Electoral Politics

1
Electoral Politics

• The Gender Gap
• Left Parties

2
The Gender Gap and Womens Vote

• Gender Gap dfn. Difference in the of women and
  men who support a given candidate
• Womens Vote dfn. Behavior of women as a voting
  bloc (not compared to men) or divisions among
  women voters on a particular candidate or issue

3
US Gender Gap Facts

• A Gender gap in every election since 1980
• 2000 10 percentage points (43 of women and 53
  of men support GWB) (VNS)
• 2004 11 percentage points (39 of women v. 50
  of men supporting Bush) (Pew)
• Gender gap exists for all groups, but is smaller
  among African Americans and independents and
  larger among older voters (60), unmarried
  voters, college educated, and suburban voters

4
Comparing Womens and Mens Voting Behavior in US

• Women vote in higher numbers (since 1964) (7.8
  million more women 2000)
• Women vote at higher rates (women 56.2 v. 53.1
  for men)
• More women register to vote
• Women make up a larger proportion of undecided
  and swing voters

5
Gender Gaps on Issues, Parties

• Parties (June 2004) (CBS/NYT)
• Democrats (39 women v. 31men)
• Republicans(28 women v. 30 men)
• Presidential Performance (Gallup)
• Approve of the Way GWB is handling job (June
  2004) women 45 men 50
• Approve of the way Clinton is handling job
• (Jan 1998) women 64 men 54

6
Attitudes on Pub Policy Issues

• Role of Government Doing too much?
• Yes women (50) men (66)
• Use of military force (Bosnia, N. Korea, military
  strength v. diplomacy support for conscientious
  objection)
• Social Programs Favor cuts?
• Favor women (47) men (60)
• Should more be done to expand good, affordable
  child care, or should it be left to families and
  individuals?
• Do more women (63) men (41)

7
Gender Gap on Pub Policy Issues

• Should fed government guarantee medical care? Yes
  women (69) men (58)
• Poverty and homelessness important
• One of most impt probs wom(63) men 44
• Should affirmative action be continued or
  abolished? Abolished wom 36, men 52
• Do you think women have equal job opps
• No women 69 men 59

8
Left Parties

• Are left/labor parties better for women?
• On some issues (maternity and parental leave
  womens poverty) seems like yes
• On other issues (violence, reproductive rights)
  party does not seem to matter
• How do we resolve this question?
• It depends on the issue
• Labor parties matter for class/redistributive
  issues
• Labor parties (and left right continuum) does not
  capture anything about body politics womens
  movements determine these issues
• No labor party in US Strong labor parties in
  Nordic countries Strong womens movement in
  Anglo-Am