Women Will Shape the 2025 NYC Election—But Voting Is Just the Beginning
(New York, N.Y.)—The data is clear: Women outvote men 69% to 65%, and Black women lead with 77% participation. But are they being heard?
At this pivotal moment for democracy Women Creating Change (WCC) has released a new report examining how women engage civically, the barriers they face, and the policy changes needed to expand participation.
The Power of Participation: Women’s Voting and Civic Engagement in NYC shows that, while women in New York City are actively engaged in civic life, they continue to face persistent barriers, including economic insecurity, caregiving burdens, and structural inequities. These challenges disproportionately affect historically disenfranchised communities. New York has made strides with policies that have expanded and safeguarded voting rights, but more must be done. The report outlines key reforms, such as same-day voter registration, aligning local and federal election cycles, and implementing family-friendly voting policies.
WCC’s report offers a clear roadmap for removing structural obstacles and equipping women with the tools, resources, and power to shape their communities and strengthen our democracy—for generations to come.
'As Women Creating Change marks 110 years of advancing women’s civic and political participation, we’re looking beyond the ballot to how women—especially women of color—have long driven change through grassroots organizing, mutual aid, advocacy, and community leadership. We found there is little data on these traditionally women-led civic activities, which speaks volumes: Much of this vital work remains unrecognized, unstudied, and undervalued, said Sharon Sewell-Fairman, President and CEO, Women Creating Change.'
This new report is both a foundational resource and a call to action. In this New York City election year, WCC encourages voters to support leaders who champion the reforms WCC outlines—reforms that will amplify women’s voices and drive lasting change at the local level.
“We are in a high-stakes political moment, and this report provides some on-the-ground, actionable information. In it, we show not just how women in New York are participating, but what’s standing in their way, and what must change to ensure their engagement translates into power. WCC is focusing both on the structural barriers—wage inequality and the gender pay gap—as well as policies like the lack of same-day registration for voting, that stand in the way of women’s full civic participation. Every election has the potential to affect childcare, housing, wages, and many policies that shape whether New York is a liveable city for working class New Yorkers, so it’s critical that we strengthen routes to voting and civic participation more broadly,” said Lina K. Moe, Senior Research Fellow, Women Creating Change.
“In this critical moment for our democracy, the League of Women Voters urgently challenges New York City women to become civic leaders. Participation begins at the ballot box, where women vote at higher rates than men, but the League’s mission goes beyond voting, to encouraging deep connection as volunteers and community members. We are proud to be a space where women can lead, and we aspire for all women to take a step forward in their own civic journey. We applaud WCC for highlighting recommendations for reducing barriers all along that journey, from the first steps of same-day voter registration and better alignment in federal and local elections, to creating opportunity for deep engagement and democracy defense through pay equity and leadership investment,” said Bella Wang, Voting Reform Chair, League of Women Voters of the City of New York.
Highlights and key findings of the report include:
- Participation in neighborhood, school, or community groups was one of the most common forms of civic engagement, with 11% of all New Yorkers and 14% of women reporting involvement. Black women reported the highest involvement (18%).
- Among eligible voters, NYC women consistently outvote men, with a 69% to 65% turnout gap in 2022. The racial/ethnic breakdown shows that Black women have the highest voting rates at 77% while Latina women and Asian women trail behind at 58% and 50% respectively.
- Despite overall high voting rates, systemic barriers—like economic insecurity, caregiving burdens, and voter access challenges—limit women’s full civic power.
- Women from lower-income households are more likely to vote in person on Election Day (72%), underscoring the importance of polling place accessibility and trusted community-based voter registration sites.
- Caregiving responsibilities remain a major barrier, with 21% of women citing illness or care work as reasons for not voting—nearly twice the rate of men.
The report calls for urgent policy solutions, including:
- Aligning New York City local elections with federal election cycles to boost participation and reduce racial and economic disparities.
- Implementing same-day voter registration to expand access for first-time voters.
- Funding microgrants that provide direct investment in women, who have innovative ideas to address issues in their communities but lack financial resources.
- Investing in youth-led, grassroots organizations that are creating a pipeline toward civic leadership roles.
- Addressing low pay and pay inequity—key drivers of time poverty—by raising wages across the board, starting with home health workers; indexing the minimum wage to inflation and cost of living markers; and eliminating the tipped minimum wage. As discussed in WCC’s previous reports on the gender pay gap, women and workers of color stand to benefit most from these remedies.
Read the full report here.
About
Women Creating Change (WCC), formerly known as the Women’s City Club of New York, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan activist organization dedicated to advancing women’s rights and shaping the future of New York City. Founded in 1915, WCC works to advance gender and racial equality by equipping women of color, women experiencing financial hardship, and gender-expansive individuals, with the knowledge, tools, and resources to advocate for the issues that matter most to them. WCC collaborates with partners, policymakers, and advocacy groups to drive real change in economic opportunity, education, healthcare, safety, reproductive justice, and environmental justice. WCC connects women with key stakeholders to learn, act, and engage. We empower women to lead change, shape policy, and strengthen communities, redesigning systems for a more equitable New York City. At WCC, we believe every woman has the power to make a difference. Visit wccny.org.
Media Contact
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