81 Percent of Florida Young Women Delay Major Life Decisions Due to Poor Economy

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Nov 05, 2012, 10:23 ET

75 percent plan to vote in the Presidential Election

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Generation Opportunity today released data specifically on young women from their comprehensive Florida-specific survey of young adults ages 18-29. The poll found that 75 percent of Millennial women in Florida plan to vote in the presidential election, only 30 percent believe the country is headed in the right direction, and 81 percent say key life decisions have been delayed by the poor national economy.

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Generation Opportunity has over 4 million fans on Facebook and direct grassroots engagement with over a quarter million young Americans. The organization has over 160,000 followers across the state of Florida developed through social media and grassroots activities.

91% of young women in Florida changed some aspect of their day-to-day lives because of the current state of the economy (Accepted multiple responses) (Randomized):
- 65% - reduced entertainment budget;
- 58% - cut back on gifts for friends and family;
- 54% - reduced grocery/food budget;
- 45% - skipped a vacation;
- 42% - taken active steps to reduce home energy costs;
- 36% - driven less/relied more on public transit;
- 35% - changed living situation (moved in with family, taken extra roommates, downgraded apartment or home);
- 34% - tried to find an additional job;
- 30% - sold personal items or property (cars, electronic appliances, or other possessions);
- 24% - skipped a wedding, family reunion, or other significant social event;
- 3% - other, specified;
- 7% - none of the above (accepted only this response);
- 2% - do not know/cannot judge (accepted only this response).

81% of young women in Florida have delayed or might not do at least one major life event due to the current state of the economy (Accepted multiple responses) (Randomized):
- 45% - buy my own place;
- 34% - pay off student loans or other debt;
- 32% - save for retirement;
- 31% - start a family;
- 27% - go back to school/getting more education or training;
- 25% - change jobs/cities;
- 19% - get married;
- 15% - none of the above (accepted only this response);
- 4% - do not know/cannot judge (accepted only this response).

62% believe the availability of more quality, full-time jobs upon graduation is more important than lower student loan interest rates.

67% say the availability of more quality, full-time jobs with health insurance plans is more important than the ability to stay on their parents' health insurance plans until they are 26.

76% believe that the lack of job opportunities is shrinking the American middle class.

Only 36% believe that today's political leaders reflect the interests of young Americans.

Only 30% agree with the statement "generally speaking, things in the United States are heading in the right direction."

75% of 18-29 year old women in Florida plan to vote in the election for President this year.

STATEMENT BY AMBER S. ROSEBOOM, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF GENERATION OPPORTUNITY

"For election 2012, young women throughout Florida believe that the lack of full-time meaningful jobs and the need for greater economic opportunity are the most important issues facing them, their families and their communities. They know their careers and dreams have been interrupted and they are extremely frustrated by politicians who presume to speak for them on what their real interests are or which issues they should prioritize. Today's young women make their own informed decisions and they listen closely to the language and messages coming from President Obama and other leaders. They notice what President chooses not to discuss and the fact that he has spent so little time expressing any genuine understanding of their professional situations or their need for greater opportunity has not been lost on them," said Amber S. Roseboom, Executive Vice President of Generation Opportunity, former Deputy Chief of Staff of the United States Office of Personnel Management, and former team member at the United States Department of Labor under Secretary Elaine L. Chao. "Quite frankly, many of the issues he has chosen to tell young women about have absolutely no connection to their aspirations or careers and he appears incredibly out of touch."

METHODOLOGY

For Generation Opportunity, the polling company, inc./WomanTrend, conducted a statewide online survey of 524 Florida adults ages 18-29 between July 27 – August 13, 2012. Randomly selected online opt-in panel participants were sent an invitation to the survey via email, which included a secure link to the online questionnaire. Quotas were used to ensure the survey was representative of the larger 18-29 year old statewide population with regard to race, region, and gender. The data were NOT weighted. The overall sampling margin of error for the survey is +/-4.4% at a 95% confidence interval, meaning that the data obtained would not differ more than 4.4 percentage points in 95 out of 100 similar samples obtained. Women comprised 50% of the total sample.

ABOUT GENERATION OPPORTUNITY

Generation Opportunity is the largest non-profit, non-partisan organization in the United States engaging and mobilizing young Americans (ages 18-29) on important economic issues facing the nation. Since its launch in June of 2011, Generation Opportunity has operated on a combined strategy of advanced social media tactics and field tactics to reach young Americans across the country.

Generation Opportunity is actively organizing young adults across America through grassroots tactics, voter registration, and voter turnout efforts in states like Ohio, Virginia, Maine, North Carolina, Michigan, and Florida, engaging over a quarter million young adults. The organization's social media platforms have amassed a total fan base of more than 4 million. Facebook pages post links to relevant articles and reports from sources ranging from the federal Government Accountability Office (GAO), to The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Brookings Institution, The Wall Street Journal, The Huffington Post, and The Heritage Foundation.