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Poll Finds Support for More Women in Office, Hesitation on a Woman President

American University’s survey highlights a generational gap, with voters under 50 least open to backing a female presidential candidate.

Overview

  • Eighty-three percent of Americans say it is important to elect more women, and 54% say too few women hold office, including 92% of Democrats and 77% of Republicans rating more women in office as important.
  • Voters under 50 are the least open to a female president, with 75% of women and 80% of men in that group saying they are open to voting for a woman, compared with 87% among voters over 50.
  • Nearly four in ten voters say they personally know someone who would not vote for a woman for president, and about one in five say they or someone close to them would refuse.
  • Respondents trust women more on women’s equality, abortion and childcare, while more trust men to handle global conflicts, and many expect a female president to be both “tough” and “likable.”
  • The American University Women and Politics Institute polled 801 registered voters online from Sept. 3–6 with a margin of error of roughly ±3.5%, releasing results on Oct. 6.