Education, Inequality, and Participation: Understanding Women’s Voter Turnout Across the United States
Start Date
April 2026
Location
2nd floor - Library
Abstract
This study examines how educational attainment influences voter turnout among women at the state level in the United States. While prior research, particularly from the American National Election Studies, focuses on individual-level behavior, this project shifts the analysis to a state-level framework to better capture broader demographic and political patterns. The dataset combines concepts derived from ANES with state-level demographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau and voting outcomes from the Federal Election Commission.
The dataset includes all 50 states and incorporates variables such as women’s voter turnout, educational attainment, income, workforce participation, marital status, employment, urbanization, and party control. Party control is measured based on the outcome of the 2020 presidential election to account for political context. Educational attainment serves as the primary independent variable, while voter turnout is the dependent variable.
The analysis aims to determine whether higher levels of education are associated with increased voter turnout among women and whether this relationship varies across different political and demographic environments. By using a state-level approach, this study provides insight into how structural and contextual factors shape political participation among women. The findings contribute to broader discussions of political inequality, gender, and civic engagement in the United States.
Education, Inequality, and Participation: Understanding Women’s Voter Turnout Across the United States
2nd floor - Library
This study examines how educational attainment influences voter turnout among women at the state level in the United States. While prior research, particularly from the American National Election Studies, focuses on individual-level behavior, this project shifts the analysis to a state-level framework to better capture broader demographic and political patterns. The dataset combines concepts derived from ANES with state-level demographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau and voting outcomes from the Federal Election Commission.
The dataset includes all 50 states and incorporates variables such as women’s voter turnout, educational attainment, income, workforce participation, marital status, employment, urbanization, and party control. Party control is measured based on the outcome of the 2020 presidential election to account for political context. Educational attainment serves as the primary independent variable, while voter turnout is the dependent variable.
The analysis aims to determine whether higher levels of education are associated with increased voter turnout among women and whether this relationship varies across different political and demographic environments. By using a state-level approach, this study provides insight into how structural and contextual factors shape political participation among women. The findings contribute to broader discussions of political inequality, gender, and civic engagement in the United States.
