still are sifting through the results, trying to figure out how different segments of society voted, why they cast their ballots as they did, and what their political preferences and patterns of participation mean for the future.

By Page Gardner

Read the original article at The Huffington Post.

But three lessons are inescapably clear: The electorate that changed America reflects a changing America -- younger, more racially and ethnically diverse, and less likely to be married. The largest demographic group within this new American electorate -- unmarried women -- played a pivotal role in electing Barack Obama as President, building a bigger margin for Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and delivering the largest Democratic margins in national politics since 1964. And, for progressives from the White House to both houses of Congress, there is no more urgent challenge than addressing the needs of unmarried women -- especially for economic security - and ensuring that they continue to participate in the political process.

While they usually tend to register and vote less heavily than married people, unmarried women increased their participation this year. Indeed, 20 percent of unmarried women voters cast ballots in their first presidential election this year, compared to 11 percent of all voters and only 4 percent among married women. Similarly, unmarried women were more likely than other voters to have recently registered to vote, with 41 percent of these women having registered during the last four years. (Throughout this article, I am citing statistics compiled by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research for Women's Voices, Women Vote and Edison/Mitofsky.)

In addition to voting in numbers reflecting their presence in the population -- 53 million in all and 26 percent of voting-age adults -- unmarried women delivered decisive margins for Obama for president and Democratic candidates for the U.S. House, Senate, and public offices at almost every level of government. These women favored Obama over John McCain by a stunning 70-to-29 percent margin, while preferring Democratic candidates for the U.S. House by 63-to-31 percent and for the Senate. In a dramatic indication of how heavily unmarried women supported progressive candidates, Obama's overwhelming 70 percent share of unmarried women's votes was even greater than his 66 percent showing among young voters and his 67 percent of Latino voters.

Unmarried women's crucial role in electing Obama is underscored by the "marriage gap" between their political preferences and those of married women. While unmarried women supported Obama by 41 percentage points, married women favored McCain by 50-to-47 percent for a marriage gap of 44 points. By way of comparison, the gender gap between the preferences of women and men was surprisingly static at 12 percent.

Even more remarkably, in spite of the fact that they overwhelmingly believe that the nation has been "on the wrong track," unmarried women cast their votes in a spirit of hope and purpose, not anger and despair. Seventy-five percent of unmarried women agreed that "this election made me believe average people can help change the country." For these women, change means addressing the most important challenge in the lives -- pervasive economic insecurity.

In many ways, these single, separated, divorced and widowed women really are "women on their own." In an unstable economy, more than 40 percent have household incomes of $30,000 or less. In a discriminatory workplace, these women earn 56 cents for every dollar that a married man makes. In the midst of the healthcare crisis, these women are less likely than married people to have health coverage. In a society where it's difficult to balance work and family, more than 10 million are single moms with children at home. And, when they are too old to work, about 25 percent rely on Social Security as their only source of income.

Now, these women are on their own in a housing crisis, a financial crisis, and a deepening recession. They are more vulnerable than married people to foreclosures, layoffs and bankruptcies.

For President-elect Obama and the newly strengthened majorities in the House and Senate, the message of their mandate from unmarried women is clear: Address the issues of creating good-paying jobs, providing equal pay, expanding healthcare coverage, and securing retirement income that motivated these "women on their own" to register and vote in record numbers. For progressives generally, the lesson is even more emphatic: Our top priority must be to keep these women involved in the political process so that a changing electorate can continue to change America.

Page S. Gardner is president of Women's Voices, Women Vote, a national nonpartisan organization that seeks to increase unmarried women's participation in the political process.

Post-Election Poll: Progressive Majority Provides Mandate for Bold Change

2008-11-07T22:33:00Z

WASHINGTON, Nov 07, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/—Voters Seeking Bold Changes in the Economy, Iraq, Energy and Health Care

The 2008 elections saw the consolidation of a progressive majority providing a clear mandate for bold change, according to an extensive post-election poll released today by the Campaign for America’s Future and Democracy Corps. The poll shows that President-elect Obama and the new Democratic majorities in Congress have broad support for bringing the Iraq war to an end, revitalizing the economy and moving on health care and energy.

WASHINGTON, Nov 07, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/—Voters Seeking Bold Changes in the Economy, Iraq, Energy and Health Care

To read the entire article, please click here.

Unmarried women put Obama over the top

2008-11-06T20:39:00Z

"Soccer moms" – suburban married women with young children – have drawn the attention of campaign strategists over the past decade, but an exit poll of voters showed single women were a decisive factor in Barack Obama's historic victory.

All time high of 70% support for Democrat kept McCain from White House

Read the original article at World Net Daily.

"Soccer moms" – suburban married women with young children – have drawn the attention of campaign strategists over the past decade, but an exit poll of voters showed single women were a decisive factor in Barack Obama's historic victory.

"If not for the overwhelming support of unmarried women, John McCain would have won the women's vote and with it, the White House," said the international research firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner.

Tuesday night, unmarried women supported the Democratic candidate by a stunning 70 to 29 percent margin, the firm said in a summary of its calculations, based on the Edison/Mitofsky National Election Pool published by CNN.

By contrast, married women supported Obama by a 50 to 47 percent margin.

Obama's backing from unmarried women exceeds the support he generated among both younger voters and Hispanic voters, according to Greenberg Quinlan Rosner.

Similarly, unmarried women supported Democratic House candidates by a 64 to 29 percent margin.

The research firm found a 44-point difference in the voting behavior of married women and unmarried women.

The support for the Democratic candidate by unmarried women was significantly higher Tuesday night than previous presidential elections.

In 2004, 62 percent of unmarried women supported Democrat John Kerry, while 37 percent voted to re-elect President Bush.

In 1992, unmarried women backed Democrat Bill Clinton by a margin of 53 to 31 percent.

Greenberg Quinlan Rosner said the research was commissioned by a "progressive" advocacy group called Women's Voices. Women Vote.

On its website, the women's group said, "Unmarried Americans are the fastest-growing large demographic in the country and a majority of Americans will live with an unmarried head of household. But despite their numbers, unmarried Americans are under-represented in national elections and their voices are not being heard in our democracy. Women's Voices. Women Vote was created to activate unmarried Americans in their government and in our democracy."

The research firm said women last night "joined other groups, such as younger voters and people of color, in creating a new American electorate."

"As progressives now begin thinking about consolidating the gains we saw last night and creating long-term political coalitions," the firm said, "they would do well to pay attention to the critical contribution of unmarried women. They earned it."

Unmarried Women Propel Jim Martin to a Runoff Prove Decisive Political Force in Georgia U.S. Senatorial Race

2008-11-06T15:58:00Z

WASHINGTON, DC – According to an election survey, unmarried Georgia women played a key role in a race that was considered safe for Republicans but has resulted in a runoff between Jim Martin and Saxby Chambliss.

In the Presidential election unmarried women in Georgia supported Democrat Jim Martin by 49 points (71% to 22%). They also supported Barack Obama by 42 points.

The Lake Research Partners election survey, commissioned by Women’s Voices. Women Vote, was conducted in Georgia, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Minnesota. The survey found unmarried women offered critical support for progressive candidates in all of the states. In Georgia married women supported McCain over Obama, and Chambliss over Martin.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6

Unmarried Women Propel Jim Martin to a Runoff Prove Decisive Political Force in Georgia U.S. Senatorial Race

Record Marriage Gap Across the Country and in Georgia

WASHINGTON, DC – According to an election survey, unmarried Georgia women played a key role in a race that was considered safe for Republicans but has resulted in a runoff between Jim Martin and Saxby Chambliss.

In the Presidential election unmarried women in Georgia supported Democrat Jim Martin by 49 points (71% to 22%). They also supported Barack Obama by 42 points.

The Lake Research Partners election survey, commissioned by Women’s Voices. Women Vote, was conducted in Georgia, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Minnesota. The survey found unmarried women offered critical support for progressive candidates in all of the states. In Georgia married women supported McCain over Obama, and Chambliss over Martin.

“Georgia prepares for a runoff election because of the support Martin received from unmarried women,” said Page Gardner, Founder and President of Women’s Voices. Women Vote. “For Martin, getting unmarried women out to vote in the runoff election is the key to winning this seat,” said Gardner.

Married women voters supported Chambliss by 7 points, giving the incumbent 52 percent to 45 percent for Martin. Similarly in the Presidential election, married women supported McCain by 10 points, 55 percent to 45 percent over Obama.

Unmarried women backed Democrat Jim Martin by 71 percent to 22 percent over long-term incumbent Republican Saxby Chambliss, and helped bring Barack Obama within striking distance of John McCain (28 percent McCain, 70 percent Obama). In Georgia, unmarried women who voted early supported Obama by 37 points, (60 percent to 23 percent) compared to a 23-point margin on Election Day (58 percent to 35 percent).

Nationally, unmarried women anchored Obama’s victory over McCain, splitting 70 to 29 for the Democratic ticket. Obama’s margin among unmarried women exceeded his margin among both young voters and Latino voters. Meanwhile, married women actually preferred McCain, 47 to 50 – an overwhelming 44 percent marriage gap. All numbers come from calculations based on the CNN National Election Pool conducted by Edison/Mitofsky.

“Throughout this election season, we’ve seen unmarried women paying attention to the candidates, and last night we saw them turn out to make their voices heard,” said Gardner. “Unmarried women are the fastest-growing large demographic in the country, and during this election, we’ve seen them register and vote in record numbers,” said Gardner.

Economic concerns greatly influenced women’s vote in Georgia, including rising health care costs (16 percent), the federal budget deficit and national debt (13 percent), job loss (11 percent), the availability of family-supporting jobs (10 percent), higher taxes (10 percent), and daily expenses like food or child care (10 percent).

Since 2006, Women’s Voices. Women Vote has generated more than 1,100 registration applications in Georgia. Women's Voices. Women Vote is a non-profit, non-partisan organization created to activate unmarried women to participate in their government and in our democracy.

Unmarried Women Prove Decisive Political Force in North Carolina US Senatorial Race

2008-11-06T15:49:00Z

WASHINGTON, DC – According to an election survey, unmarried women of North Carolina were more likely to support Democrat Kay Hagan over long-time incumbent Republican Elizabeth Dole by 30 point margin. In the Presidential election, North Carolina unmarried women were more likely to support Barack Obama by 30 points.

The Lake Research Partners election survey, commissioned by Women’s Voices. Women Vote, was conducted in Georgia, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Minnesota. The survey found unmarried women offered critical support for progressive candidates in all of the states.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6

Unmarried Women Prove Decisive Political Force in North Carolina U.S. Senatorial Race

Record Marriage Gap Across the Country and in North Carolina – Unmarried Women Key Pillar of Support for Hagan

WASHINGTON, DC – According to an election survey, unmarried women of North Carolina were more likely to support Democrat Kay Hagan over long-time incumbent Republican Elizabeth Dole by 30 point margin. In the Presidential election, North Carolina unmarried women were more likely to support Barack Obama by 30 points.

The Lake Research Partners election survey, commissioned by Women’s Voices. Women Vote, was conducted in Georgia, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Minnesota. The survey found unmarried women offered critical support for progressive candidates in all of the states.

“The overwhelming support of unmarried women in North Carolina delivered stunning victories for both Hagan and Obama,” said Page Gardner, Founder and President of Women’s Voices. Women Vote.

Unmarried women backed Democrat Kay Hagan by 53 percent to 44 percent over incumbent Republican Elizabeth Dole, and provided Barack Obama an overwhelming victory over John McCain (68 percent Obama, 32 percent McCain).

Nationally, unmarried women anchored Obama’s victory over McCain last night, splitting 70 to 29 for the Democratic ticket. Obama’s margin among unmarried women exceeded his margin among both young voters and Latino voters. Meanwhile, married women actually preferred McCain, 47 to 50 – an overwhelming 44 percent marriage gap. All numbers come from calculations based on the CNN National Election Pool conducted by Edison/Mitofsky.

“Throughout this election season, we’ve seen unmarried women paying attention to the candidates, and last night we saw them turn out to make their voices heard,” said Gardner. “Unmarried women are the fastest-growing large demographic in the country, and during this election, we’ve seen them register and vote in record numbers,” said Gardner.

The economy was the driving issue agenda impacting the vote of women in North Carolina, with rising health care costs their most pressing concern. Rising health care costs were the most important economic issue determining their votes (19 percent), followed by higher taxes (15 percent), the federal budget deficit and national debt (12 percent), lack of jobs that pay a family-supporting wage (10 percent), a secure retirement (8 percent), daily expenses like food or child care (8 percent), the possibility of losing one’s job (6 percent), and the rising cost of gasoline and fuel (5 percent).

Women's Voices. Women Vote is a non-profit, non-partisan organization created to activate unmarried women to participate in their government and in our democracy.

At 1.5 million-plus, Iowa voter turnout tops '04

2008-11-05T23:14:00Z

Iowa Secretary of State Michael Mauro, a Democrat who also is state election commissioner, said Wednesday the number of Iowans voting early or traditionally on Election Day topped 1,524,000 — a total that eclipsed the 2004 record of 1,521,966 and likely will go higher when counts of absentee and provisional ballots are finalized.

By Rod Boshart

Read the original article at The Gazette Online.

DES MOINES — From the White House to the Statehouse, Tuesday's election races up and down the ballot brought Iowans to the polls in record numbers.

Iowa Secretary of State Michael Mauro, a Democrat who also is state election commissioner, said Wednesday the number of Iowans voting early or traditionally on Election Day topped 1,524,000 — a total that eclipsed the 2004 record of 1,521,966 and likely will go higher when counts of absentee and provisional ballots are finalized.

"I think it was a great turnout for the election that we had, and it did beat what we had in '04," Mauro said.

Preliminary estimates indicate about 72 percent of the more than 2.1 million Iowans who were registered to vote participated — below the 80.5 percent participation rate in 1992. But Mauro said that figure may change when the general election results are certified by county officials next week.

That more than one-third of the 2008 election participants voted early or absentee helped "take some pressure off the lines" at Iowa polling places, Mauro added. Overall, he said, the voting process, use of some new voting machines and same-day registration generally went well.

"I think democracy is alive and well, and the people sent a statement about how they feel," he said.

Drake University political science professor Dennis Goldford said the record number of early and absentee voters made it difficult to get an accurate picture initially of voting trends.

Overall, he said, exit polls didn't point to a strong youth turnout in Iowa, but that could be hidden in the early voting numbers. There were more Republicans who defected to Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama than Democrats who voted for GOP rival Sen. John McCain.

McCain scored well with older Iowans, but Goldford said Obama "creamed" McCain among independents en route to mustering 53.8 percent of Iowa ballots and the state's seven electoral votes. According to the unofficial tally released by Mauro's office, Obama polled 819,670 Iowa ballots to 678,466 for McCain, or 44.5 percent.

Nationally, the Student PIRGs New Voters Project estimated young voters this year surged by at least 2.2 million votes over 2004.

A separate group, Women's Voices Women Vote, reported that nationally, 70 percent of unmarried women voters supported Obama, while married women narrowly supported McCain over Obama.

GOP Electoral Strategy: Date Democrats

2008-11-05T23:12:00Z

Democratic pollster Stanley Greenberg says unmarried women made the difference for Obama. Back in 1994, when white male voters were said to be responsible for the GOP's takeover of Congress, the media came up with a label for them: "angry white men." Will the media now refer to Greenberg's voting bloc as "bitter unmarried women"?

By John J. Miller

Read the original article at The National Review Online.

Democratic pollster Stanley Greenberg says unmarried women made the difference for Obama. Back in 1994, when white male voters were said to be responsible for the GOP's takeover of Congress, the media came up with a label for them: "angry white men." Will the media now refer to Greenberg's voting bloc as "bitter unmarried women"?

Don't bother answering that.

Behind Obama's Victory: Women Open Up a Record Marriage Gap

2008-11-05T23:09:00Z

Young voters and Latinos are being widely credited with helping propel Barack Obama to a commanding victory, but an even greater source of support for the president-elect appears to have come from unmarried women—an important but often overlooked demographic.

By Kent Garber

Read the original article at US News and World Report.

Young voters and Latinos are being widely credited with helping propel Barack Obama to a commanding victory, but an even greater source of support for the president-elect appears to have come from unmarried women—an important but often overlooked demographic.

Unmarried women—a group that includes single, separated, divorced, or widowed women—voted for Obama over Republican opponent John McCain by a whopping 70 to 29 percent in yesterday's election, according to numbers released today by Women's Voices Women Vote, a nonpartisan organization.

Married women, by contrast, preferred McCain by a slim 3 percentage-point margin, 50 to 47 percent.

Unmarried women have historically voted for Democrats—in 2004, for example, 62 percent chose Sen. John Kerry over President Bush—but Obama's performance easily surpasses that of his predecessors.

Overall, 53 percent of the national electorate this year was female, according to exit poll data. Women overall voted 56 to 43 percent for Obama; men voted 49 to 48 percent for him.

Women are Making our Country's Decisions

2008-11-05T23:06:00Z

Just as women make most of their family’s big decisions, buying a car, a house, women also seem to be making the big decisions for the country. Women have voted at higher rates than men in every presidential election since 1980 and the number of women votes has exceeded the number of men voting in every presidential election since 1964. Yesterday, women, who are more than half of all voters, voted 56% for President-elect Barack Obama.

By Tracy Leaman

Read the original article at NDN.

Just as women make most of their family’s big decisions, buying a car, a house, women also seem to be making the big decisions for the country. Women have voted at higher rates than men in every presidential election since 1980 and the number of women votes has exceeded the number of men voting in every presidential election since 1964. Yesterday, women, who are more than half of all voters, voted 56% for President-elect Barack Obama. This is a 5% increase from 2004 when 51% of women voted for Sen. John Kerry, but only up 2% from 2000 when Vice President Al Gore took 54% of the womens' vote. The gender gap however, did not change at all from 2004 where there was a 7% gap and is again this year with men splitting their votes just about 50/50 between the candidates.

Unmarried women were really the ones who brought it home for the Democrats, voting 70% for Obama, this exceeding his margin among both young and Latino voters. This was very similar to how they voted in House races as well at 64% for national House candidates. Married women on the other hand preferred McCain 47-50...almost makes a girl want to say single!

President-elect Obama also received overwhelming support from African-American women at 96% and 70% of Latino women, compared to 47% of white women.

If you are a democrat, have you thanked a woman today?

Minorities, single women, young whites back Obama

2008-11-05T23:02:00Z

Barack Obama's formula for victory included a coalition of unmarried women, minorities and young whites and coaxing more votes from them than Democrats did in their 2004 presidential defeat, according to national exit polls of voters.

Exit polls: Obama's base mix of minorities, unmarried women, urban whites and young voters

By Alan Fram

Read the original article at Newsweek.

Barack Obama's formula for victory included a coalition of unmarried women, minorities and young whites and coaxing more votes from them than Democrats did in their 2004 presidential defeat, according to national exit polls of voters.

Obama also relied on one of politics' oldest truisms — it's hard to lose if you outnumber 'em.

In a year that consistently showed his supporters more enthusiastic than those backing Republican John McCain, four in 10 voters were Democrats while a third were from the GOP — the biggest partisan gap in exit polls dating to 1992.

For good measure, Obama won among independents. Exit poll results showed his core supporters also included moderates, liberals, people with postgraduate degrees and those who seldom attend religious services.

Looming above all else, of course, were the lumbering economy and the unpopular President Bush. No matter who they were, people troubled by the economy or unhappy with Bush were likelier to back Obama.

The man who will be the first African-American president got the votes of nearly all blacks and two-thirds of Hispanics. That was an improvement on 2004, when Democrat John Kerry won nine in 10 blacks and just over half of Hispanics.

While 56 percent of women backed Obama, the Democrat did even better among unmarried females. Seven in 10 of them voted for Obama, 8 percentage points better than Kerry.

Obama's performance with single women included winning six in 10 unmarried white women, also surpassing Kerry.

Two-thirds of voters under age 30 voted for Obama, another improvement from four years ago. He won 54 percent of whites under age 30, bettering Kerry by 10 percentage points.

Also backing the Democrat were working women, women with children, voters from union households and people earning under $50,000 a year. Most new voters supported him, and in a reflection of disaffection with Bush, so did about a fifth of those who voted for him in 2004 and a like number of conservatives.

In a cautionary note for the triumphant Obama, the survey showed he made little headway in prying two vote-rich groups from the GOP.

Obama trailed John McCain, the Arizona senator, by 18 percentage points among whites who haven't finished college, a modest improvement from Kerry four years ago. The Illinois senator also lagged McCain by 14 points among suburban whites — virtually duplicating Kerry's 2004 numbers.

Overall, whites preferred McCain over Obama 55 percent to 43 percent, an improvement for Obama on Kerry's 17-percentage-point shortfall. In exit polls dating to 1972, Democrats have never carried a majority of the white vote.

Whites who backed Obama tended to be urban residents, Easterners, Iraq war foes and people without guns.

Besides whites, Republicans and conservatives, McCain's solid voters included those over age 65, white evangelical and born-again Christians, and those who often attend services. He won strong support from Southerners, married people, gun owners, veterans, small-town and rural residents, and supporters of the Iraq war.

The complete results were from exit polling by Edison Media Research and Mitofsky International for The Associated Press and television networks conducted in 300 precincts nationally. The data was based on 17,836 voters, including telephone polling of 2,407 people who voted early, and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 1 percentage point for the entire sample, larger for subgroups.

Single Women Prove Decisive Political Force

2008-11-05T18:54:00Z

Unmarried women anchored Obama’s victory over McCain last night, splitting 70 to 29 for the Democratic ticket. Obama’s margin among unmarried women exceeded his margin among both young voters and Latino voters. Meanwhile, married women actually preferred McCain, 47 to 50 – an overwhelming 44 percent marriage gap. Unmarried women – women who are single, separated, divorced, or widowed – also gave strong support to Democrats in House races, splitting 64 to 29 nationally for Democratic candidate. All numbers come from calculations based on the CNN national election pool conducted by Edison/Mitofsky.
<center>
Single Women Prove Decisive Political Force:
Vote 70-29 for Obama;
Married Women 47-50 for McCain

Record Marriage Gap Across the Country –
Unmarried Women Key Pillar of Support for Obama

Unmarried Women Back Democrats in the House, 64-29
</center>

Unmarried women anchored Obama’s victory over McCain last night, splitting 70 to 29 for the Democratic ticket. Obama’s margin among unmarried women exceeded his margin among both young voters and Latino voters. Meanwhile, married women actually preferred McCain, 47 to 50 – an overwhelming 44 percent marriage gap. Unmarried women – women who are single, separated, divorced, or widowed – also gave strong support to Democrats in House races, splitting 64 to 29 nationally for Democratic candidate. All numbers come from calculations based on the CNN national election pool conducted by Edison/Mitofsky.

“Unmarried women have changed America, and they are an influential part of the new electorate. This year we can say, unmarried women were heard loud and clear. They voted for change. Now its time for the new Administration and the Congress to listen to these women in public policy debates,” said Page Gardner, President and Founder of Women’s Voices Women Vote. “WVWV has registered and turned out more unmarried women than any other group and provided that community with resources they did not have before,” Gardner stated.

Currently, Obama has a 7.2 million vote margin. With unmarried women, he had a 12-million-plus vote margin. If unmarried women voted like married women, he would have lost by 5 million votes. In 2004, John Kerry won among unmarried women, 62-37, a 7 million vote margin.

Since 2004, Women’s Voices Women Vote has worked to register unmarried women – an historically underrepresented demographic – and has generated over one million voter registration applications to date, including over 900,000 this cycle alone. WVWV has also worked to ensure unmarried women get out and vote through efforts including mailing approximately one million vote-by-mail applications to unmarried women in Colorado, Ohio, Iowa, Montana, and Nevada; calling over one million women asking them to “Promise” to vote; mailing voter information packets to unmarried women in eighteen states; sending same-day registration packets to women in Wisconsin and Iowa; and placing a Public Service Announcement on national talk radio, in which Barbra Streisand urges women, particularly unmarried women, to vote.

Gardner reacted to the increased interest in this election: “Unmarried women, previously silent and underrepresented, will be heard and will be an enormous part of ensuring that there is a new day in America.”

Full poll available at www.wvwv.org. Streisand PSA available at http://www.wvwv.org/media-room/video-public-service-announcements.

Women's Voices Women Vote is a non-profit, non-partisan organization created to activate unmarried women to participate in their government and in our democracy.

Women's support proves key in battlegrounds

2008-11-05T15:14:00Z

The margin was narrow but telling in hard-fought Ohio, where 54 percent of women chose Obama, compared with 53 percent in 2004, when President Bush won a narrow victory in the state over Sen. John Kerry.

Female voters heavily favor Obama, helping propel historic victory

By JoNel Aleccia

Read the original article at MSNBC.

For the first time in at least two election cycles, Mary Gockowski voted for a Democrat Tuesday, surprising herself and joining the ranks of women who switched their allegiance from 2004.

The 52-year-old Ohio preschool worker was among women in key battleground states to support Sen. Barack Obama over Sen. John McCain, helping push Obama over the top for his historic victory.

The margin was narrow but telling in hard-fought Ohio, where 54 percent of women chose Obama, compared with 53 percent in 2004, when President Bush won a narrow victory in the state over Sen. John Kerry.

In Pennsylvania, another crucial state where McCain had pinned his hopes, 60 percent of women opted for Obama, compared with 54 percent who went for Kerry in 2004. In New Hampshire, exit polls suggested that 63 percent of women supported Obama, compared with 54 percent who supported Kerry four years ago.

Women voters typically are crucial to a Democratic presidential victory, and Obama was pulling 55 percent of their votes, compared with 43 percent for McCain, according to exit polls. Obama and McCain were nearly even among male voters, who split 49-49 percent.

Although Gockowski voted twice for President Bush, she said a single crucial decision diverted her from McCain.

"I do like Barack Obama, but Sarah Palin was the nail in the coffin," she said. "I objected to (McCain's) judgment and to the idea that, 'Here, we'll give another female to the women of American because they might be dumb enough to vote for a female because of her sex.'"

She wasn't alone. Four in 10 voters overall said Palin was an important factor in deciding whom to vote for.

The Alaskan governor and vice presidential nominee figured large in a presidential campaign that featured historic firsts for female candidates. Across the country, women swamped polling stations Tuesday, drawn to a race that guaranteed change through either race or gender.

Women voters outnumbered men nationally by about 53-47 percent, according to exit polls. Women make up not only more of the general population, but also more of adult voters, historic census figures show.

'Women decided this election'

“He just captured me,” said Letitia Hughes, 42, an African-American mother of three from Fishers, Ind., a battleground state.

While some 95 percent of African-American men and 96 percent of women voted for Obama, according to exit polls, white voters generally favored McCain. But 46 percent of white women voted for Obama, according to exit polls, compared with only 41 percent of white men.

"If men split evenly between Obama and McCain, then women decided this election," said Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.

Monique Craig, a 40-year-old white administrative assistant from Boca Raton, Fla., was among those who landed in the McCain camp.

“I support (McCain) because I’m afraid if Obama gets elected we’re going to go to a more socialistic government,” said Craig. “I don’t feel like he’s strong enough to run the country with any kind of terrorist attack.”

Craig, who supported Mitt Romney in the primaries, said she liked McCain’s choice of Palin as his running mate, but thought a different woman might have improved his chances.

“My daughters and I loved Sarah Palin, but I would have been happier with (Secretary of State) Condoleezza Rice,” she said.

Analysts expected Tuesday’s crowds to include record numbers of single women voters, who could help fuel a “marriage gap” that could be more significant than a gender gap, or the difference between how men and women support the same candidate. The Women’s Voices. Women Vote Action Fund registered 900,000 new unmarried female voters, according to Page Gardner, the advocacy agency’s president.

“There’s something about being on your own as a woman in this country that is politically significant,” Gardner said. "Unmarried women are at the razor's edge of the economic crisis."

The gap between Obama and McCain was closer among married women. Those with children supported Obama 53 percent to 45 percent for McCain, exit polls showed. Those without children favored McCain 54 percent to 44 percent.

70 percent of single women choose Obama

But at least 70 percent of unmarried women with and without children supported Obama, a margin of more than 2-to-1. By contrast, 53 percent of unmarried women opted for Kerry in 2004, said Anna Greenberg, a Democratic pollster and vice president of the research firm Greenberg, Quinlan Rosner.

“I just really wanted change,” said Jen Dudley, 22, who is unmarried and works as an accountant at a small business in Richmond, Va. She waited an hour and 40 minutes to cast her vote in the battleground state.

What does she hope an Obama victory will change?

“Everything, I hope,” said Dudley.

Editorial: The new electorate

2008-11-04T18:53:00Z

It's Election Day and all eyes are trained on the eight battleground states - Colorado, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, Missouri, Virginia and North Carolina. With the exception of Missouri and North Carolina, Mr. Obama is leading in all of the states, but the gap is closing. Mr. Obama needs only to win one of the battleground states to win the presidency. If Mr. Obama can hold all of the states John Kerry won in 2004 and win one state President Bush carried, he will take the White House.

Read the original article at The Washington Times.

It's Election Day and all eyes are trained on the eight battleground states - Colorado, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, Missouri, Virginia and North Carolina. With the exception of Missouri and North Carolina, Mr. Obama is leading in all of the states, but the gap is closing. Mr. Obama needs only to win one of the battleground states to win the presidency. If Mr. Obama can hold all of the states John Kerry won in 2004 and win one state President Bush carried, he will take the White House.

The Obama campaign's strategy is based on new voters. National estimates are that 9 million people have registered to vote in the past two years and will vote with 129 million people that voted in 2004. Many of these registrations in places like Virginia, Colorado, Nevada and North Carolina are places where Mr. Obama has campaigned vigorously and coupled that with on-site voter registration drives. No doubt the majority of new registrations are Democrat.

Mr. Obama's strategy, as good as it is, isn't why he is ahead in most polls. Analyst Michael Barone's research shows that the economic downturn has suburban voters embracing Democrat regardless of his policies. Mr. Obama has consistently polled much better with educated, wealthy white voters in the suburbs than he has with less educated working-class, blue-collar white voters in Rust Belt, steel and factory small towns. Republican presidential candidates have claimed slim but sustained majorities in the suburbs, ever since Ronald Reagan won handily there in 1980.

Mr. Barone posited that it is not Mr. Obama's appeal that has created the shift. It is that suburban college graduates with money in the stock markets, 401(k)s, who bought $400,000 homes, are angry with and blame Mr. Bush and Republicans for the fact that their home values and their investments are declining exponentially. A SurveyUSA Missouri poll shows "Obama is carrying St. Louis 55 percent to 39 percent and Kansas City, Missouri, 56 percent to 41 percent," despite the fact that the state overall is tied. Its poll in Virginia shows Mr. Obama doing even better, 63 percent to 33 percent in Northern Virginia and 52 percent to 42 percent in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area.

Mr. Barone's premise is sound. Even in a solidly Republican state like North Carolina, a Public Policy Polling poll shows Mr. McCain is losing suburban voters to Mr. Obama 58 percent to 38 percent. In Florida, a Quinnipiac poll shows Mr. Obama carrying Tampa 50 percent to 38 percent and in Broward, Miami and Fort Lauderdale 59 percent to 36 percent. The numbers are similar in virtually every metropolitan area.

Mr. Obama also leads Mr. McCain by 50 percent to 43 percent among women. But when you break it out among married and unmarried women you get a different picture. A Gallup poll shows Mr. Obama leading Mr. McCain 63 percent to 28 percent among unmarried women. Mr. Obama is dead-even among married women according to Gallup, long a GOP stronghold. Unmarried women represent 26 percent of the electorate even with married women. Mr. Obama bought these votes with promises of tax credits for children and increasing the earned-income-tax credit.

Mr. McCain went on an 11-state tour yesterday in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee, Minnesota, Iowa, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Florida and Missouri. All but Pennsylvania are states Mr. Bush won in 2004. He will have to capture the 5 percent of undecided voters, independents and maximize the conservative vote to win. If he can hold Virginia, which is still a very tight race, he has a chance.

The Oct. 25 editorial "In defense of Sarah Palin" incorrectly stated the proposed cost of an Alaskan natural-gas pipeline deal. The proposed cost is $40 billion.

Down the Ballot -- Women Fight for Change

2008-11-04T16:29:00Z

With so much excitement focused on the presidential election, there is some concern that voters will neglect to pull the lever for the other candidates running for office. Hopefully not, as more women have entered into the political fray, successfully gotten into the pipeline, and may now be poised for victory.

By Marcia G. Yerman

Read the original article at The Huffington Post.

With so much excitement focused on the presidential election, there is some concern that voters will neglect to pull the lever for the other candidates running for office. Hopefully not, as more women have entered into the political fray, successfully gotten into the pipeline, and may now be poised for victory.

Circumstances have moved forward since 1985 when Barbara Mikulski became the first woman, in her own right, to make it into the Senate. As Ramona Oliver of Emily's List suggested to me, "Literally, adding her to the Senate saved millions of women's lives." Oliver was referencing Mikulski's impact on the protocol that called for the majority of federally funded medical research to be done on men. Mikulski fought to make sure women were included in clinical trials. As Dean of Senate women, she has led her colleagues in dramatically increasing funds for women's health research, including a 700% increase for breast cancer research since 1990.

It goes without saying that Hillary Clinton's historic run for the White House had a tremendous impact. Women are prepared to get into the driver's seat and contribute a fresh take on a wide array of matters from equal pay and reproductive rights, to the economy and international affairs. Kim Gandy, President of Now, said, "The increased focus on women voters throughout the long primary season inspired even more female candidates and engaged more women voters and volunteers. The result will not only be more women's voices in Congress, but also an increased focus on women's rights issues.

Here are some races to watch:

Christine Jennings 13th Congressional District, Florida

In a rematch of one of the closest (369 votes) and most costly Congressional races of 2006, Jennings is up against Vern Buchanan (ranked by Congress.org as number 407 out of 435 for representative effectiveness). Jennings was against the war in Iraq from its inception. She has a background in banking that appeals to both Independents and Republicans. She began her work life as a bank teller after graduating from high school, and worked her way up to the position of founder and President of the Sarasota Bank.

Jeanne Shaheen Senate, New Hampshire

In 1996, Shaheen was the first woman elected as Governor of New Hampshire. She is locked in a high profile race with incumbent John Sununu, who - like John McCain - voted with Bush 90% of the time. If elected, she will be the state's first female Senator. A three-term Governor, she has shown a strong commitment to women's issues and working families. This was evidenced when she signed into law a woman's right to choose, by repealing legislation that had criminalized abortion. She has also worked to expand health care coverage to include birth control.

Sam Bennett 15th Congressional District, Pennsylvania

Bennett, who comes from a background of grassroots activism, is going after incumbent Charlie Dent. When I spoke to Bennett on Election Eve, she told me she was "passionate about health care reform and is a progressive, pro-choice candidate." She has accused her opponent of running a "wall-to-wall smear campaign" but feels that the "calculus looks solid." There is still approximately a 30% demographic of undecided voters. Her campaign has knocked on 25,000 doors, and with 47,000 more Democrats than Republicans in her district, there is a good chance that she may become the second Congresswoman elected in Pennsylvania. Bennett has tied in with the Obama campaign using the slogan, "Don't stop at the top!"

There have been numerous actions and non-partisan groups working to enfranchise women. Lifetime's Every Woman Counts, launched in 1992, has used its multiplatform campaign to encourage women to become a part of the electoral process as both voters and candidates. Women's Voices. Womens Vote. has endeavored to engage the participation of unmarried women. In 2004, a staggering 20 million single women did not participate in choosing our country's leaders. With a pro-active website that gives women tools to become involved, they are hoping to change the numbers. Barbra Streisand has recorded a PSA to discuss why women's voices are so vital...and why they can make the difference.

Single Women: Election 2008's Holy Grail

2008-11-03T17:26:00Z

In 2000, 537 Florida votes changed history, and we've suffered mightily since. That's why it's crucial to get out every vote possible Tuesday, and not forget about the cohort which numbers over a quarter of the electorate: single women.

By Lea Lane

Read the original article at Alter Net.

In 2000, 537 Florida votes changed history, and we've suffered mightily since. That's why it's crucial to get out every vote possible Tuesday, and not forget about the cohort which numbers over a quarter of the electorate: single women.

Before the Pennsylvania primary CNN commented, "...it is the unmarried, young women voters, who are really key ... unmarried women will be to progressives what the evangelicals were to conservatives and ...[they] will determine the future of this country."

Yet single women of all ages, the fastest growing group of eligible voters (53 million), have been the least likely to vote of any group, including African-Americans or Hispanics: twenty million of them didn't vote in the 2004 presidential election. Not surprisingly, those who did, voted overwhelmingly for Kerry.

Compared to marrieds, fewer single women have health insurance or own homes or cars. Almost half have household incomes of $30,000 a year or less, often working long hours for less pay than men. With one paycheck they're often more at risk if they have credit cut. They are frightened of losing their home, or getting laid off from work, and there's often little to fall back on. Over ten million unmarried women are single moms, with kids at home and special worries about health care and retirement.

In this volatile economy, single women suffer, and Hillary has done her best to encourage them to vote. But will they fight the crowds this time? Because unmarrieds skew younger, they historically vote in low numbers. Many single women mean to vote but just don't get around to it, and mundane realities thwart them: no one to prompt them when they're tired and have to shop and cook, or they can't find a babysitter so they are able to spend four hours standing in long lines at the polls.

Solos, if you haven't yet, please be sure to go out of your way to vote. And please contact your single friends and offer them support so they can vote, too. Maybe rotate child care with a group, or carpool to the polls and then have an election party together. Employers, offer single workers time off from work to vote (Obama suggests the day!) Fellow workers, offer to take over their responsibilities while your single co-workers go to the polls.

Right now, whether you're a friend, acquaintance, work buddy or family member, call the single women in your life. Drive them, stand with them, babysit their children. Do whatever it takes to make sure that they join the throngs of voters on Tuesday.

Women's Voices. Women Vote. - News Articles

The Lasting Lesson from Election '08: Deliver on the Hopes for Change That Led Unmarried Women to the Polls

Post-Election Poll: Progressive Majority Provides Mandate for Bold Change

Unmarried women put Obama over the top

Unmarried Women Propel Jim Martin to a Runoff Prove Decisive Political Force in Georgia U.S. Senatorial Race

Unmarried Women Propel Jim Martin to a Runoff Prove Decisive Political Force in Georgia U.S. Senatorial Race

Unmarried Women Prove Decisive Political Force in North Carolina US Senatorial Race

Unmarried Women Prove Decisive Political Force in North Carolina U.S. Senatorial Race

At 1.5 million-plus, Iowa voter turnout tops '04

GOP Electoral Strategy: Date Democrats

Behind Obama's Victory: Women Open Up a Record Marriage Gap

Women are Making our Country's Decisions

Minorities, single women, young whites back Obama

Single Women Prove Decisive Political Force

Single Women Prove Decisive Political Force: Vote 70-29 for Obama; Married Women 47-50 for McCain

Record Marriage Gap Across the Country – Unmarried Women Key Pillar of Support for Obama

Unmarried Women Back Democrats in the House, 64-29

Women's support proves key in battlegrounds

Editorial: The new electorate

Down the Ballot -- Women Fight for Change

Single Women: Election 2008's Holy Grail

Single Women Prove Decisive Political Force:
Vote 70-29 for Obama;
Married Women 47-50 for McCain

Record Marriage Gap Across the Country –
Unmarried Women Key Pillar of Support for Obama