There has long been a debate about whether women vote more than men. Some say that women are more interested in politics and government and are more likely to vote. Others argue that women are more conscientious than men and more likely to go to the polls on Election Day. In this article, we look at voter turnout by gender over the years and see if there is a difference between women and men.
Voter History by Gender
The Centre For American Women And Politics at Rutgers University has found that “women have registered and voted more frequently than men in every presidential election since 1980, with the disparity in turnout between women and men widening somewhat with each successive presidential election”[Source] . The number of registered women exceeds the number of men by 10 million, which means that many women are registering. In addition, “the number of female voters has exceeded that of male voters in every presidential election since 1964.”
Who Votes more, Male or Female?
History shows that women have outvoted men for many years. According to the Centre for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, “the number of female voters has exceeded the number of male voters in every presidential election since 1964”[Source]. This is also attributed to the fact that women make up more than half of the population in most countries, allowing them to vote in large numbers.
What Gender is most likely to Vote?
Women in America have only had this right for less than a century, but they exercise it in much greater numbers and at a higher percentage than their male counterparts”. Because they make up the majority of the population, women know they play a critical role in electing a country’s leaders and representatives. Women are encouraged to seek high political offices and to vote in every election so that their voices can be heard. Traditionally, only men followed political trends, but this is a thing of the past, as we have female prime ministers and presidents and a gender balance in parliaments.
How many Women Voted in 2020?
Election statistics for the 2020 parliamentary elections show that 68% of eligible women were able to cast their ballots [Source]. Statista found that 74.1% of women registered to vote in the 2020 general election [Source]. This election race, which pitted former U.S. President Donald against current U.S. President Joe Biden, made history regarding the number of women who voted. MSNBC commented on the gendered turnout saying, “Women once again voted more often than men. In this year of record turnout, they cast more votes than ever before”.
Voting Statistics by Gender 2020
In the 2020 parliamentary elections, of the 74.1 percent of registered women, 68% were able to vote, while only 71.2% of men were registered voters in the same year, and 65% of men participated in the elections. In 2020, a total of 155 million people went to the polls. 4%, or 552,500 voters, did not go to the polls due to concerns about the Coronavirus pandemic.
Voter Turnout by Gender 2018
In 2018, the United States Census Bureau found that “55 percent of women voted compared to 52 percent of men, a 3 percentage difference” [Source].
Gender Voting Statistics
In every U.S. presidential election since 1984, women reported voting slightly more often than men” and “At the same time, the gender gap in party affiliation continues to widen.”
The explanation given for why more women vote is that women vote because they “have more to do with government in their daily lives than men do.” Compared to men, they are more likely to benefit from security benefits such as food stamps and child care subsidies. In addition, feminist movements urge women to vote more and pursue high political careers.
