As a followup to the reactions and comments to our recent post on women and voting, we offer the following reports from:

The Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP). 2026. “Gender Differences in Voter Registration and Turnout.” New Brunswick, NJ: Center for American Women and Politics, Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University-New Brunswick. https://cawp.rutgers.edu/data/voters/gender-differences-voter-registration-and-turnout (Accessed April 6, 2026).

Proportion of Eligible Adult Population Who Reported Voting

2020       men  65% = 72.5 million

                Women  68.4% = 82.2 million

2024          men  63.7 % = 72.8 million

                   Women  66.9% = 81.5 million

Methodology

Data are from the U.S. Bureau of the Census Current Population Reports, Series P-20, "Voting and Registration in the Election of November 1964" and subsequent reports for all years. These figures are from post-election responses to supplementary questions in the monthly Current Population Survey for a sample of households in November of each election year. Respondents to the survey report their own voting activity and that of other members of their household. The sample systematically over-reports both voting and registration by several million people. In years prior to 1996, the questions used to determine citizenship measures were asked in different ways, and the U.S. Bureau of the Census advises some caution in direct comparison across these years.

Key Data Points for Women in the U.S.

• 2020 Census:168,763,470 females (50.9% of the total population).
• 2024 Projections:~171.77 million females (based on data from, Note: alternative estimates exist based on specific data sets).
• 2024 Voter Statistics:Roughly 91.3 million women were projected to have voted in the 2024 election cycle. 

Progress Toward Gender Parity Stalled in Election 2024.

But There’s More to the Story.

The 2024 election did not mark significant changes in women’s political representation. While women’s representation increased at the state legislative level as a result of last year’s election, there were no net gains for women in statewide elective executive and congressional offices. The number of women governors momentarily reached a record high in early 2025, only to fall back to match the count of women top state executives serving in 2024. This report analyzes women’s electoral success in 2024, focusing on the numbers, and puts it into historical context — with special attention to how 2024 compared to the three elections that preceded it.

This report details the numeric gains and sites for stasis for women in congressional, statewide elective executive, and state legislative office, with particular attention to differences with men, between parties, and among women of different racial and ethnic groups. Together, they demonstrate that the trend toward gender parity in political leadership is inconsistent and that evaluating progress for women requires attentiveness to differences across party, race and ethnicity, geography, and time.

These outcomes for women came in the midst of a highly-contested presidential election wherein Vice President Kamala Harris (D) competed against former President Donald Trump (R). If successful, Harris – who became just the second woman major-party presidential nominee in U.S. history – would have been the first woman, first Black woman, and first South Asian person to be president of the United States. While neither gender nor race were sole determinants of her defeat, both were influential factors throughout the presidential contest and in ways beyond the identities of each nominee. Among some of the most salient issues were: abortion rights; rights of the transgender community; the promotion or pullback of diversity, equity, and inclusion policies; and regulation of education around gender and racial equity. In addition, candidates at and below the presidential level confronted – and in some cases fostered and leveraged – grievances around perceived gender and race-based threats. The women candidates central to this report’s analysis navigated this gendered and raced terrain of election 2024.

The bottom line is, if women vote, women win!  More women will be elected and more men who support women's issues will win!

As a woman, as a feminist, it makes me literally cry at the thought of chastising other women  But it needs to be said.  If women had voted in 2020, we would not have a pedophile, convicted felon, demented idiot in the Whitehouse.  You have the power to do something about it and about all the gutless politicians who blindly support him.  It is very simple...VOTE.  VOTE in every election: local, state, national.  Take back our country before the wannabe dictator and his minions destroy our democracy!

Black Maternal Health Awareness Week is held annually on April 11-17 during National Minority Health Awareness Month to raise awareness about health disparities impacting racial and ethnic minorities and encourage action toward dismantling systems of oppression. 

 Researchers call the United States the most-dangerous developed country in which to give birth.  About 700 women die each year in the U.S. as a result of pregnancy or delivery complications.  One in three maternal deaths is preventable.  A National Institute of Health-funded study found that Black women are three times more likely to die than White women from a pregnancy-related cause.  Maternal death disparities were concentrated in postpartum cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease) and preeclampsia and eclampsia.  The mortality rate for Black women was five times higher than White women in postpartum cardiomyopathy and preeclampsia and eclampsia.   College-educated Black women have over five times higher pregnancy-related mortality than white women of similar education

Since 2018, over 21,000 infants have died each year in their first year of life.  Black infants are two to three times more likely to die than White infants in their first year of life.  The leading causes of infant mortality are birth defects, preterm birth, injuries, sudden infant death syndrome, and pregnancy complications.  The amount of infant deaths is much higher if miscarriages are factored in.  For known pregnancies, 11-16% of pregnancies end in a spontaneous loss of the pregnancy before the 20th week.  Most miscarriages occur because the fetus is not developing as anticipated.

With such high numbers of miscarriages, infant deaths, and maternal deaths one might assume that these issues are well known among women.  However, many women report an unawareness of the issues and the available resources for grieving families. 

Losing a baby or spouse due to pregnancy or delivery complications is tragic.  For Black families, the pain of losing a loved one can be exacerbated by systemic racism, prejudices, implicit bias, microaggressions, and other forms of oppression.  

EDITORS NOTE:  Given the current attack on women’s reproductive rights, authorities have said more deaths of both Black and White women will occur.  What an unconscionable, cruel state of affairs.

World Water Day is an annual United Nations (UN) observance day held on 22 March that highlights the importance of fresh water. The day is used to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. The theme of each year focuses on topics relevant to clean water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), which is in line with the targets of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.

The following statement is from the World Water Day Organization:

This World Water Day is about accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis

And because water affects us all, we need everyone to take action.

That means you!

You and your family, school and community can make a difference by changing the way you use, consume, and mange water in your lives.

Right now we are seriously off-track to meet Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.

Billions of people and countless schools, businesses, healthcare centres, farms, and factories don’t have the safe water and toilets they need.

To accelerate change, we need more action.  Learn how in the UN World Water Development Report, the UN 2023 Water Conference and through stories from around the world.