FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6

Unmarried Women Propel Jim Martin to a Runoff Prove Decisive Political Force in Georgia U.S. Senatorial Race

Record Marriage Gap Across the Country and in Georgia

WASHINGTON, DC – According to an election survey, unmarried Georgia women played a key role in a race that was considered safe for Republicans but has resulted in a runoff between Jim Martin and Saxby Chambliss.

In the Presidential election unmarried women in Georgia supported Democrat Jim Martin by 49 points (71% to 22%). They also supported Barack Obama by 42 points.

The Lake Research Partners election survey, commissioned by Women’s Voices. Women Vote, was conducted in Georgia, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Minnesota. The survey found unmarried women offered critical support for progressive candidates in all of the states. In Georgia married women supported McCain over Obama, and Chambliss over Martin.

“Georgia prepares for a runoff election because of the support Martin received from unmarried women,” said Page Gardner, Founder and President of Women’s Voices. Women Vote. “For Martin, getting unmarried women out to vote in the runoff election is the key to winning this seat,” said Gardner.

Married women voters supported Chambliss by 7 points, giving the incumbent 52 percent to 45 percent for Martin. Similarly in the Presidential election, married women supported McCain by 10 points, 55 percent to 45 percent over Obama.

Unmarried women backed Democrat Jim Martin by 71 percent to 22 percent over long-term incumbent Republican Saxby Chambliss, and helped bring Barack Obama within striking distance of John McCain (28 percent McCain, 70 percent Obama). In Georgia, unmarried women who voted early supported Obama by 37 points, (60 percent to 23 percent) compared to a 23-point margin on Election Day (58 percent to 35 percent).

Nationally, unmarried women anchored Obama’s victory over McCain, splitting 70 to 29 for the Democratic ticket. Obama’s margin among unmarried women exceeded his margin among both young voters and Latino voters. Meanwhile, married women actually preferred McCain, 47 to 50 – an overwhelming 44 percent marriage gap. All numbers come from calculations based on the CNN National Election Pool conducted by Edison/Mitofsky.

“Throughout this election season, we’ve seen unmarried women paying attention to the candidates, and last night we saw them turn out to make their voices heard,” said Gardner. “Unmarried women are the fastest-growing large demographic in the country, and during this election, we’ve seen them register and vote in record numbers,” said Gardner.

Economic concerns greatly influenced women’s vote in Georgia, including rising health care costs (16 percent), the federal budget deficit and national debt (13 percent), job loss (11 percent), the availability of family-supporting jobs (10 percent), higher taxes (10 percent), and daily expenses like food or child care (10 percent).

Since 2006, Women’s Voices. Women Vote has generated more than 1,100 registration applications in Georgia. Women's Voices. Women Vote is a non-profit, non-partisan organization created to activate unmarried women to participate in their government and in our democracy.