The Gender Gap in Voter Participation Narrows at the Top of the Educational Ladder

New data from the U.S. Census Bureau documents voter participation rates for the 2020 election cycle. Some of the data is broken down by gender and level of education.

Overall, 74.1 percent of all adult women in the United States were registered to vote in 2020. For men, the figure was 71.2 percent. Some 68.4 percent of all women voted in the 2020 election compared to 65.0 percent of men.

If we break down the data by education level, we find that women were more likely than men to register to vote and to cast ballots at all levels of education. But the gender gap narrowed significantly for those with a college education.

For those with some high school but no diploma, 53.3 percent of women were registered to vote compared to 48.1 percent of men. For those with a college degree, 81.9 percent of women and 81.2 percent of men were registered to vote.

For women who had some high school but did not graduate, 43.9 percent cast ballots in 2020. For men with some high school but no diploma, 39.3 percent actually cast their votes. For those with a bachelor’s degree, 78.4 percent of women and 77.3 percent of men actually voted.

For those with a graduate degree, 85.9 percent of women and 84.4 percent of men were registered to vote. 83.3 percent of women and 82,5 percent of men cast their ballots in the 2020 election.

More than 19.4 million adult women in the United States did not vote. This includes 756,000 women with a graduate degree and 2,163,000 women with a bachelor’s degree.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related Articles

Latest News

Jennifer Glowienka Named the First Woman President of Carroll College in Montana

“I have dedicated my professional career to this remarkable institution, which prepares ethical leaders who engage the world with purpose and hope,” said Dr. Glowienka. “I look forward to strengthening and expanding the ways Carroll fulfills its mission, serving learners across all stages of their educational journey.”

Susan Stuebner Elevated to President of Simpson College in Iowa

Dr. Stuebner has led Simpson College on an interim basis since July 28. She has nearly 30 years of professional experience, including service as president of Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire.

Shari Veil Appointed Provost at North Dakota State University

“It is a privilege to work with people who care so deeply about students, discovery, and the future of North Dakota,” said Dr. Veil. “With its strong academic profile and land-grant mission, NDSU is well positioned for meaningful impact, and I look forward to partnering with my fellow Bison to advance that work.”

Mary Ann Villarreal to Lead California State University, Dominguez Hills

“As one of the most diverse campuses in the CSU system, Dominguez Hills is a vital anchor institution for the community it serves,” said Dr. Villarreal. “A beacon of inclusivity, it inspires hope – both for the community and for higher education in California.”

Penny Elkins Named the First Woman President of Mercer University

A member of the Mercer University community for over 25 years, Dr. Elkins is slated to become the institution's first woman president on January 1. She has been serving as Mercer's interim provost.

Assistant Professor Tenure Track Position — Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Cardiovascular Institute

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania seek candidates for an Assistant Professor position in the tenure track.

Assistant Professor of Political Science, Quantitative Methods

The Department of Political Science at the University of Chicago invites applications for an Assistant Professor in Quantitative Methods. This position will begin on or after July 1, 2026.

Tenure Track Position in Macro-Organizational Behavior and Organizational Theory

The University of Pittsburgh School of Business seeks to fill a full-time, tenure-track assistant or associate professor position in the Organizations and Entrepreneurship Area, starting as early as Fall 2026. 

Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery & Justice and John Carter Brown Library Joint Postdoctoral Research Associate

The Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice at Brown University and the John Carter Brown Library invite applications for a postdoctoral research associate position focused on any area/theme of historical scholarship around racial slavery, and/ or Indigenous dispossession and slavery.

Teaching Faculty Position in Information Systems and Technology Management (ISTM)

The University of Pittsburgh School of Business invites applications for a full-time, appointment-stream faculty position at the Clinical Assistant Professor level in our Information Systems and Technology Management area starting Fall 2026.