In today’s Dispatch, there is a fascinating story from the AP analyzing voter turnout in the 2009 election. The main focus of this article discusses the fact that less Caucasian voters went to the polls this time around. They pontificate whether or not this had an effect, leading to the election of President Obama. According to the article:
Census figures released today show about 63.6 percent of the nation’s eligible voters, or 131.1 million people, voted last November.
Although that represented an increase of 5 million voters — virtually all of them minorities — the turnout relative to the population of eligible voters was a decrease from 63.8 percent in 2004.
That is interesting. But what I find even more interesting is this finding:
The decline in percentage turnout was the first in a presidential election since 1996. At that time, voter participation fell to 58.4 percent – the lowest in decades – as Democrat Bill Clinton won an easy re-election over Republican Bob Dole amid a strong economy.
I guess that all of the build-up to this election in which massive turnout was projected didn’t quite come to fruition.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
This seems logical. Older caucasians stayed home because of lack of support for either candidate. Conservatives like myself realized there was not a conservative candidate running and stayed home. I personally voted against obama and socialism not for mccain and his intellectually challenged running mate.
Some of us voted for McCain solely because of his running mate. Think about it…her approval ratings are like 72% among Republicans…I’d say better than McCain’s.