Data Points: Gender Gap in the 2008 Election

There was a 7-point gender gap between men and women who voted for the winning candidate

By U.S. News Staff

November 6, 2008 RSS Feed Print
  • 56%: Women who voted for Barack Obama
  • 43%: Women who voted for John McCain
  • 49%: Men who voted for Obama
  • 48%: Men who voted for McCain
  • 51%: Women who voted for John Kerry in 2004
  • 48%: Women who voted for George W. Bush in 2004

Source: Women's Vote Watch

Tags:
voters,
presidential election 2008,
elections,
Barack Obama,
female voters,
John McCain

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Statistics like these come from exit polls, not ballots.

Salvatore Babones of NJ 7:23AM February 25, 2011

Election ballots are not 'secret' in the way you appear to think. The identity through registered status of each voter was (or should have been) available to statisticians.

concerned of IL 3:31AM March 04, 2009

Since everyone cast a secret ballot, how can the proportion of women who voted for Obama be determined? Gender is not recorded on the ballots cast. Is the proportion of women who reportedly voted for Obama an estimate based on exit polls? If so, how accurate are exit polls deemed to be?

Herbert Miller of NC 1:40PM November 14, 2008

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