Executive Summary

Women's Voices. Women Vote is a groundbreaking new project to increase the number of unmarried women registering and voting.

New research and analysis commissioned by  Women's Voices. Women Vote shows unmarried women could decide this election and their concerns could dramatically change America's course if they register and vote in higher numbers. Ignored until now by traditional voter registration and get out the vote efforts, unmarried women represent millions of voters who want big changes and a progressive agenda that addresses their concerns about the economy, the cost of health care, and education foremost.

According to the U.S. Census, unmarried women are 46 percent of all voting-age women and 56 percent of all unregistered women. As of 2000, there were 16 million unmarried, unregistered women and 22 million registered unmarried women who did not vote. If unmarried women voted at the same rate as married women, there would have been more than six million more voters in the electorate.

Methodology:

This summary is based on a Greenberg Quinlan Rosner survey of 1036 unmarried women under 65. Of these women, 333 are registered likely voters, 288 are registered unlikely voters, and 312 unregistered women.  This survey was conducted on behalf of Women's Voices Women Vote and fielded October 23 - November 19, 2003.

Key Findings

• Unmarried women constitute the largest group of people not participating - 22 million did not vote.
• Unmarried women tend to be progressive, and by a wide margin (41%) think the country is on the wrong track.
• The priorities of non-voting unmarried women are the same as those who do vote, constituting a large and potentially powerful untapped constituency.