Poll: Women’s vote major factor in 1944 election
Men may be outnumbered again at polls as in 1942 balloting
By George Gallup, Director, American Institute of Public Opinion
As the 1944 campaign progresses, more attention will be focused on the vote of women than at any time in recent history.
Surveys show that in the 1942 Congressional elections women actually cast more voted than men for the first time since woman’s suffrage. This year, if the total number of ballots cast by servicemen in the presidential election is small, the women again will outnumber the men at the polls.
All evidence to date shows that the political sentiments of women have closely paralleled those of the men in recent months, except that women voters are a little more inclined to lean toward President Roosevelt and the New Deal than the men are.
MacArthur favored
Women voters also take a somewhat different attitude toward various Republican candidates, being more in favor of Gen. Douglas MacArthur than the men are, and slightly less in favor of Wendell Willkie. Governor Thomas E. Dewey of New York has about the same following among women as among the men.
Because of the growing importance of the women’s vote, the Institute has made a special analysis of their attitudes toward parties and candidates as revealed in nationwide surveys.
Women voters were asked, first, what party they want to see win the president election in 1944. Their vote compares with the men in the civilian population as follows:
Interviewing Date 1/6-11/44
Survey #309-K
Question #7
Which party would you like to see win the presidential election in November?
|
Republican |
Democratic |
| Men |
49% |
51% |
| Women |
47% |
53% |
The above figures apply to the present civilian population and do not take into account men in the armed services. Plans for soldier voting are still being discussed in Washington. Present indications are that Democratic Party prospects would be aided by the extent to which servicemen participated in the election.
Prefer Democrats
Various tests in England and in the United States of soldier voting sentiment indicate that the majority of servicemen would prefer to see the Democratic Party win in November. This is in sharp contrast to claims published by Chairman Harrison Spangler of the Republican National Committee.
When it comes to candidates for 1944, there are some disagreements between the sexes, although few of a major character.
Candidate choices
In seeking voters’ opinions each person was given a list of leaders, both Republican and Democratic, who have been most often discussed throughout the country as possible nominees in 1944. The voters were asked to name their choice as of today.
Based on those who named a Republican, the results were as follows:
Interviewing Date 1/6-11/44
Survey #309-K
Question #8b
Whom would you like to see the Republican Party nominate for President?
|
Men |
Women |
| Dewey |
38% |
37% |
| Willkie |
27% |
23% |
| MacArthur |
13% |
19% |
| Bricker |
11% |
9% |
| Stassen |
7% |
7% |
| Eric Johnston |
2% |
1% |
| Warren |
1% |
2% |
| Saltonstall |
1% |
2% |
Based on those who named a Democrat, the results are shown below:
Interviewing Date 1/6-11/44
Survey #309-K
Question #8a
Whom would you like to see the Democratic Party nominate for President?
|
Men |
Women |
| Roosevelt |
82% |
88% |
| Wallace |
7% |
4% |
| Farley |
3% |
2% |
| Byrd |
2% |
2% |
| Marshall |
2% |
1% |
| Byrnes |
2% |
1% |
| McNutt |
2% |
1% |
| Douglas |
<1% |
1% |