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Note: While final exact figures for 2012 are yet to be calculated, the Bipartisan Research Center has stated that turnout for 2012 was 57.5 percent of the eligible voters, which they claim was a decline from 2008. They estimate that as a percent of eligible voters, turn out was: 2000, 54.2%; in 2004 60.4%; 2008 62.3%; and 2012 57.5%.<ref>Bipartisan Research Center, "2012 Voter Turnout," November 8, 2012. http://bipartisanpolicy.org/library/report/2012-voter-turnout</ref> These were the same figures as given by the Center for the Study of the American Electorate.<ref>"Election results 2012: Report reveals 2012 voter turnout was lower than 2008 and 2004" Chanel 5 report. November 15, 2012. [http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/national/election-results-2012-report-reveals-2012-voter-turnout-was-lower-than-2008-and-2004#ixzz2CXZuXyAj wptv.com].</ref>
Note: While final exact figures for 2012 are yet to be calculated, the Bipartisan Research Center has stated that turnout for 2012 was 57.5 percent of the eligible voters, which they claim was a decline from 2008. They estimate that as a percent of eligible voters, turn out was: 2000, 54.2%; in 2004 60.4%; 2008 62.3%; and 2012 57.5%.<ref>Bipartisan Research Center, "2012 Voter Turnout," November 8, 2012. http://bipartisanpolicy.org/library/report/2012-voter-turnout</ref> These were the same figures as given by the Center for the Study of the American Electorate.<ref>"Election results 2012: Report reveals 2012 voter turnout was lower than 2008 and 2004" Chanel 5 report. November 15, 2012. [http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/national/election-results-2012-report-reveals-2012-voter-turnout-was-lower-than-2008-and-2004#ixzz2CXZuXyAj wptv.com].</ref>

==Explanation==

As the above table indicates, there was a drop in the voter turnout percentage starting with the 1920 election and another with the 1972 election. In each of these years, there was a significant addition to the pool of eligible voters. In 1920, the [[Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution]], giving women throughout the country the right to vote, came into effect. In 1972, the [[Twenty-sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution|Twenty-Sixth Amendment]], which had been ratified in 1971, giving persons who were aged 18-20 years the right to vote, became effective. To the extent that these new voters were eligible, but did not vote, that would depress the turnout percentage, at least temporarily. Turnout appears to have been highest when voting was limited to men who were twenty-one years of age or older.


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 13:08, 23 July 2013

The following is a listing of voter turnout in each United States presidential election going back to 1828.

Graph of voter turnout percentage from 1824 to 2008.
Election Voting Age Population (VAP)
(thousands)[1]
Turnout
(thousands)[1]
% Turnout of VAP[2][1]
1789
1792
1796
1800
1804
1808
1812
1816
1820
1824
1828 57.6%
1832 55.4%
1836 57.8%
1840 80.2%
1844 78.9%
1848 72.7%
1852 69.6%
1856 78.9%
1860 81.2%
1864 73.8%
1868 78.1%
1872 71.3%
1876 81.8%
1880 79.4%
1884 77.5%
1888 79.3%
1892 74.7%
1896 79.3%
1900 73.2%
1904 65.2%
1908 65.4%
1912 58.8%
1916 61.6%
1920 49.2%
1924 48.9%
1928 56.9%
1932 75,768 39,817 52.6%
1936 80,174 45,647 56.9%
1940 84,728 49,815 58.8%
1944 85,654 48,026 56.1%
1948 95,573 48,834 51.1%
1952 99,929 61,552 61.6%
1956 104,515 62,027 59.3%
1960 109,672 68,836 62.8%
1964 114,090 70,098 61.4%
1968 120,285 73,027 60.7%
1972 140,777 77,625 55.1%
1976 152,308 81,603 53.6%
1980 163,945 86,497 52.8%
1984 173,995 92,655 53.3%
1988 181,956 91,587 50.3%
1992 189,493 104,600 55.2%
1996 196,789 96,390 49.0%
2000 209,787 105,594 50.3%
2004 219,553 122,349 55.7%
2008 229,945 131,407 57.1%
2012 211,731 121,745 57.5%

Note: While final exact figures for 2012 are yet to be calculated, the Bipartisan Research Center has stated that turnout for 2012 was 57.5 percent of the eligible voters, which they claim was a decline from 2008. They estimate that as a percent of eligible voters, turn out was: 2000, 54.2%; in 2004 60.4%; 2008 62.3%; and 2012 57.5%.[3] These were the same figures as given by the Center for the Study of the American Electorate.[4]

Explanation

As the above table indicates, there was a drop in the voter turnout percentage starting with the 1920 election and another with the 1972 election. In each of these years, there was a significant addition to the pool of eligible voters. In 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, giving women throughout the country the right to vote, came into effect. In 1972, the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, which had been ratified in 1971, giving persons who were aged 18-20 years the right to vote, became effective. To the extent that these new voters were eligible, but did not vote, that would depress the turnout percentage, at least temporarily. Turnout appears to have been highest when voting was limited to men who were twenty-one years of age or older.

References

  1. ^ a b c Between 1932 and 2008: "Table 397. Participation in Elections for President and U.S. Representatives: 1932 to 2010" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2012. U.S. Census Bureau. {{cite web}}: Text "date" ignored (help)
  2. ^ Between 1828-1928: "Voter Turnout in Presidential Elections: 1828 - 2008". The American Presidency Project. UC Santa Barbara. Retrieved 2012-11-09.
  3. ^ Bipartisan Research Center, "2012 Voter Turnout," November 8, 2012. http://bipartisanpolicy.org/library/report/2012-voter-turnout
  4. ^ "Election results 2012: Report reveals 2012 voter turnout was lower than 2008 and 2004" Chanel 5 report. November 15, 2012. wptv.com.