With the 2024 US Presidential election just weeks away, both Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and Republican incumbent Donald Trump are focusing on key constituencies. Harris is actively working to energize Black men in swing states like Michigan, while Trump is courting women in Georgia. The election is tight, and both candidates are emphasizing issues that resonate with their chosen demographics.
The ongoing Lok Sabha election is dominated by the question of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s potential third term. However, three key ‘mini narratives’ are also shaping the electoral landscape: women voters, youth unemployment, and concerns among Scheduled Castes (SCs). Women’s voting preferences have become crucial, with higher turnout and diverse patterns across states. The youth are grappling with unemployment and the perceived inadequacy of government measures. SCs are anxiously watching issues like reservations and the decline of the Bahujan Samaj Party.
For the third consecutive general election, women electors in Tamil Nadu have continued to exercise their franchise at a marginally higher rate than men. This indicates that the gender gap in voter turnout, which was once prominent in the state, is gradually disappearing. According to data from the Election Commission, men had a higher turnout rate than women for several decades, beginning with the first Lok Sabha election in 1951-52. An analysis of voter turnout data for the last 12 general elections in Tamil Nadu shows that there was a significant gender gap in the percentage of women and men who voted until 2009. However, in the 2014 election, women voters surpassed men for the first time, albeit by a narrow margin. Since then, the percentage of women casting their votes has been slightly higher than that of men.
