Women Business Owners are likely to be the critical swing
voting block in 2004. That’s what a new national survey
concludes. Commissioned by WIPP, the poll was conducted by
the two most respected women in survey research, Democrat
Celinda Lake of Lake, Snell, Perry and Republican Linda Divall
of American Viewpoint.
• No other sizable and growing voting bloc in America
cuts across all demographic and geographic lines –
race, age, education, income and location like Women Business
Owners. One in 13 adult women in America is a business owner.
Women business owners represent 10% of the expected total
electorate in 2004.
• The Women Business Owner voting bloc will likely
outnumber other popular voting blocs.
• No political party currently has an advantage with
Women Business Owners, thus making women business owners
a decisive and powerful swing voting bloc. Of those surveyed,
38% described themselves as Independent, 30% Republican,
and 27% as Democrat.
• Less than half of Women Business Owners are currently
supporting the re-election of President Bush, with 20% undecided.
• Women Business Owners are active voters: over
half have voted in every election over the past several
years and nearly nine in ten voted in all or most recent
elections.
• Women Business Owners cite the economy and jobs
as the most important factor in deciding their Presidential
vote, followed by moral values, taxes and Health care.
• Nearly nine in ten say they would be more likely
to vote for a candidate who supports lowering health care
costs through small business purchasing pools.
• The majority of those surveyed are unable to provide
health insurance to their employees. They cite the high
cost of health care coverage as the primary reason for not
offering insurance.
• A Presidential endorsement by women business owners
carriers a significant amount of weight, more so than endorsements
by environmental groups, labor unions or the Chambers of
Commerce.
• The number one reason cited why a woman business
owner may not be in business in 5 years was rising costs.
This refers to health insurance issues: the future of their
business depends on containment of costs – and no
cost is rising as quickly as health care costs. Please help
ensure this information is seen by as many as possible.
Please forward this to your friends, elected officials and
media outlets in your community.
