Unmarried people have enough votes to choose the next president, but are still waiting to hear candidates ask for their votes. Candidates and the media should be keenly focused on the unmarried electorate because of their numbers, their increasing rate of voter registration, and their feeling of alienation from campaign rhetoric.

The U.S. population is increasingly unmarried. Census data shows that unmarried people were leading over half of all households and raising 31% of America’s children in 2007. Over half of Latinos and almost 70% of African-Americans are unmarried.

Roughly 85 million unmarried people are eligible to vote this year. The drop-off in voter registration among unmarried people was only six percentage points from the 2004 presidential election to the 2006 mid-terms, compared to a ten point loss in married voter registration. Registration in key segments of the unmarried electorate outpaced their married counterparts between 2004 and 2006: for example, registered voters aged 45-74 who have never married increased by 13%, compared to a 1% increase in married registered voters in that age bracket.

From September 30 – October 3 and on November 3, 2008, AtMP polled members who had pledged to vote on November 4th. [Click here for the full report.] Less than 18% said they believe that the presidential candidates recognize the importance unmarried voters.

Forty-eight percent of AtMP members name the economy as the most important issue in the presidential election, and one-third cite war / peace / foreign affairs. Health care concerns follow closely, cited by 28% of respondents. These members want to hear more about “health care for everyone.” They are looking for a candidate who will “increase support for single parents [and] include unmarried partners in health care.”

Another important issue is taxes. Specifically, unmarried voters want to hear candidates “acknowledge that we exist and stop making tax policy that hurts us,” because “income taxes should be the same whether single or married.”

Unmarried voters wanted to hear candidates speak directly to them. Instead of rhetoric about "putting families first",these voters hoped a candidate would "acknowledge that we are not all part of married-with-kids families."

Many AtMP members are available to speak on record about their concerns, including Ms. C.T. of Lyndhurst, OH, who says: “Candidates don't seem to be aware that not every American is either married, wants to be married, or is LGBT and wants to be married. I'm an educated woman (PhD), who's chosen to have no children, and remains unmarried by choice. I'm also a homeowner. I care for an elderly grandparent. I have my own health concerns, and I need to plan for my own retirement since I will not have a spouse or children to support me. I want to see tax relief and incentives that aren't based on having a partner or on having children. I want health care options that separate coverage from my employment status. I want health care that allows me to define my family as I see fit -- in my current situation, to cover an elderly grandmother who raised me.”

AtMP Executive Director Nicky Grist urges more inclusive campaign rhetoric and media. She says that “Candidates often sound like they value married nuclear families at the expense of the singles and diverse families who comprise the majority of American households. Instead, candidates should describe how they’ll help all working people balance their work-life obligations. A candidate who wants to win will explain how his health care or income tax reforms will benefit individuals who bear unfairly heavy loads.” The Alternatives to Marriage Project is a national nonprofit advocacy organization with over 8,500 members in all 50 states.

AtMP represents all unmarried people, including singles, partners and parents, people who aren’t married yet, aren’t married any more, and aren’t legally allowed to marry. AtMP works to end discrimination on the basis of marital status, and to relieve and reduce the stigma against being single or unmarried.