Voter Turnout for Midterm Elections, 1982 to 2006 Based on Ballots
Counting ballots provides the most accurate measure of voter turnout (but cannot show the characteristics of voters). In the past seven midterm elections, voter turnout has stayed between 38 percent and 42 percent nationwide. Voting patterns have varied somewhat among states. In 2006, voter turnout was roughly 29 percent in Louisiana and Mississippi, but roughly 60 percent in Minnesota and South Dakota.
This statistic measures the percentage of the voting eligible population that cast a vote in a midterm election from 1982 to 2006. The number of votes cast is compiled from administrative data collected by the states and is estimated by taking the total number of votes cast in the race with the highest turnout. According to the United States Election Project, "The most typical way to calculate the turnout rates is to divide the number of votes by what is called the 'voting-age population,' which consists of everyone age 18 and older residing in the United States. This includes persons ineligible to vote, mainly non-citizens and ineligible felons, and excludes overseas eligible voters." To provide a more accurate calculation, Trends To Watch estimates the voting-eligible population by taking the voting age population and subtracting first the number of non-citizens living in a state and second the number of individuals denied voting rights due to imprisonment. These data are unable to account for the number of released offenders denied voting rights or the number of individuals denied voting rights due to mental illness or handicap. These data were produced by Dr. Michael McDonald and the United States Elections Project, located at http://elections.gmu.edu/voter_turnout.htm. Dr. Michael McDonald, Associate Professor of Government and Politics at George Mason University, provided consulting support on developing and analyzing these data.
