Election 2008 Highlights

Record Marriage Gap among Women Voters*

Unmarried women of all ages played a key role in the 2008 General Election.  In fact, 70% of unmarried women voting on November 4th cast their ballot for Barack Obama, while 29% voted for John McCain.  This is the highest margin ever recorded for a candidate.  Here are additional highlights:

• The marriage gap between how married and unmarried women voted was 44 points
• The gender gap remained about the same as other elections at approximately 12% (the difference between how women and men vote)
• 11% of  those voting were voting for the first time
• Among unmarried women who voted, 75% of  them believed that average people really can help change our country
• Male voters were evenly split, with 49% of unmarried men voting for Obama, and 48% voting for McCain
• Obama lost the married women vote with 47% compared to McCain’s 50%
• Unmarried women represented the largest block of the electorate with 26% or one out of every four voters

Pennsylvania Voter Turnout**

*Women’s Voices, Women Vote, Greenberg Quinlan data: http://www.wvwv.org/research-items/unmarried-women-change-america

**PA Dept. of State, Election Results