Gender Differences in Voter Registration and Turnout

Women have registered and voted at higher rates than men in every presidential election since 1980. This section provides historical data on voter registration by gender and voter turnout data by gender, race, age, educational attainment, and marital status.

Voter Registration Voter Turnout

Voter Registration by Gender

Women are registered to vote in the U.S. at higher rates than men. In recent years, the number of women registered to vote in the U.S. has typically been about 10 million more than the number of men registered to vote. In 2024, the gender gap in registered voters was 8.7 million.

 
 

Methodology

Data are from the U.S. Bureau of the Census Current Population Reports, Series P-20, "Voting and Registration in the Election of November 1964" and subsequent reports for all years. These figures are from post-election responses to supplementary questions in the monthly Current Population Survey for a sample of households in November of each election year. Respondents to the survey report their own voting activity and that of other members of their household. The sample systematically over-reports both voting and registration by several million people. In years prior to 1996, the questions used to determine citizenship measures were asked in different ways, and the U.S. Bureau of the Census advises some caution in direct comparison across these years.

Vote Turnout by Gender, Race, Age, Education, and Marital Status

Voter Turnout in Presidential Election Years

In every presidential election since 1980, the proportion of eligible female adults who voted has exceeded the proportion of eligible male adults who voted. In all presidential elections prior to 1980, the voter turnout rate for women was lower than the rate for men. The number of female voters has exceeded the number of male voters in every presidential election since 1964. The gender gap in the turnout rates and numbers tends to narrow in non-presidential election years.

Methodology

Data are from the U.S. Bureau of the Census Current Population Reports, Series P-20, "Voting and Registration in the Election of November 1964" and subsequent reports for all years. These figures are from post-election responses to supplementary questions in the monthly Current Population Survey for a sample of households in November of each election year. Respondents to the survey report their own voting activity and that of other members of their household. The sample systematically over-reports both voting and registration by several million people. In years prior to 1996, the questions used to determine citizenship measures were asked in different ways, and the U.S. Bureau of the Census advises some caution in direct comparison across these years.

Voter Turnout in Non-Presidential Election Years

The gender gap in turnout rates and numbers tend to narrow in non-presidential election years, but women still consistently outnumber and outvote men.

Methodology

Data are from the U.S. Bureau of the Census Current Population Reports, Series P-20, "Voting and Registration in the Election of November 1964" and subsequent reports for all years. These figures are from post-election responses to supplementary questions in the monthly Current Population Survey for a sample of households in November of each election year. Respondents to the survey report their own voting activity and that of other members of their household. The sample systematically over-reports both voting and registration by several million people. In years prior to 1996, the questions used to determine citizenship measures were asked in different ways, and the U.S. Bureau of the Census advises some caution in direct comparison across these years.

Voter Turnout by Gender and Race*

In recent elections, among Asian American, Black, Hispanic, and white voters, the number of women voters has exceeded the number of male voters. The gender gap in voter turnout rates is the largest for Black voters. Women have also voted at higher rates than men among Hispanic and white voters in all presidential elections since the 1980s. Among Asian American/Pacific Islander voters, there is no consistent gender gap in voter turnout.

Methodology

Data are from the U.S. Bureau of the Census Current Population Reports, Series P-20, "Voting and Registration in the Election of November 1964" and subsequent reports for all years. These figures are from post-election responses to supplementary questions in the monthly Current Population Survey for a sample of households in November of each election year. Respondents to the survey report their own voting activity and that of other members of their household. The sample systematically over-reports both voting and registration by several million people. In years prior to 1996, the questions used to determine citizenship measures were asked in different ways, and the U.S. Bureau of the Census advises some caution in direct comparison across these years.

*The U.S. Census Bureau has revised race and ethnicity categorizations over time, making direct comparisons by category difficult from year to year. The categories listed here have been chosen to try to best encompass the same populations from year to year. Since 2004, the U.S. Census Bureau reported each racial category "alone" or "in combination." The numbers reported here reflect only the "alone" categories. Comparable categories were reported in 2002 and 2000, with reports for “White Non-Hispanic,” “Black Non-Hispanic,” “Asian and Pacific Islander,” and “Hispanic (of any race)” reported without “in combination” options. The categories for 1998 were “Non-Hispanic White,” “Non-Hispanic Black”, “Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander”, and “Hispanic (of any race).” In years prior to 1998, the U.S. Census Bureau listed only three racial categories:” Black,” “Hispanic” and “White.” Their figures double-counted some Hispanic individuals who were also included as Black or White; thus, for years prior to 1998, the total "Number of Eligible Adult Population Who Reported Voting” figure on this fact sheet is lower than the total reached by adding the separate “Number of Eligible Adult Population Who Reported Voting by Race” Black, Hispanic and White voter categories on the above table.  For more information about these categories, see the Census Bureau Page on Race.

Voter Turnout by Gender and Age

Among citizens ages 18-64, a higher proportion of women than men have turned out to vote since the mid-1990s when the Census began collecting this data. This pattern is reversed among older voters (65 and up). Male voters tend to turnout at higher rates than women voters in this age cohort. The gender gap tends to be particularly large among voters ages 18-44. In 2024 the 7.1 point gap among 18-24 year-olds was larger than any election since the data collection begins in 1996; the next largest gaps were in 2008 (6.9 points) and 2012 (6.6 points).

Methodology

Data are from the U.S. Bureau of the Census Current Population Reports, Series P-20, "Voting and Registration in the Election of November 1964" and subsequent reports for all years. These figures are from post-election responses to supplementary questions in the monthly Current Population Survey for a sample of households in November of each election year. Respondents to the survey report their own voting activity and that of other members of their household. The sample systematically over-reports both voting and registration by several million people. In years prior to 1996, the questions used to determine citizenship measures were asked in different ways, and the U.S. Bureau of the Census advises some caution in direct comparison across these years.

Voter Turnout by Gender and Educational Attainment

In the past several election cycles, among those with a 9th to 12th grade education, high school graduates, and those with some college or an associate's degree, women tend to vote at higher rates than men. In recent elections, the gender gap among the most educated citizens, those with a bachelor's or advanced degree, is nearly non-existent.

Methodology

Data are from the U.S. Bureau of the Census Current Population Reports, Series P-20, "Voting and Registration in the Election of November 1964" and subsequent reports for all years. These figures are from post-election responses to supplementary questions in the monthly Current Population Survey for a sample of households in November of each election year. Respondents to the survey report their own voting activity and that of other members of their household. The sample systematically over-reports both voting and registration by several million people. In years prior to 1996, the questions used to determine citizenship measures were asked in different ways, and the U.S. Bureau of the Census advises some caution in direct comparison across these years.

Voter Turnout by Gender and Marital Status

Gender gaps in voter turnout differ in direction and magnitude across citizens with different marital statuses. Among married men and women, there was almost no gender gap in voter turnout in the last few election cycles. Among the divorced and those who have never been married, women tend to have higher voter turnout levels than men.

Methodology

Data are from the U.S. Bureau of the Census Current Population Reports, Series P-20, "Voting and Registration in the Election of November 1964" and subsequent reports for all years. These figures are from post-election responses to supplementary questions in the monthly Current Population Survey for a sample of households in November of each election year. Respondents to the survey report their own voting activity and that of other members of their household. The sample systematically over-reports both voting and registration by several million people. In years prior to 1996, the questions used to determine citizenship measures were asked in different ways, and the U.S. Bureau of the Census advises some caution in direct comparison across these years.