Women on Their Own

For complete text of "Women on Their Own," which includes the Profile of Women on their Own and the New Voter Sheet, please download the PDF.

Who are they?

• They are women on their own. They are 46% of all voting age women
• 50% have never been married; the other 50% include women who are divorced or widowed
• Most work outside the home (12% work at home) and 14% have graduated from college
• They are economically vulnerable
• 30% earn less than $15,000 annually; more than half earn less than $30,000 annually
• They think of themselves as independent and self-reliant
• 19% are mothers, 31% of those under 45 have children at home, and they are more likely to identify with other mothers
• Nearly half are renters; are more likely to move & change their phone # since the last election.

Why are they important?

• The 20 million single women who did not vote in 2004 are the biggest group of potential new voters in the country.
• And they are far more likely to vote Democratic  if they vote:
  • In 2000, Gore won single women voters by a margin of 31%
  • In 2004, Kerry won single women by a margin of 25%; AND they increased their numbers and percentage of the overall electorate.
• If they vote, unmarried women could be the most important agents of change in 2006.

What do they want?

• They want change and a new direction for America
• Financial security and better pay
• Health care they can count on as a job benefit or affordable options to purchase on their own
• If they are younger or have children, better and affordable educational opportunities for themselves and their children
• A secure retirement
• A strong role for government to meet these needs, but they are skeptical that government can get anything done.

Why don’t they vote?

• They would rather not vote than risk making uninformed decisions.
• They believe that politicians do not listen to them and don’t follow through on promises.
• They are less likely to belong to networks that give information about elections and the political process.

How do we communicate with them?

• Give them a reason to vote: their vote matters; their vote can create change
• Have other strong, independent women speak with them
• Respect their hard work. Refer to them as strong, independent and capable
• Talk about their collective power as 22 million strong