The Gender Gap

The difference in voting patterns of men and women—the "gender gap"—is often a matter of winning or losing elections. Since 1964 the votes of women have decided our elections. Women have been the majority of registered voters and the majority of potential voters. CPA’s seminal work on Women’s Voices, a research and polling initiative that has captured the policy priorities and values of women from over almost a decade, finds that balancing work and family is a major issue in women’s lives. Across race, class, party, geography and age, they view work and family as the "ying and yang" of their lives—constantly intertwined. Women decidedly do not feel like victims and want relief and shared responsibility by the men in their lives, employers and government. Women’s Voices research also picked up on issues of gun control and violence, issues that are now hot on the political agenda.