New Lifetime Every Woman Counts Poll Shows Women Believe There is More at Stake in This Election Than Ever Before and Vast Majority of Women (77%) Say Their Vote is Still Up For Grabs

New Lifetime Every Woman Counts Poll Shows Women Believe There is More at Stake in This Election Than Ever Before and Vast Majority of Women (77%) Say Their Vote is Still Up For Grabs

- The Hillary Factor: Nearly 25% of Women are Paying More Attention to the Race Because a Woman Is Running for President and One-Fifth Say They're More Likely to Vote Because of Hillary Clinton's Candidacy; Female Factor Even More Important Among Younger Women -

- Majority of Women Admit Potential First Lady or First Gentleman Influences Their Vote -

NEW YORK, Nov. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As part of its nonpartisan, award-winning Every Woman Counts campaign, Lifetime Networks today announced the results of a nationally representative poll revealing that an overwhelming majority of women (77%) are not yet committed to any candidate, but nearly the same percentage are definitely or probably voting in the 2008 presidential election (82%). Nearly two-fifths of all women, and almost half of women 18-34 and 65+, say that the upcoming election is more important than previous elections.

Results also show that the first viable female presidential candidate is having a considerable impact on women's voting behavior in the 2008 election. In fact, nearly one in four women say that they are paying more attention to the race because a woman is running and one-fifth report that they are more likely to vote with Hillary Clinton in the race.

"With most women still uncommitted to a candidate, but more women paying attention to this election, the candidates of both parties now have a tremendous opportunity to reach women, including the 35 million eligible women who did not vote in 2004," said Meredith Wagner, Executive Vice President, Public Affairs, Lifetime Networks. "Women told us they didn't vote because they were busy, but also because they didn't feel their vote mattered and they didn't know enough about the candidates or the issues. Through Lifetime's year-long, nonpartisan Every Woman Counts campaign, we look forward to bringing women's top concerns to the forefront and encouraging them to make their voices loud and clear at the ballot box," she added.

The Every Woman Counts campaign, first launched in 1992 and now entering its fifth presidential election cycle, ensures that issues important to women are part of the campaign dialogue during election season; encourages women to run for public office; and motivates women to register and vote.

   Why Gender Matters: Women React to a Woman Candidate   -- Nearly one-quarter of women polled say they are paying more attention      because a woman is running for president, and that percentage was      significantly higher for women of color (45% for Hispanic women and 31%      for African-American women), women with children under age 18 (28%) and      women 18-34 (31%).    -- One-fifth of all women polled, and approximately one-third of women of      color, reported that they are more likely to vote because Hillary      Clinton is in the race. Of those more likely to vote because of      Clinton's candidacy, 62% indicate they will vote to elect her the first      woman president and 35% would cast their vote against her.    -- Of the women who said that they would vote for a woman president,      roughly half would vote for Hillary Clinton as president in 2008,      whereas nearly half might vote for a women in the future, but not for      Hillary in '08.  Younger women are more likely than older women to vote      for Hillary Clinton, with approximately half of younger women, 18-34,      saying they would support her as the first woman president in '08.      Women ages 35-44 were the most likely to say that they would vote for a      woman president in the future, just not Hillary Clinton in '08.    -- Almost one in ten women said they would never vote for any woman      presidential candidate.   

Women Are Largely Undecided, but of Those Who Have Already Picked Their Candidate, the Winners Are ...

   -- No single candidate has secured the women's vote, as approximately      eight in ten women (77%) are not yet committed to any presidential      candidate.    -- Of those self-identified Democratic women who are committed to a      candidate, Hillary Clinton is the clear frontrunner, with 70% of the      votes, followed by 16% for Barack Obama.    -- Rudy Giuliani garners 22% of the votes of the self-identified      Republican women committed to a candidate, followed by Mike Huckabee at      20% and Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson tied at 12%.    -- Among African-American women who have chosen their candidate, more than      half support Hillary Clinton and roughly one-quarter support Barack      Obama.    Why 35 Million Eligible Women Didn't Vote in 2004   -- Women who admitted that they didn't cast a vote in 2004 cited their      busy schedules as the top reason, followed by feeling like their vote      would not make a difference and not knowing enough about the candidates      or issues.    -- The poll indicates roughly half of registered women who were too busy      to vote in 2004 said that caring for their children, grandchildren,      aging parents or relatives contributed to their not voting.    -- Women with children under 18 are more likely than women without kids      not to be registered.    "Significant Other" Indeed Significant to Women's Vote   -- The majority of women polled (52%) admit that a candidate's spouse      influences their vote.    -- Married women are more likely than unmarried women to report that a      candidate's spouse can greatly influence their vote.    -- Nearly one-fifth of women also said their own significant other has the      most influence on their current political beliefs and voting decisions.    Methodology:  

The Lifetime poll was conducted by Opinion Research Corporation via telephone among a nationally representative sample of 1,003 women ages 18+ in the United States. The survey was completed during the period October 25-28, 2007. Full results available upon request.

Every Woman Counts is the only public service campaign dedicated to encouraging millions of women to speak out on the issues they care about most, vote and run for office. For the first time, the 2008 initiative will leverage the power of the #1 and #2 television networks for women -- Lifetime and Lifetime Movie Network (LMN) -- and include the most extensive on-air programming, digital content and grassroots efforts to date. To expand the effort and reach women everywhere they live, work and play, Lifetime launched the first-ever Every Woman Counts coalition in partnership with REDBOOK, CosmoGIRL!, Marie Claire, celebrities, experts and joining every leading women's nonprofit organization.

LIFETIME is the leader in women's television and one of the top-rated basic cable television networks. A diverse, multi-media company, LIFETIME is committed to offering the highest quality entertainment and information programming, and advocating a wide range of issues affecting women and their families. LIFETIME Television, LMN, Lifetime Real Women and Lifetime Digital (including LifetimeTV.com) are part of LIFETIME Entertainment Services, a 50/50 joint venture of The Hearst Corporation and The Walt Disney Company.

Source: Lifetime Networks

CONTACT: Loren Raszick Hynes of Lifetime Networks, +1-212-424-7119,
hynes@lifetimetv.com; or Lindsay Drewel, +1-202-237-0434,
lindsay@lindsaydrewelpr.com, for Lifetime Networks

Web site: http://www.lifetimetv.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment