Voter turnout in United States presidential elections: Difference between revisions
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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> |
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==Explanation== |
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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. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 13:08, 23 July 2013
 | This article may need to be rewritten to comply with Wikipedia's quality standards. (December 2012) |
The following is a listing of voter turnout in each United States presidential election going back to 1828.
| 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
- ^ 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) - ^ Between 1828-1928: "Voter Turnout in Presidential Elections: 1828 - 2008". The American Presidency Project. UC Santa Barbara. Retrieved 2012-11-09.
- ^ Bipartisan Research Center, "2012 Voter Turnout," November 8, 2012. http://bipartisanpolicy.org/library/report/2012-voter-turnout
- ^ "Election results 2012: Report reveals 2012 voter turnout was lower than 2008 and 2004" Chanel 5 report. November 15, 2012. wptv.com.