FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6

Unmarried Women Prove Decisive Political Force in North Carolina U.S. Senatorial Race

Record Marriage Gap Across the Country and in North Carolina – Unmarried Women Key Pillar of Support for Hagan

WASHINGTON, DC – According to an election survey, unmarried women of North Carolina were more likely to support Democrat Kay Hagan over long-time incumbent Republican Elizabeth Dole by 30 point margin. In the Presidential election, North Carolina unmarried women were more likely to support Barack Obama by 30 points.

The Lake Research Partners election survey, commissioned by Women’s Voices. Women Vote, was conducted in Georgia, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Minnesota. The survey found unmarried women offered critical support for progressive candidates in all of the states.

“The overwhelming support of unmarried women in North Carolina delivered stunning victories for both Hagan and Obama,” said Page Gardner, Founder and President of Women’s Voices. Women Vote.

Unmarried women backed Democrat Kay Hagan by 53 percent to 44 percent over incumbent Republican Elizabeth Dole, and provided Barack Obama an overwhelming victory over John McCain (68 percent Obama, 32 percent McCain).

Nationally, unmarried women anchored Obama’s victory over McCain last night, splitting 70 to 29 for the Democratic ticket. Obama’s margin among unmarried women exceeded his margin among both young voters and Latino voters. Meanwhile, married women actually preferred McCain, 47 to 50 – an overwhelming 44 percent marriage gap. All numbers come from calculations based on the CNN National Election Pool conducted by Edison/Mitofsky.

“Throughout this election season, we’ve seen unmarried women paying attention to the candidates, and last night we saw them turn out to make their voices heard,” said Gardner. “Unmarried women are the fastest-growing large demographic in the country, and during this election, we’ve seen them register and vote in record numbers,” said Gardner.

The economy was the driving issue agenda impacting the vote of women in North Carolina, with rising health care costs their most pressing concern. Rising health care costs were the most important economic issue determining their votes (19 percent), followed by higher taxes (15 percent), the federal budget deficit and national debt (12 percent), lack of jobs that pay a family-supporting wage (10 percent), a secure retirement (8 percent), daily expenses like food or child care (8 percent), the possibility of losing one’s job (6 percent), and the rising cost of gasoline and fuel (5 percent).

Women's Voices. Women Vote is a non-profit, non-partisan organization created to activate unmarried women to participate in their government and in our democracy.