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Category: Rising American Electorate
October 7, 2015
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Table

Unmarried Women and Poverty

Single women are having a harder time making ends meet than married women in America. Over the next several weeks, we’re going to document the different economic realities that define the lives and needs of the one out of every two U.S. women who are widowed, divorced, separated or have never been married. Our goal is to use data from the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor, and other sources to make the case for a policy agenda that speaks to and improves the lives of half of all American women.

More than one in five unmarried women (22.7 percent) live in poverty. Single women are more than three times as likely than married women (6.3 percent) or married men (6.3 percent) to live in poverty.

2014 Population and Poverty Rates for U.S. Women, by Marital Status

October 1, 2015
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Voter Registration by Snail Mail?! Yes, Snail Mail!

We have to admit it: In an age of Facebook, online forms, and email, “snail mail” is a little old-school.

But when you’re talking about voter registration, mail is what works with the Rising American Electorate (unmarried women, people of color, and millennials). Mail was the second most popular means for the RAE to register to vote in 2014, second only to the DMV (thanks, Motor Voter!).

September 28, 2015

Registering the Rising American Electorate: Now is the Time

As part of our year-round voter registration program, the Voter Participation Center is helping to register unmarried women, people of color, and young voters—the groups that make up the Rising American Electorate (RAE)—for the 2016 election. VPC is mailing voter registration forms to 1.4 million RAE members in 8 states. (You can read more about our mail program here.)

The chart below shows the huge number of unregistered members of the RAE—particularly unmarried women—and the opportunity to reshape the electorate in these eight states.

  Rising American Electorate Unmarried Women
State

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% of VEP

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Registered

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%

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Unreg.

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%

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% of VEP

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Registered

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%

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Unreg.

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%

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Colorado 49% 1,149,895 62% 695,784 38% 22% 546,725 66% 283,499 34%
Florida 58% 4,818,782 60% 3,269,845 40% 26% 2,184,986 60% 1,452,963 40%
Iowa 45% 601,659 59% 413,038 41% 23% 325,929 62% 198,167 38%
North Carolina 56% 2,439,168 63% 1,406,290 37% 26% 1,147,794 64% 656,032 36%
Nevada 62% 616,901 53% 543,057 47% 26% 266,875 55% 215,404 45%
Pennsylvania 47% 2,531,540 57% 1,947,017 43% 24% 1,404,064 61% 892,563 39%
Virginia 56% 1,941,775 59% 1,328,439 41% 24% 831,891 59% 568,104 41%
Wisconsin 45% 1,137,583 60% 759,954 40% 24% 637,094 63% 370,210 37%

(VEP: Vote-Eligible Population)

Data Source: Current Population Survey: Voting and Registration Supplement, 2014. U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census.

September 25, 2015

Unmarried and Single Americans By the Numbers: A Potential Electoral Powerhouse

This is National Unmarried and Single Americans Week and all this week we have been highlighting new U.S. Census Bureau data documenting the size and power of this fast-growing demographic group —focused particularly on unmarried women. We want to end this week with data derived from Census figures about unmarried women, their potential to make up a quarter of the national 2016 electorate and their power to decide next year’s elections.

51 PERCENT

Percentage of U.S. women eligible to vote in 2016 who will be unmarried, according to projections—the first time in U.S. history when the majority of vote-eligible U.S. women have been unmarried.

September 25, 2015

Gearing Up for 2016

In the 2016 election, for the first time ever, unmarried women will make up the majority of voting-eligible women.

That’s just one of the many data points in “Gearing Up for 2016: How Population and Electoral Trends Among the RAE Inform the 2016 Cycle,” the newest report from The Voter Participation Center and Lake Research Partners.

The trend is impossible to ignore: the Rising American Electorate continues to increase in numbers and proportion of the total voting-eligible population, making their needs and concerns more and more difficult for elected officials, candidates, and political parties to ignore.

Update September 25, 2015: This report has been updated with new Census 2014 data.

Downloads

A report about the Rising American Electorate and their potential impact on the 2016 election, based on census and survey data.

Associated Posts

Significant Digits: 40 Percent

538 highlights Rebecca Traister's story on how important unmarried women will be this cycle: Their numbers are growing, bringing “massive social and political implications.” In 2012, unmarried women were 23 percent of the electorate, and for the first time it’s expected that...

RAE Spotlight: African-American Voters

During Black History Month, we thought it would be a good time to take a deeper look at a key segment of the Rising American Electorate (RAE)—African-American voters. Nine out of ten African-Americans voted for Barack Obama in 20121,...

Voter Registration by Snail Mail?! Yes, Snail Mail!

We have to admit it: In an age of Facebook, online forms, and email, "snail mail" is a little old-school. But when you're talking about voter registration, mail is what works with the Rising American Electorate (unmarried women, people of...

Unmarried Women: An Electoral Profile

Unmarried women, people of color and millennials (age 18-35) now make up the majority (56.7 percent) of the U.S. population. Unmarried women make up one of the largest shares of this Rising American Electorate (RAE). Almost one of...

The Rising American Electorate: A Population on the Move

The Rising American Electorate (RAE) -- unmarried women, people of color and young people 18-35 (Millennials) - are highly mobile. Four in ten RAE members moved between the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections and lost their registration status.

How the Rising American Electorate Register and Vote

About a third of the Rising American Electorate (RAE) - unmarried women, people of color, young voters 18-35 (Millennials) -- are not registered to vote. Convenience of registration matters: The RAE is most likely to register...

The Rising American Electorate: A Profile

The fast-growing Rising American Electorate (RAE) - unmarried women, people of color and young people 18-35 (Millennials) -- now account for more than half (56.7 percent) of all eligible voters in the United States. All of...

Unmarried Women: A Demographic and Economic Profile

Unmarried Women and the Rising American Electorate: A Deeper Dive An in-depth demographic, economic and political look at unmarried women and the Rising American Electorate from Lake Research Partners. Unmarried Women: A Demographic and Economic Profile Unmarried Women:...
September 24, 2015

Unmarried Americans By the Numbers: The Changing American Family

This is National Unmarried and Single Americans Week and all week we will be highlighting new U.S. Census Bureau data documenting the size and power of this fast-growing demographic group—focusing particularly on unmarried women. The number of people living alone has close to doubled in less than two generations.

34 million

Number of U.S. residents 18+ who lived alone in 2014. They comprised 28% of all households, up from 17% in 1970.

7 million

Number of U.S. unmarried-partner households in 2013. Of this number, 573,530 were same-sex households.

3 million

Number of U.S. unmarried opposite-sex couples living with children under 18 as of 2014, up from 1 million in 1996.

September 23, 2015

Unmarried Americans By the Numbers: Singlehood is Becoming the New Norm for American Households

This is National Unmarried and Single Americans Week and all week we will be highlighting new U.S. Census Bureau data documenting the size and power of this fast-growing demographic group—focusing particularly on unmarried women. Almost half the households in America are headed by single people.

58 million

Number of U.S. households maintained by unmarried men and women in 2014, which is 47% of households nationwide.

September 22, 2015

National Voter Registration Day: The Unregistered, but Rising, American Electorate

Today is National Voter Registration Day, and perhaps the most important National Voter Registration Day ever because of the decisive role the Rising American Electorate (RAE)—unmarried women, people of color, and millennials—will have in the 2016 election.

In 2016, the RAE will make up 57% of Americans eligible to vote and they’re poised to make up the majority of the electorate. That’s why many now call them the New American Majority. But that can only happen if they’re registered to vote—and as this map we posted a few weeks ago makes clear, there are a lot of states where huge numbers of the RAE aren’t registered to vote, including in states key to the outcome of the 2016 presidential election:

Rising American Electorate Voter Registration by State

Hover your mouse over a state to see the numbers and percentages of unmarried women, people of color and Millennials who are not registered to vote.
% of RAE Not Registered
 
25-29%
 
30-34%
 
35-39%
 
40-44%
 
45-49%
 
50-54%
 
55% +

Unregistered RAE By State

Data Source: Current Population Survey: Voting and Registration Supplement, 2014. U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census

That’s why our ongoing mail and online registration programs, which focus on the Rising American Electorate, are such an important part of our mission—because we believe our nation is stronger when every eligible American can cast a ballot and make their voice heard on Election Day.

And if you’re not registered to vote yet, make sure you’re registered!

September 21, 2015

Unmarried Americans By the Numbers: Some Stunning Stats

This is National Unmarried and Single Americans Week and all week we will be highlighting new U.S. Census Bureau data documenting the size and power of this fast-growing demographic group —focusing particularly on unmarried women. In 2016, for the first time ever there will be more unmarried women than married women eligible to vote.

September 16, 2015

Webinar: Gearing Up for 2016

Highlights from the most recent U.S. Census figures illustrate the decisive role unmarried women and the rest of the Rising American Electorate will play in the 2016 elections.

The video of our September 16 webinar features VPC president and founder Page Gardner and nationally-prominent pollster Celinda Lake, discussing how population and electoral trends among theRising American Electorate in 2014 inform the 2016 cycle .