The League of Women Voters
05/02/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 05/02/2024 11:00
REPORT: Women Voters by the Numbers
By: LWV Staff
REPORT: Women Voters by the Numbers
Blog/Last Updated: May 2, 2024
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Note: This blog contains data obtained from the US Census that delineates voter trends based on age, race, and gender. While valuable data is shown, not every racial, ethnic, or gender identity is represented.
We pulled data to build a snapshot of how women are voting. It made one thing clear: the next election is up to women.
Map of 2022 Women Voters
We pulled data from the US Census and KFF to illustrate the power of women voters in 2022.
The numbers indicate that women showed up to vote in overwhelming numbers. Notably, this was the year that the Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion care.
Overall, women voted at higher rates than men. Turnout was particularly high in Arizona, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin; in these states, women within the voter population voted at rates of roughly 58-71%. Notably, six of the twelve female governors in the US were in these states.
As stated above, in 2022, 12 states elected women governors - a record number. While this is a great accomplishment historically, it hardly reflects a population that's over 50% female.
2004-2022 Voters By the Numbers
Reports from the US Census from 2004-2022 show us what many consider popular knowledge: based on self-reports, women register to vote at higher rates than men. In several years, the discrepancy has been by as high as 10 percentage points.
In 2022, the gaps between women and men voters were highest in the white, non-Hispanic and Black communities. Likewise, they were highest among the age ranges 75+, 45-64, and 25-44.
This turnout is particularly remarkable when one considers that the 19th Amendment is barely a century old - and many women still weren't able to vote until much later than 1919.
Takeaways
Women's votes hold enormous power in our elections. Heading to the polls is an unmissable opportunity to wield our influence and vote on the issues that impact us. Reproductive rights, jobs, health care, education - politicians cannot afford to ignore women's voices on these issues.
So get ready to make your voice heard with tools like VOTE411.org! Check your registration, find out where your candidate stands on the issues, get your polling info, and share resources with your friends. Women power elections. That includes you.
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