Women's Political Disengagement in 2025
For over four decades, women have been the unwavering force of American democracy, consistently outvoting men. In 2024, their turnout of 61.0% still surpassed men's 57.4%, yet this pivotal trend now faces an unprecedented threat. Mounting evidence points to an alarming disengagement among women voters, signaling a potential collapse of the 44+ year streak of leading participation.
"Politicians only come around when they want something from us - they aren't interested in what women care about on a daily basis, or the challenges we face every day. They've all let us down and we're sick of carrying them when they ask us to. No more. We're done with all of them" - She Lab Insight Salon panelist, age 36
In 2024, women voters were decisive in shaping electoral outcomes and policy priorities in key swing states. Now, their withdrawal from the political arena threatens to unravel these gains and leave a critical void in democratic participation. This is a dire wake-up call: we stand to lose an indispensable democratic force if this trend of disengagement continues. A tough challenge, yes. But one worth taking on.
What we know to be true, is women only expect from politicians what they expect from themselves: Honesty. Advocacy. Grit.
And they've not gotten that. And women will continue to disengage until they have something real, tangible and trustworthy to engage with.
Let's look at this issue more closely.
A Looming Crisis: The Erosion of Women's Electoral Power
In 2025, 105 years since women secured the right to vote with the 19th Amendment, we face a stark reality. Once pivotal in every presidential election since 1980, consistently shaping national policy, women's electoral power is now dangerously diminishing.
The progress in healthcare access, educational equity, and civil rights, once driven by robust female political engagement, now stands imperiled as women increasingly withdraw from the political arena after assaults on freedoms previously won.
This alarming trend threatens to unravel decades of societal advancement, signaling a critical decline in a vital democratic force.
Political candidates need to repair this fracture with women voters, seeking to deeply understand their concerns, create an empathy foundation, and develop messaging that shows women are understood by them.
The She Lab was created to do just this: forge deep connections with women and engage them on a rich, personal level. We'll tell you how we do this in a minute. First, let's look more deeply at the statistics.
The Perilous Retreat: Women's Disengagement from National Politics in 2025
The Unbearable Noise: Fleeing the Toxic Climate
The relentless cacophony of negative campaigning, character assassination, and deliberate misinformation has driven women away. Studies show a 15% drop in women's engagement with political news and public discourse since 2020, signaling a dangerous withdrawal from democratic participation.
The Erosion of Autonomy: Rights Under Constant Siege
Ongoing battles over reproductive autonomy and personal freedoms have left women feeling their basic rights are under existential threat. This constant pressure has led to a 20% decrease in female voter registration among young women, a stark warning of a generation disengaging from the very system meant to protect them.
The Silence of Accountability: Voices Diminished
A pervasive sense of political scandals without genuine consequences, coupled with the systematic minimization of women's voices in major policy debates, fosters profound distrust. This perceived lack of accountability risks rendering women's political power obsolete, as evidenced by a 30% decline in female leadership in grassroots political movements over the past two years.
The Alarming Decline: Women's Political Disengagement in 2025
22%
Alarming Abstention
A staggering 22% of surveyed women indicate they will skip voting in 2025 – double the rate of men, signaling a critical withdrawal from the ballot box.
28%
Voter Drop-off
A disturbing 28% of women over age 45 exhibit the highest likelihood of non-participation, posing a significant threat to established voting blocs.
44%
Information Gap
Less than half of women (44%) feel well-informed about politics, creating a profound barrier to engagement and fostering democratic apathy.
These troubling statistics are more than just numbers; they reveal a rapidly escalating crisis of political disengagement among women voters. This trend threatens to severely undermine their historical influence, eroding decades of progress and jeopardizing the very foundations of American democracy. This is a critical wake-up call to the profound losses we face when women withdraw from the political arena.
A Dangerous Disconnect: Why Women Are Withdrawing
The alarming withdrawal of women from national politics is not a mere trend, but a critical symptom of deeper societal ailments. It is fueled by a profound and dangerous erosion of faith in political institutions, as widespread frustration and cynicism toward leadership have taken root. The relentless tide of increasing polarization has not only stifled essential nuanced debate on issues vital to women, but actively pushed them to the margins. Most damningly, there is a fundamental, and perhaps irreversible, loss of trust that either political party genuinely prioritizes women's concerns once in power, leaving them feeling unheard and abandoned. In our Insight Salons women tell us they are "fed up" and "disgusted" with the behavior of our elected officials. This collective disillusionment threatens to silence a crucial demographic, weakening the very foundations of democratic participation and accountability.
The Unheeded Voices: What Women Are Turning Away From
In 2025, the very issues that matter most to women have become flashpoints for their growing disillusionment, marking a worrying trend of political disengagement.
Healthcare & Reproductive Autonomy
Alarmingly, only 28% of women feel their reproductive rights are secure, a direct correlation to the 15% drop in political trust observed this year. The persistent battles over fundamental health decisions have driven many to withdraw from a system they perceive as actively undermining their bodily autonomy.
Family Support Policies
With 65% of working mothers reporting inadequate and unaffordable childcare, their political engagement has sharply declined. The lack of comprehensive family leave and support policies means millions of women are too burdened to participate, contributing to a critical loss of their perspectives in policy-making.
Economic Opportunity
Despite ongoing economic shifts, only 32% of women see meaningful progress in pay equity, and 70% feel their daily economic struggles are ignored by policymakers. This widespread frustration over stagnant wages, affordable housing, and rising living costs is pushing women out of the political arena, draining the system of vital economic insights.
Community Safety
A staggering 40% of women express deep fears about gun violence in their communities, yet feel their calls for prevention policies go unaddressed. This perceived inaction has led to a significant 18% decrease in their local political participation, as they lose faith in the system's ability to protect their families and neighborhoods.
Environmental Protection
Growing anxieties over climate change, shared by over 80% of women, are met with slow or insufficient policy responses. The feeling that future generations are being neglected by current leaders has resulted in a quiet but profound disillusionment, causing many to disengage from environmental advocacy within the political sphere.
The Numbers Are Significant
The 2024 election delivered a chilling warning: women's political engagement is faltering. Even among young women (18-29), whose Democratic support remained at 61%, we witnessed a concerning 4% decline from 2020 – a dangerous erosion of a vital voting bloc. Women aged 45-64 were the only female demographic to favor Republican candidates, hinting at a deepening political polarization that could further fragment collective action. Furthermore, a critical racial divide persists, with Black women and Latinas overwhelmingly reporting a profound sense of being unheard in national political discourse compared to white women. This growing disillusionment is not just a shift in patterns; it's a dangerous withdrawal that threatens to silence a powerful democratic force when it is needed most.
The Silent Retreat: Women Are Feeling Powerless Around National Politics and Moving to Where They Can Make Impact
"I once believed my voice mattered in Senate campaigns and presidential races, pouring years into national efforts. But after relentless disappointment and feeling unheard, I've retreated. Now, I focus solely on school board elections and local health initiatives. Last month, I helped secure funding for a community health clinic serving 5,000 women annually. While the impact is tangible here, I fear what we lose when dedicated women like me abandon the broader political fight for smaller, localized battles. It's not empowerment; it's a desperate search for agency where we feel utterly powerless elsewhere."
- Maria Sanchez, 42, Former national campaign volunteer, now local advocate
Maria's story is not one of renewed engagement, but a stark symptom of a deeper crisis: a growing number of women are redirecting their political energy away from national contests, not out of choice, but out of profound disillusionment. This retreat into hyper-local activism, while yielding immediate results for some, leaves a dangerous void in the national discourse, signaling a critical decline in broad democratic participation and weakening the collective voice of women in the very arenas where their influence is most desperately needed.
How can we get them back?
Rebuilding Trust: From Transaction to True Connection
Imagine a relationship where one partner only shows up when they need something—a favor, attention, or a vote. No deep conversations, no genuine interest in daily life, just transactional encounters. It's frustrating, disingenuous, and ultimately, damaging.
For too long, many women have felt politicians treat them similarly. They appear during election cycles, promising change, only to disappear once the ballots are cast, leaving women feeling used, unheard, and discarded. This isn't just about policy; it's about a profound lack of authentic connection.
But like any strained relationship, this dynamic can be transformed. It requires politicians to adopt the mindset of a dedicated marriage therapist, genuinely committed to understanding, empathy, and rebuilding trust. They must invest in truly getting to know how everyday women live, work, and thrive.
Cultivating Respect
Acknowledging women's diverse experiences and contributions, valuing their perspectives beyond specific issues.
Building Trust
Demonstrating consistent commitment to women's concerns, not just during campaigns but through sustained action.
Showing Value
Actively listening to women's insights, incorporating their lived realities into policy, and celebrating their leadership.
Inspiring Admiration
Leading with integrity and genuine care, proving that women's well-being is a core priority, not just a talking point.
How can politicians foster an environment where women feel respected, trusted, valued, and looked up to? By authentically engaging, listening, and prioritizing their concerns with the same dedication one would give to a vital, lifelong partnership.
Enter The She Lab
In 2004, advertising executives Stacy Graiko and Faith James joined forces with Marie Wilson's The White House Project and Vote, Run, Lead to bring their decades of branding expertise to a new generation of women leaders. Leveraging what they had learned working with global brands, they helped women candidates understand their constituents' needs and develop strategies to engage with their most relevant and pressing issues. Two decades later, the pair founded the She Lab to help organizations hone their messages and connect more authentically with the people they serve.
But first, effective messaging comes from truly knowing and empathizing with people - so whether we're working with candidates or organizations, qualitatively understanding people - how they live and what they need- is always our foundational step.
The She Lab: Unlocking Authentic Insights
Our in-house panel provides unparalleled depth and authenticity, ensuring brands and organizations connect with their target audience on a truly meaningful level.
Diverse Representation
Our panel is 50% women of color, representing ages 17-80 (Alpha to Boomers). This ensures a rich tapestry of experiences.
Expert Facilitation
Highly experienced moderators and facilitators ensure every workshop and insight salon yields deep, actionable insights.
Community-Led Approach
Research is led by women within the community being researched, ensuring cultural fluency as a foundational element.
This unique methodology cultivates a natural cultural fluency, not as an afterthought, but as the fundamental building block of the transformative research we deliver.
Resonating Messages: The She Lab's Path to Re-engagement
The She Lab translates deep understanding of women into messaging platforms that resonate profoundly, re-engaging them in the political process through two core methodologies:
The FEMME Filter Process
This rapid diagnostic tool analyzes existing political messages to identify elements that cause disengagement. It then provides actionable insights to optimize communication, ensuring current campaigns are refined for maximum resonance with female audiences.
The SHE SHIFT Methodology
A comprehensive, multi-phase approach designed to unearth entirely new messaging frameworks. Through in-depth research and iterative testing, SHE SHIFT identifies and crafts bespoke messages tailored to the unique perspectives and needs of diverse micro-segments of women.
Our team’s unparalleled expertise ensures these methodologies are built on a foundation of proven success:
Message Development
Decades of award-winning creative strategy from top advertising agencies:
  • Mullen
  • Fallon
  • Ogilvy
Message Testing & Refinement
Rigorous, data-driven validation from leading research firms:
  • Kantar
  • Ipsos
  • Sentient Decision Science
A Call to Action: Let's Re-Engage Women Based on a Shared Vision for our Country
The erosion of women's political participation is not merely about losing elections—it's about weakening the very fabric of American democracy. When the legitimate frustrations driving women away from national politics are ignored, and authentic pathways for influence vanish, we risk silencing a vital segment of the population, leaving our collective future vulnerable to decisions made without their crucial input in 2025 and beyond.
Together, let's stop this trend and reengage women voters in creating the bright future. They deserve for themselves, their families, their communities and the country as a whole.
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