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Factors affecting voter turnout[edit]
Age[edit]
Age is one of the demographic factors affecting voter turnout. Data from the United States Census Bureau shows that older people vote at higher rates.[1] One reason that could explain the difference between voting in age groups is the cohort effect: "effects of historical events that occurred when a particular generation of people was at a particular age and that shaped them for the rest of their lives."[2] In the same study, Harder and Krosnick, explain another possible reason for higher turnout is that older citizens are more established in their communities and thus feel more connected to the outcome, and that with age comes more political awareness and knowledge, or that people become more motivated because their age group will be affected more by certain economic policies.[2] The decline in voter participation after the age of 75 may "because of declines in their physical health, mobility, and energy level"[3]
Recent decades have seen increasing concern over the fact that youth voting turnout is consistently lower than turnout among older generations. Several programs to increase the rates of voting among young people have been initiated in recent election, one of the most well know being Rock the Vote (founded in 1990), with their website stating they are "a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to building the political power of young people."[4] They partner with celebrities, influencers and (social) media platforms to increase political participation amongst young and first-time voters[5]. These initiatives may have marginally increased turnouts of those between the ages of 18 and 25 to vote. However, the Stanford Social Innovation Review found no evidence of a decline in youth voter turnout. In fact, they argue that "Millennials are turning out at similar rates to the previous two generations when they face their first elections."[6]
| Age | Reported voted
(percent) |
|---|---|
| Total 18 years and older | 56.0% |
| 18 to 24 years | 39.4% |
| 25 to 34 years | 46.4% |
| 35 to 44 years | 51.8% |
| 45 to 54 years | 59.2% |
| 55 to 64 years | 64.2% |
| 65 to 74 years | 70.1% |
| 75 years and older | 66.0% |
Education level[edit]
There is a correlation between voter turnout and education levels. Data from the United States Census Bureau shows that people with higher levels of education vote more often.[1] Barry Burden claims that Education level has a dynamic effect on voter turnout, and that education level is an accurate way of predicting wether someone will vote or not.[7] A 2018 study found that while education did not increase turnout on average, it did raise turnout among individuals from low socioeconomic status households.[8]
| Highest level of education attained | Reported voted
(percentage) |
|---|---|
| Total | 56.0% |
| Less than 9th grade | 18.3% |
| 9th to 12th grade, no diploma | 29.3% |
| High school graduate | 47.4% |
| Some college or associate's degree. | 60.5% |
| Bachelor's degree | 69.4% |
| Advanced degree | 73.9% |
Income/Wealth[edit]
Wealthier people tend to vote at higher rates. Voters with a higher income have much higher turnout rates to voter with a 42.4% difference in turnout in the 2016 presidential election between people earning under 10,000 dollars and people earning over 150,000 dollars.[1] Harder and Krosnick have several possible explanations for higher voter turnout amongst wealthier people, including: that wealthier people may have more time available to learn about elections a vote in election, that "wealthy perceive that they have a greater interest at stake in elections or have greater senses of political efficacy", and that wealthy people may experience more psychological and social rewards from voting.[2]
| Family income | Reported voted
(percentage) |
|---|---|
| Total | 57.7% |
| Under $10,000 | 34.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 39.7% |
| $15,000 to $19,999 | 39.5% |
| $20,000 to $29,999 | 43.3% |
| $30,000 to $39,999 | 50.0% |
| $40,000 to $49,999 | 55.9% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 61.9% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 67.0% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 72.6% |
| $150,000 and over | 76.5% |
| Income not reported | 45.0% |
Race and Ethnicity[edit]
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| Race | Reported voted
(percentage) |
|---|---|
| White (not Hispanic) | 64.1% |
| Black | 55.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 32.5% |
| Asian | 33.9% |
Women's suffrage and gender gap[edit]
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| Age | Male Reported Voted
(percentage) |
Female Reported Voted
(percentage) |
|---|---|---|
| Total 18 years and over | 53.8% | 58.1% |
| 18 to 24 years | 36.5% | 42.4% |
| 25 to 34 years | 42.5% | 50.3% |
| 35 to 44 years | 48.9% | 54.6% |
| 45 to 54 years | 57.2% | 61.1% |
| 55 to 64 years | 62.8% | 65.4% |
| 65 to 74 years | 70.5% | 69.8% |
| 75 years and over | 69.3% | 63.6% |
- ^ a b c d e f g Bureau, US Census. "Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2016". The United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
- ^ a b c Harder, Joshua; Krosnick, Jon A. "Why Do People Vote? A Psychological Analysis of the Causes of Voter Turnout" (PDF). Journal of Social Issues. 64: 525–549.
- ^ Strate, John M.; Parrish, Charles J.; Elder, Charles D.; Ford, Coit. "Life Span Civic Development and Voting Participation". American Political Science Review. 83(2): 443–464. doi:10.2307/1962399.
- ^ "Rock the Vote - Register to Vote, Find Election Info, and More!". Rock the Vote. Retrieved 2020-05-15.
- ^ "Rock the Vote: 2016 Annual Report" (PDF). Rock the Vote.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Kiesa, Abby; Levine, Peter (2016-03-21). "Do We Actually Want Higher Youth Voter Turnout?". Stanford Social Innovation Review. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
- ^ Burden, Barry C. "The dynamic effects of education on voter turnout" (PDF). Electoral Studies. 28: 540–549.
- ^ Persson, Mikael; Oskarsson, Sven; Lindgren, Karl-Oskar (2018). "Enhancing Electoral Equality: Can Education Compensate for Family Background Differences in Voting Participation?". American Political Science Review. 113: 108–122. doi:10.1017/S0003055418000746. ISSN 1537-5943.