In the News

By Danica Lo

This afternoon, the Institute for Women's Policy Research will host a discussion on "Achieving Gender Equality in our Lifetimes: A Bold Vision for Advancing the Status of Women", where they will unveil the results of the Institute's 2015 Status of Women in the States study.

 

Tune in today at 1:30 P.M. to watch the live-streamed event, above, which will feature guests including Heidi Shierholz, chief economist at the U.S. Department of Labor; Wisconsin Congresswoman Gwen Moore; Sue Carroll, senior scholar, the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), and professor of political science and women’s and gender studies, Rutgers University; Glamour executive editor Wendy Naugle; Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers; Ai-jen Poo, director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and co-director of the Caring Across Generations campaign; Barbara Krumsiek, former CEO at Calvert Investments; and Adriana Kugler, Ph.D., vice-provost for faculty and professor, the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University.

 

Here's a sneak peek at some interesting data culled by the IWPR surrounding women's participation in elections in the United States. How does your state stack up?

 

These states had the highest women's voter turnout in 2010/2012:

1. Wisconsin with 64.8 percent

2. Maine with 64.3 percent

3. Mississippi with 63.3 percent

 

These states had the lowest women's turnout in 2010/2012:

1. Texas with only 40.9 percent

2. California with only 44.7 percent

3. Hawaii with only 45.1 percent

 

Overall, many women aren't voting at all: "In the 2012 election, 41.3 percent of women aged 18-24 voted, compared with 58.5 percent of adult women overall."

 

New laws that are preventing women from voting: "As of March 2015, 34 states had passed voter identification laws. Women, especially low-income, older, minority, and married women, may be particularly affected by stringent voter identification laws."

 

Regionally, the highest participation awards go to:

1. New England

2. Midwest

3. Pacific West

 

Regionally, the lowest participation numbers can be found in: the South

 

This is how participation breaks down along race lines: In the 2012 election 66.1 percent of black women voted; 64.5 percent of white women voted; 33.9 percent of Hispanic women voted; and 32 percent of Asian women voted.

 

Do these numbers surprise you at all? Are you registered to vote in the 2016 elections?