Childless Women & Election 2012: A Demographic That Matters

Whether you lean toward Blue or Red State candidates, I’m betting you’ll join me in the Happy Happy dance when Election-related robo-calls and ads on TV, radio, print, billboards and online are DONE and OVER. If you don't have children, did so much chatter about Moms, single and otherwise, leave you feeling a bit left out? “Ain’t I a woman?” asked (NotMom) Sojourner Truth.

Unearthing stats on how women without children may affect the choice of America’s next President was a time-consuming task. Previous polls have declared an overall preference among women for Mr. Obama, but the devil’s in the details. I finally found something useful in a piece by global trendcaster Joel Kotkin, whose study of the 2012 electorate concludes:

“A growing part of the Democratic base — aside from ethnic minorities — consists of white, childless couples and, in particular, single women.”

Mr. Kotkin revealed that areas of the country with the fewest children were nearly 85% more likely to vote for Barack Obama in 2008 and will probably vote that way this year, too.  Tracking NotMoms age 45 and under, the research shows the high highest percentage are in urban Democratic strongholds like Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and New York. Childless women in those cities rank well above the national average of 53% with a minimum of 60%.

States with higher-than-average percentages include Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Hawaii, Vermont and California.  In the nation’s capital, 80% of women under 45 have no kids. Well, D.C. always was a party town.

Do I believe that every American woman without children is voting for President Obama and Democratic candidates? No. “Everybody” never does what others in their peer group does, from African Americans to military veterans.

Moreover, in this election year especially, there’s more to consider. If NotMoms vote Democratic, how to parse out votes made in reaction to perceived threats to legalized abortion or bizarre misstatements about the horrors of rape? “Binders full of women”?

Bottom line? From local courthouses to the White House, your vote matters. Vote for who you want, but please, VOTE.