Utah Women and Voting

In 2016, the Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) released a research snapshot called “Voting and Civic Engagement Among Utah Women.” At the time, despite having a strong history of women’s political and civic involvement, Utah had fallen to the bottom of national rankings in terms of women’s political participation. In 2019, UWLP released an update of this report, which showed some improvement in voter participation rates for both the United States and for Utah women. Since 2016, the level of political engagement among women in Utah and the United States has grown. Of course, Kamala Harris was elected the first female vice president, which made 2020 a historic year for women in the US. Utah also elected former state Senator Deidre Henderson as its second female lieutenant governor.

Background

Women in Utah have a strong history of political engagement. In fact, Utah women citizens were the first in the US to vote under an equal suffrage law in 1870. Utah was also the first state to elect a female state senator (elected over her own husband in the same race), and as recently as 1992, Utah women had the highest voter turnout in the nation at 76% (all percentages in this report refer to the adult population, ages 18+). However, by 2006, Utah women’s voting rates plummeted to 51st (50 states plus Washington DC). Utah’s ranking in this category stayed near the bottom for the next several elections, but in 2016, Utah women climbed to 35th, and in 2018 they took a substantial jump to 11th in the nation. But by 2020, Utah had slipped again to 33rd.

Demographics

Census data describe additional distinctions among demographic categories of eligible women voters in the US (reported data only; state-level data are unavailable). For example, women’s voting rates vary by race and ethnicity. In 2020, 70.8% of White, non-Hispanic women reported voting, along with 62.2% of Black women, 44.1% of Asian women, and 41.3% of Hispanic or Latina women. Additionally, women’s voting rates vary by reported marital status. In 2020, 67.5% married (spouse present), 64.5% divorced, 63.3% widowed, 48.7% married (spouse absent), 56.0% never married, and 46.5% separated. Finally, women are more likely to vote as their education levels increase. In 2020, 77.1% of those with an advanced degree, 73.9% of those with a bachelor’s degree, 67.3% of those with some college or an associate degree, and 53.2% of high school graduates voted. Understanding demographic factors can help advocates target specific populations in efforts to increase both registration and voting participation among eligible women voters.

Conclusion

As 2020 was a banner year for women’s voting and civic engagement across the country and in Utah, now is the perfect time for stakeholders to build on this momentum and drive positive change moving forward. Research shows that girls and young women who participate in civic affairs, including engaging with organizations such as those listed in the UWLP “Community & Civic Engagement” toolkit, are more likely to become women who vote. 

Dr. Susan R. Madsen is a global thought leader, author, speaker, and scholar on the topic of women and leadership. She is also the Inaugural Karen Haight Huntsman Endowed Professor of Leadership in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University and the Founding Director of the Utah Women & Leadership Project. Thanks to D. Candice Pierucci and Robbyn T. Scribner for their co-authorship on this report!