Wellesley Poll 2016

Wellesley Women Weigh in on the 2016 Presidential Election

There’s still a long way to go in the presidential race, but we know one thing for sure: women will play a significant role in this election. Wellesley’s Class of 2016 is remarkably diverse and politically engaged—and will, in just a few months, cast their first votes for president. As our Seniors head off to make their respective marks on the world, they are also making their political opinions known: the results of the Wellesley 2016 Election Poll give a glimpse into what is resonating with these young women today.

Key Takeaways:

• Wellesley women predominantly support one of their own. 65% support Hillary Clinton, Class of 1969. But our graduates are not a monolithic group: 14% support Bernie Sanders and 2% support Donald Trump. Moreover, they overwhelmingly report that the gender of a political candidate matters only a little (51%) or not at all (31%) when it comes to this election.

• Most important issues to Wellesley 2016 graduates: racial and gender equality (22%), income inequality (20%), and foreign policy/affairs (12%). Issues such as terrorism (0%) and national defense (1%) were not considered among the most important issues for them.

• In contrast to perceptions that millennials are less likely to fulfill their civic duty, the Class of 2016 says it is registered to vote (79%) or planning to do so (14%) before the November 8 election.

Note: Responses to questions 2-5 include only those that responded to the first question: "Yes" or "Not yet, but I plan to register."