# What percentage of registered voters voted this year? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 11, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percentage-of-registered-voters-voted-this-year/640694 "2012-11-11T18:38:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percentage-of-registered-voters-voted-this-year/640694/1 "2012-11-11T18:38:52Z")
For some reason the local media did not seem to report that this year. I know it is always scandalously low, but perhaps it was larger this time? I Googled it, but nothing for this year yet. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2012, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percentage-of-registered-voters-voted-this-year/640694/2 "2012-11-11T19:06:54Z")
The current figure for the Presidential election being used is 57.5% of the electorate. If true (there are added votes to be counted and certified, which could increase the total), that would be down from 61.6% in the 2008 election. The high-water mark was 1960, when 63.1% of the electorate voted. In recent times, the low point was 1996, when 49.1% of the electorate voted, the rest figuring that President Clinton had it wrapped up and there apparently being no other real motivating issues of nation-wide importance. The 2000 election had 51.3% of the electorate vote. If the hullabaloo surrounding that election did nothing else, it sparked significantly increased participation rates: the last three elections have had participation of roughly 60%. ---
**Author:** ![SayTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@SayTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SayTwo)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2012, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percentage-of-registered-voters-voted-this-year/640694/3 "2012-11-12T07:05:04Z")
It’s actually a shitload, when you think about it. Is there anything else in this country where better than half of the people do the same thing? ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2012, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percentage-of-registered-voters-voted-this-year/640694/4 "2012-11-12T18:00:32Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > The current figure for the Presidential election being used is 57.5% of the electorate. I believe the “electorate” means eligible voters? The OP asked about the percentage of _registered_ voters who voted; that would be a much higher number. I haven’t found any concrete number though. ---
**Author:** ![SnakeBabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@SnakeBabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakeBabe)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2012, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percentage-of-registered-voters-voted-this-year/640694/5 "2012-11-12T18:05:51Z")
I just googled it and about 125 million voted. I read that is less than half the eligible voters. Not sure of the registered. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2012, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percentage-of-registered-voters-voted-this-year/640694/6 "2012-11-12T18:23:14Z")
Wikipedia has the preliminary [total number of popular votes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2012#Results) as 122,807,277. Of course that wouldn’t include people who did vote, but didn’t indicate a choice for President. ---
**Author:** ![benbo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@benbo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benbo1)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percentage-of-registered-voters-voted-this-year/640694/7 "2012-11-13T09:33:54Z")
In places like Chicago, Philadelphia, Cleveland & Talahassee, apparently ~ 120%. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percentage-of-registered-voters-voted-this-year/640694/8 "2012-11-13T09:44:10Z")
> [@benbo1](#): > > In places like Chicago, Philadelphia, Cleveland & Talahassee, apparently ~ 120%. Surely you have a cite for this. ---
**Author:** ![benbo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@benbo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benbo1)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percentage-of-registered-voters-voted-this-year/640694/9 "2012-11-13T10:28:24Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > Surely you have a cite for this. Saw them over the last 2 days some were from Fox, so doubtless they’d be automatically dismissed, especially since none of the mainstream media are reporting. It’s a known thing anyway. I googled ‘vote fraud’, many hits - I’m sure you’ll find the cites if u dig. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percentage-of-registered-voters-voted-this-year/640694/10 "2012-11-13T10:38:57Z")
It’s hard to tell since **benbo1** isn’t providing any meaningful details, but I think these threads are discussing the same fake scandal: [Voter fraud allegations in FL - “141% turnout”](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=671929) [Dead People Voting in Presidential Election?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=671935) Do u [sic] happen to have any cites from Fox News specifically? I’d genuinely be fascinated to see if Fox had actually picked it up. ---
**Author:** ![benbo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@benbo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benbo1)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percentage-of-registered-voters-voted-this-year/640694/11 "2012-11-13T10:43:12Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > It’s hard to tell since **benbo1** isn’t providing any meaningful details, but I think these threads are discussing the same fake scandal: > > [Voter fraud allegations in FL - “141% turnout”](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=671929) > [Dead People Voting in Presidential Election?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=671935) > > Do u [sic] happen to have any cites from Fox News specifically? I’d genuinely be fascinated to see if Fox had actually picked it up. I tried - read a lot of news the past few days, and those stories stuck in my mind - sorry, i would cite if I could - I’m sure we ain’t heard the last of these too.:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percentage-of-registered-voters-voted-this-year/640694/12 "2012-11-13T11:09:10Z")
> [@benbo1](#): > > I googled ‘vote fraud’, many hits Well… I’m convinced. ---
**Author:** ![benbo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@benbo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benbo1)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percentage-of-registered-voters-voted-this-year/640694/13 "2012-11-13T20:03:19Z")
sarcasm noted, but doesn’t invalidate the point. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percentage-of-registered-voters-voted-this-year/640694/14 "2012-11-13T20:34:58Z")
I know this violates some people’s logic centers\*, but if you claim voter fraud, it is incumbent upon YOU to prove it exists. It is not my job to prove it doesn’t exist. You’ve boldly claimed voter fraud in at least two threads, put up evidence that survives a cursory view of the facts. \*I include both Republicans of this cycle (pre and post election) and Democrats who were bleating about exit polls and Diebold in 2004. ---
**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percentage-of-registered-voters-voted-this-year/640694/15 "2012-11-13T20:47:16Z")
> [@benbo1](#): > > In places like Chicago, Philadelphia, Cleveland & Talahassee, apparently ~ 120%. There are no cites for this because it’s absolutely not true. As for the OP, the number of registered voters hasn’t been published, so there’s no answer. The folks who study these sorts of things (at [George Mason](http://elections.gmu.edu/voter_turnout.htm) and at [UCSB](http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/data.php), to name two examples) have more details. ETA - There are plenty of theories about voter fraud, but the idea that there is rampant overvoting is one of the craziest. ---
**Author:** ![sweat209](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@sweat209](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweat209)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percentage-of-registered-voters-voted-this-year/640694/16 "2012-11-13T23:07:41Z")
> [@anson2995](#): > > There are no cites for this because it’s absolutely not true. > > As for the OP, the number of registered voters hasn’t been published, so there’s no answer. The folks who study these sorts of things (at [George Mason](http://elections.gmu.edu/voter_turnout.htm) and at [UCSB](http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/data.php), to name two examples) have more details. > > ETA - There are plenty of theories about voter fraud, but the idea that there is rampant overvoting is one of the craziest. Why would they not published it? It is crazy 40% of the people in the US do not vote !! Look if you don’t feel any of the parties represent you well file a complaint to electra college to be changed like the UK or Canada that has more than two parties to vote for. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percentage-of-registered-voters-voted-this-year/640694/17 "2012-11-14T09:20:16Z")
To answer the OP, there seems to be an organization called Center for the Study of the American Electorate that collates voting data in regards to voter turnout. For this year, the percentage is currently being reported as 57.5% in various news articles. That’s down from the last two presidential elections. Note that there’s no official numbers for the entire country. Each state reports their turnout individually. For instance, the latest numbers I’ve seen for my state (Oregon) is 71%. It’s high because of our vote-by-mail system. Every registered voter gets a ballot in the mail a couple weeks before Election Day. However, it’s down from 4 years ago when it was 85%. Our neighbors to the north, Washington, also has vote-by-mail and has similarly high numbers. ---
**Author:** ![sweat209](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@sweat209](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweat209)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percentage-of-registered-voters-voted-this-year/640694/18 "2012-11-14T09:40:24Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > To answer the OP, there seems to be an organization called Center for the Study of the American Electorate that collates voting data in regards to voter turnout. For this year, the percentage is currently being reported as 57.5% in various news articles. That’s down from the last two presidential elections. > > Note that there’s no official numbers for the entire country. Each state reports their turnout individually. For instance, the latest numbers I’ve seen for my state (Oregon) is 71%. It’s high because of our vote-by-mail system. Every registered voter gets a ballot in the mail a couple weeks before Election Day. However, it’s down from 4 years ago when it was 85%. Our neighbors to the north, Washington, also has vote-by-mail and has similarly high numbers. It be interesting to look at the UK and Canada and see if they have lower voter turnout. It also be interesting to look at age group who votes more. We’ll probably middle aged and up vote the most. ---
**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percentage-of-registered-voters-voted-this-year/640694/19 "2012-11-14T17:16:15Z")
> [@sweat209](#): > > Why would they not published it? > > It is crazy 40% of the people in the US do not vote !! Look if you don’t feel any of the parties represent you well file a complaint to electra college to be changed like the UK or Canada that has more than two parties to vote for. Some states haven’t certified their totals yet. Some don’t publish the number of registered voters, even in their election reports. Some states allow you to register up to election day, or to file provisional ballots if you are not registered, and many of those haven;t been counted yet. And at least one state, North Dakota, does not require registration at all. The number is less than 40 percent when you weigh all of the factors, such as those that have been blocked or are ineligible to vote. And there are more than two parties. Just because two parties dominate the national races does not mean that other parties don;t play a role at the state and local level. The Green Party, Libertarian Party, and Constitution Party have elected folks to statewide offices. I’m sure there are others.