In the selection of recent public opinion polls below showing presidential preferences in the state of Virginia, we have highlighted findings on gender.*
Recent attention to the gender gap in presidential vote choice frequently reflects confusion between what is traditionally known as the gender gap in voting between men and women voters and a commonly reported difference in support for each major party candidate among women voters. The data below includes both measures.
The Gender Gap: The difference between the percentages of women and men who support a given candidate, generally the leading or winning candidate. Even if women and men favor the same candidate, they may do so by different margins, resulting in a gender gap. We calculate the gender gap for each poll based on the votes of women and men who support the candidate leading in that poll.
Example: [%Women for Leading Candidate] – [%Men for Leading Candidate] = Gender Gap
The Women's Vote: The percentage point advantage that one candidate has over the other among women voters – that is, the difference in support for the major party candidates among women voters only.
Example: [%Women for Obama] – [%Women for Romney] = Women's Vote
* Polls are based on samples of either registered or likely voters. Follow the link to each poll for additional details on methodology.
Final Virginia Exit Poll, 2008
Obama: 52%
McCain: 47%
Gender Gap: 2 pts.
Women's Vote: +7% Obama
Pre-Election Polls
Poll | Date in Field | Overall Vote | Gender Gap |
Women's Vote |
Women |
Men |
Women |
Men |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Public Policy Polling (PDF) | 11/3-11/4 | Obama 51% Romney 47% |
11 pts. | +13% Obama | 43% | 53% | 56% | 45% |
NBC News/WSJ/Marist Poll | 11/1-11/2 | Obama 48% Romney 47% |
6 pts. | +6% Obama | 45% | 50% | 51% | 45% |
CBS/New York Times/Quinnipiac | 10/23-10/28 | Obama 49% Romney 47% |
10 pts. | +10% Obama | 43% | 52% | 53% | 43% |
ABC News/Washington Post | 10/22-10/26 | Obama 51% Romney 47% |
11 pts. | +14% Obama | 42% | 52% | 56% | 45% |
Purple Strategies (PDF) | 10/23-10/25 | Obama 47% Romney 47% |
3 pts. 2 pts. |
+2% Obama | 46% | 48% | 48% | 45% |
Fox News | 10/23-10/24 | Obama 45% Romney 47% |
9 pts. | +6% Obama | 43% | 52% | 49% | 40% |
Public Policy Polling/Health Care for America (PDF) | 10/23-10-24 | Obama 51% Romney 46% |
12 pts. | +16% Obama | 41% | 50% | 57% | 45% |
Public Policy Polling | 10/18-10/19 | Obama 49% Romney 47% |
11 pts. | +12% Obama | 42% | 53% | 54% | 43% |
ARG | 10/12-10/14 | Obama 47% Romney 48% |
20 pts. | +16% Obama | 38% | 58% | 54% | 39% |
NBC News/WSJ/Marist Poll | 10/7-10/9 | Obama 47% Romney 48% |
13 pts. | +12% Obama | 42% | 55% | 54% | 40% |
NYTimes/CBS News/Quinnipiac | 10/4-10/9 | Obama 51% Romney 46% |
11 pts. | +16% Obama | 40% | 52% | 56% | 45% |
Public Policy Polling (PDF) | 10/4-10/7 | Obama 50% Romney 47% |
4 pts. | +8% Obama | 44% | 49% | 52% | 48% |
NBC News/WSJ/Marist Poll | 9/30-10/1 | Obama 48% Romney 46% |
7 pts. | +8% Obama | 44% | 49% | 52% | 45% |
ARG | 9/24-9/27 | Obama 49% Romney 47% |
15 pts. | +18% Obama | 38% | 56% | 56% | 41% |
Suffolk/NBC12 | 9/24-9/26 | Obama 46% Romney 44% |
13 pts. | +15% Obama | 37% | 52% | 52% | 39% |
Roanoke College | 9/19-9/28 | Obama 47% Romney 39% |
9 pts. | +17% Obama | 34% | 45% | 51% | 42% |
Fox News | 9/16-9/18 | Obama 49% Romney 42% |
8 pts. | +13% Obama | 40% | 44% | 53% | 45% |
Public Policy Polling (PDF) | 9/13-9/16 | Obama 51% Romney 46% |
11 pts. | +14% Obama | 42% | 51% | 56% | 45% |
Washington Post | 9/12-9/16 | Obama 52% Romney 44% |
14 pts. | +19% Obama | 39% | 50% | 58% | 44% |
NYTimes/CBS News/Quinnipiac | 9/11-9/17 | Obama 50% Romney 46% |
9 pts. | +12% Obama | 42% | 51% | 54% | 45% |
NBC News/WSJ/Marist Poll | 9/9-9/11 | Obama 49% Romney 44% |
10 pts. | +14% Obama | 40% | 49% | 54% | 44% |