WOMEN ON THEIR OWN IN UNMARRIED AMERICA

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WOMEN ON THEIR OWN IN UNMARRIED AMERICA Womens
Voices. Women Vote. March 22, 2006
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Goals

• Highlight the marriage gap as a defining dynamic
  in 21st century politics.
• Increase registration and turnout of unmarried
  women.
• Change the issue environment to draw more
  attention to healthcare, retirement and education
  issues that define the unmarried women agenda.

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WOMEN ON THEIR OWN Agents of Change
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Unmarried Women Potential for Growth

• Unmarried women have the potential to be among
  the most important agents of change, dramatically
  changing Americas course if they register and
  vote in higher numbers as well as participate in
  public policy debates.
• If unmarried women voted at the same rate as
  married women, there would have been 6 million
  more voters in 2004.

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Unmarried Women Potential for Growth

• Unmarried women have the largest potential for
  growth in terms of both registration and turnout.
• In 2004, there were 15 million unmarried women
  who were not registered, and 5 million unmarried
  women who did not vote.
• States where WVWV was active in 2004 are more
  responsive to turnout messaging in 2006.

All estimates are based on voting-eligible
adults. Unmarried is defined as never married,
separated, widowed, or divorced.
Based on 2004 Current Population Survey Data
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The Future Unmarried Women
2004 Election Registration and Turnout
2004 Current Population Survey, November
Supplement
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WOMEN ON THEIR OWN Demographics, Economic
Challenges, Social Networks
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Summary Unmarried Women

• Unmarried America is growing almost half of the
  households in the country are headed by an
  unmarried person.
• Unmarried women are different from married women
  economically and socially.
• 47 of unmarried women say they often dont have
  enough money to make ends meet.
• 36 of unmarried women have lived in their homes
  for 2 years or less.
• Most younger women (under 25) and older women
  (over 75) are unmarried.
• Economics, less connection to community and
  logistical issues all impede unmarried womens
  political participation.

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UNMARRIED WOMENWHO VOTES,WHO DOESNT VOTE
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Demographic Profile of Unmarried Women Voters and
Non-Voters
WVWV Survey of Unmarried Americans, January 4-19,
2006
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Demographic Profile of Unmarried Women Voters and
Non-Voters
WVWV Survey of Unmarried Americans, January 4-19,
2006
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Demographic Profile of Unmarried Women Voters and
Non-Voters
WVWV Survey of Unmarried Americans, January 4-19,
2006
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Demographic Profile of Unmarried Women Drop-Off
Voters
Drop-Off Voters are those who voted in 2004 but
not in 2002
WVWV Survey of Unmarried Americans, January 4-19,
2006
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Demographic Profile of Unmarried Women Drop-Off
Voters
WVWV Survey of Unmarried Americans, January 4-19,
2006
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Demographic Profile of Unmarried Women Drop-Off
Voters
WVWV Survey of Unmarried Americans, January 4-19,
2006
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UNMARRIED WOMEN AND POLITICAL PARTICIPATION
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Who Among Unmarried Women are Core Voters
Core voters are respondents who indicated that
they rate themselves a 10 on a 10-point scale of
likelihood to vote, voted in 2004, and voted in
2002.
WVWV Survey of Unmarried Americans, January 4-19,
2006
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Who Among Unmarried Women are Not Voting, Not
Registered
Core voters are respondents who indicated that
they rate themselves a 10 on a 10-point scale of
likelihood to vote, voted in 2004, and voted in
2002.
WVWV Survey of Unmarried Americans, January 4-19,
2006
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Why Unmarried Women Do Not Participate
Information

• Unmarried women communicate a lack of
  understanding about the political process and a
  desire to learn more about the candidates.
• 64 of unmarried women think politics is too
  complicated to understand.
• 49 of unmarried women feel they shouldnt vote
  if they dont know anything about the candidates.

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Getting Unmarried Women To Vote Message and
Tactics

• Provide information from sources they can trust.
• Taking their responsibility seriously.
• But being responsible also requires being an
  informed citizen.
• Decrease barriers to voting.

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The Barriers Information but also Logistical
(Percent Unmarried Women Responding Yes,
describes me)
If I don't know anything about the candidates, I
shouldn't vote
I don't know how to get an absentee ballot or how
to vote by mail
I don't know how to find my polling place where I
would cast my vote
I don't know how to register to vote
Here are some more statements about registering
and voting. For each one, please tell me whether
or not it describes you. I just need a yes or no
response.
WVWV Survey of Unmarried Americans, January 4-19,
2006
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2006 OPPORTUNITIES DROP-OFF VOTERS AND OTHER
GROUPS
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Shift In Likelihood to Vote of Unmarried Women
(Percent Responding)
WVWV Survey of Unmarried Americans, January 4-19,
2006
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More Trusted Information Will Help Turn Out
Unmarried Women
(Percent Responding)
Now I am going to read you a set of things some
people say would help get them to vote. Please
tell me what would be most effective in getting
you to vote in November.
WVWV Survey of Unmarried Americans, January 4-19,
2006
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MESSAGE FRAMEWORKS
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Talking to Unmarried Women about Politics

• Messages of personal responsibility and civic
  duty if you dont vote, you cant complain.
• Unmarried voters are deeply unhappy with the
  direction of the country. They are concerned
  that their needs are not being met, and that they
  must vote to bring needed change to Washington on
  the issues they care most about.
• Health care and education issues most motivating
  but there are also very large concerns about
  the loss of jobs due to outsourcing and budget
  cuts that hurt the middle class.

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Top Messages Among Unmarried Women Who Move
( 70 or more Very Convincing)
WVWV Survey of Unmarried Americans, January 4-19,
2006
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Messaging Among Unmarried Women Who Move
(Percent Responding Very Convincing)
WVWV Survey of Unmarried Americans, January 4-19,
2006
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UNMARRIED MEN
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Who Among Unmarried Men are Core Voters
(Percent Responding)
Core voters are respondents who indicated that
they rate themselves a 10 on a 10-point scale of
likelihood to vote, voted in 2004, and voted in
2002.
WVWV Survey of Unmarried Americans, January 4-19,
2006
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Shift In Likelihood to Vote of Unmarried Men
(Percent Responding)
WVWV Survey of Unmarried Americans, January 4-19,
2006
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More Trusted Information Will Help Turn Out
Unmarried Men
(Percent Responding)
Now I am going to read you a set of things some
people say would help get them to vote. Please
tell me what would be most effective in getting
you to vote in November.
WVWV Survey of Unmarried Americans, January 4-19,
2006
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Studying Unmarried America

• National survey
• 1,509 unmarried Americans
• Conducted January 4-19, 2006
• Margin of error /- 2.5 percentage points
• Focus groups
• 8 focus groups, conducted November-December 2005
• Unmarried men and women
• Whites, African Americans and Hispanics
• Pittsburgh, Tucson, Detroit
• Research conducted and analyzed by Greenberg
  Quinlan Rosner