Following is a complete listing of each of the winners in the Outstanding Lead Actress category. This category was introduced in 1973-1974, and has undergone several name changes. Until the creation of the Supporting Actor and Actress categories in 1978, the category was named Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series.
• 1972-1973; Mary Fickett (Ruth Brent, All My Children)
• 1973-1974; Elizabeth Hubbard (Althea Davis, The Doctors)
• 1974-1975; Susan Flannery (Laura Horton, Days of our Lives)
• 1975-1976; Helen Gallagher (Maeve Ryan, Ryan's Hope)
• 1976-1977; Helen Gallagher (Maeve Ryan, Ryan's Hope)
• 1977-1978; Laurie Heinemann (Sharlene Frame, Another World)
• 1978-1979; Irene Dailey (Liz Matthews, Another World)
• 1979-1980; Judith Light (Karen Wolek, One Life to Live)
• 1980-1981; Judith Light (Karen Wolek, One Life to Live)
• 1981-1982; Robin Strasser (Dorian Lord, One Life to Live)
• 1982-1983; Dorothy Lyman (Opal Gardner, All My Children)
• 1983-1984; Erika Slezak (Victoria Lord Buchanan, One Life to Live)
• 1984-1985; Kim Zimmer (Reva Shayne, Guiding Light)
• 1985-1986; Erika Slezak (Victoria Lord Buchanan, One Life to Live)
• 1986-1987; Kim Zimmer (Reva Shayne, Guiding Light)
• 1987-1988; Helen Gallagher (Maeve Ryan, Ryan's Hope)
• 1988-1989; Marcy Walker (Eden Capwell, Santa Barbara)
• 1989-1990; Kim Zimmer (Reva Shayne, Guiding Light)
• 1990-1991; Finola Hughes (Anna Devane, General Hospital)
• 1991-1992; Erika Slezak (Viki Buchanan, One Life to Live)
• 1992-1993; Linda Dano (Felicia Gallant, Another World)
• 1993-1994; Hillary B. Smith (Nora Gannon, One Life to Live)
• 1994-1995; Erika Slezak (Viki Buchanan, One Life to Live)
• 1995-1996; Erika Slezak (Viki Buchanan, One Life to Live)
• 1996-1997; Jess Walton (Jill Abbott, The Young and the Restless)
• 1997-1998; Cynthia Watros (Annie Dutton, Guiding Light)
• 1998-1999; Susan Lucci (Erica Kane, All My Children)
• 1999-2000; Susan Flannery (Stephanie Forrester, The Bold and the Beautiful)
• 2000-2001; Martha Byrne (Lily Snyder and Rose D'Angelo, As the World Turns)
• 2001-2002; Susan Flannery (Stephanie Forrester, The Bold and the Beautiful)
• 2002-2003; Susan Flannery (Stephanie Forrester, The Bold and the Beautiful)
• 2003-2004; Michelle Stafford (Phyllis Summers, The Young and the Restless)
• 2004-2005; Erika Slezak (Victoria Davidson, One Life to Live)
• 2005-2006; Kim Zimmer (Reva Shayne, Guiding Light)
• 2006-2007; Maura West (Carly Tenney, As the World Turns)
• 2007-2008; Jeanne Cooper (Katherine Chancellor, The Young and the Restless)
• 2008-2009; Susan Haskell (Marty Saybrooke, One Life to Live)
• 2009-2010; Maura West (Carly Tenney, As the World Turns)
• 2010-2011; Laura Wright (Carly Jacks, General Hospital)
• 2011-2012; Heather Tom (Katie Logan, The Bold and the Beautiful)
• 2012-2013; Heather Tom (Katie Logan, The Bold and the Beautiful)
• 2013-2014; Eileen Davidson (Kristen DiMera, Days of our Lives)
• 2014-2015; Maura West (Ava Jerome, General Hospital)
• 2015-2016; Mary Beth Evans (Kayla Brady, Days of our Lives)
• 2016-2017; Gina Tognoni (Phyllis Summers, The Young and the Restless)
• 2017-2018; Eileen Davidson (Ashley Abbott, The Young and the Restless)
• 2018-2019; Jacqueline MacInnes Wood, The Bold and the Beautiful)
• 2019-2020; Heather Tom (Katie Logan, The Bold and the Beautiful)
• 2020-2021; Jacqueline MacInnes Wood, The Bold and the Beautiful)
• 2021-2022; Mishael Morgan (Amanda Sinclair, The Young and the Restless)
• 2022-2023; Jacqueline MacInnes Wood, The Bold and the Beautiful)
One Life to Live; 11 wins •
The Bold and the Beautiful; 9 wins
The Young and the Restless; 6 wins
Guiding Light; 5 wins •
All My Children; 3 wins •
Another World; 3 wins •
Ryan's Hope; 3 wins •
As The World Turns; 3 wins •
Days of our Lives; 4 wins
General Hospital; 3 wins
The Doctors; 1 win •
Santa Barbara; 1 win •
• - This program is no longer in production.
