The Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) at Utah State University is releasing a new research snapshot today titled “Voting and Civic Engagement Among Utah Women: A 2025 Update.” It explores the historical trends, current realities, and future possibilities of civic engagement among Utah women. In a state where women were the first in the nation to vote under an equal suffrage law in 1870, the report highlights both progress and persistent gaps. While Utah women’s voter turnout has recently begun to outpace the national average, there are still key challenges limiting full engagement, including safety concerns, lack of representation, and unmet quality-of-life needs.
Some highlights from the report include:
- Voter Turnout Trends: 1992, Utah women had the highest voter turnout in the nation at 76.0%, However, by 2006, Utah women’s voting rates plummeted to 51st. Fortunately, Utah has made progress since then and was ranked 29th in 2024 for women’s voter turnout.
- Policy Priorities: Women consistently place higher importance on issues like K-12 education, healthcare, housing, cost of living/affordability, and inclusion, yet rate Utah’s performance lower than men on 14 of 17 key issues, including the ones just mentioned.
- Civic Participation Beyond Voting: Utah leads the nation in volunteerism, with 68.2% of residents volunteering informally and 46.6% formally, well above national averages.
- Representation Gaps: While Utah has seen growth in voter turnout and more women serving in elected positions like the state legislature, the state still lags behind national averages in overall political representation.
This report is not only a data-driven update, but a call to action: If we want a stronger Utah, we need to ensure women’s voices and leadership are fully present in civic life, especially at the local level.
