Campaign Tip
Winning the Female Vote
Campaigns & Elections magazine (subscription required) has a good feature by Sha Embree about connecting with women voters. Women make up 51% of the U.S. population, giving them a 2% majority, which totals to 6 million more women than men, a significant target for elections.
The article notes that female voters have outnumbered male voters in every presidential election since 1974. The 2004 Census cited 67.3 million women who reported voting in the presidential election, 8.8 million more voters than men. The proportion of eligible female adults voting has exceeded the proportion of eligible males voting since 1980. Even if the number of men and women were numerically split down the middle in the U.S., the votes cast by women would still be 5-6% greater than those cast by men.
Research shows that a chief difference in the way women vote compared to men is women have a longer list of expectations. Men are far more likely to make a decision based on a short list of criteria, while women will typically have a general feeling for some things they are interested in, then set out with the objective of learning more about the available options. For women, voting is an exploratory process.
Solid family values, education and health issues will catch women’s attention. Women look for reliability, dedication and an equal partnership in their relationships, including political relationships.
Says the article: Whereas men are often inclined to think of other people, particularly groups, as a drain on their energy, women see others as a source of energy. In addition, women are drawn to relationships in which there is a clear-cut collaborative interaction in which common goals are achieved through shared visions.
Marketing guru Marti Barletta, author of Marketing to Women, says, “Approach your female audience both as a committed partner and close friend. Recognize and appreciate women’s past and potential achievements, let them know they are needed to achieve your common goals, and you will create an intimate bond that distinguishes you from other candidates. Ultimately, all people want to be led by people they like. Women in particular are drawn to sincerity, and down-to-earth, accessible, warm personalities – candidates they could imagine having over for dinner. The fastest way to lose the support of your female audience is to come off like your only drive in politics is personal glory. Focus on making things better for the greater good – it implies partnership, teamwork and sharing.”
Women as a gender are more altruistic and more philanthropic than their male counterparts. While men are twice as likely to see budget management and cutting spending as the most pressing of national issues, women of all ages, races and social classes are more inclined to favor issues such as education, health care, poverty, the environment and world hunger.
Lech Walesa to be Honored in Utah
On Thursday, Feb. 22, the 275th birthday of George Washington, the George Washington Center for Freedom and Understanding will honor Lech Walesa, the former president of Poland and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, and Margaret Branson, internationally recognized scholar in civic education.
The event will be held at the Grand America Hotel, with a reception at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7. Cost for a table for 10 is $2,000 and individual tickets are $250. For more information, call 202.536.2938.
Today in Political History
Feb. 13, 1953: Senate Democrats choose 44-year-old Texas senator Lyndon B. Johnson for Minority Leader, making him the youngest floor leader in the chamber’s history. (Source: National Journal 2007 Calendar of American Politics)
National Politics
Can Rudy Giuliani Win?
Wall Street Journal column by Brendan Miniter notes that Rudy Giuliani is running strong in the polls, both nationally and in early primary states, and argues that the former New York City mayor, with his national celebrity and tough record on crime, can appeal to social conservatives.
Presidential Trivia
- Youngest to take office: Theodore Roosevelt, 42 years
- Youngest at time of election: John F. Kennedy, 43 years
- Oldest at time of election: Ronald Reagan, 69 years
- Longest presidential lifespan: Gerald Ford, 93 years
- Shortest presidential lifespan, John F. Kennedy, 46 years
- Number of presidents who died on July 4: 3 (Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, James Monroe)
- Highest number of electoral votes won: 525 (Ronald Reagan, 1984)
- Shortest tenure in office: 1 month (William Henry Harrison)
- Longest tenure in office: 12 years (Franklin Delano Roosevelt)
- Most presidents produced: Virginia (8)
(Source: National Journal 2007 Calendar of American Politics)
Blog Watch
At The Senate Site, Sen. Greg Bell says of Utah's newly approved school voucher system: "Under the new voucher program, the Utah system of public education is expected to retain a net of $35M to enhance educational opportunities for Utah public students and teachers. Not only is there no loss to the system, there is a net gain of about $35M. There are two other major benefits of our new voucher program. Every child who uses a voucher reduces by one the class size at the public school he or she won't attend. ... In light of the fact that 15,000 new students will enter our education system each year for the next 10 years, it certainly behooves us to divert students to private schools. Secondly, in light of the 150,000 new students ... we expect in the next ten years, we would have to build hundreds of schools to house them. Vouchers will stimulate private schools to take some of these students; thus private investment will build, own and operate school buildings, reducing the amount of public dollars it would take to build new schools" (for more on the voucher issue, see Part of the Plan) (for more Legislature-related posts, see Under The Dome, KVNU's For The People, Utah Taxpayer, Phil Windley, New West, Red Pills, and Jen's Green Journal)... At Out of Context, Robert Gehrke relates: "With the herd of Democrats bidding for president taking shape, I asked Rep. Jim Matheson recently if he had a favorite. Sure, it's early, but if Sen. Bob Bennett can join Mitt Romney's team, and Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. can line up behind Sen. John McCain, then maybe Matheson is jumping on board. Matheson said he hasn't picked anyone. 'I haven't taken myself out of the race yet,' he said. He then said, repeatedly, that he was joking."
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