Voter Turnout in Presidential Elections

Voter Turnout in Presidential Elections	• V.A.P. = Voting Age Population (from 1972 includes citizens 18 years of age) • REG = Registered to Vote
1824 - 2004

Year	Total V.A.P.	Total REG*	% REG of V.A.P *	Turnout	% TO of V.A.P.
1824					26.9%
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					56.9%
1936					61.0%
1940					62.5%
1944					55.9%
1948					53.0%
1952					63.3%
1956					60.6%
1960	109,672,000	63,854,789 *	58.22%	68,838,204	62.77%
1964	114,090,000	73,715,818 *	64.61%	70,644,592	61.92%
1968	120,328,186	81,658,180 *	67.86%	73,211,875	60.84%
1972	140,776,000	97,283,541 *	69.11%	77,718,554	55.21%
1976	152,309,190	105,024,916 *	68.96%	81,555,789	53.55%
1980	164,597,000	113,036,958 *	68.67%	86,515,221	52.56%
1984	174,468,000	124,184,647 *	71.18%	92,652,680	53.11%
1988	182,630,000	126,381,202 *	69.20%	91,594,693	50.15%
1992	189,044,500	133,821,178 *	70.79%	104,405,155	55.23%
1996	196,511,000	146,211,960 *	74.40%	96,456,345	49.08%
2000	205,815,000	156,421,311 *	76.00%	105,586,274	51.30%
2004	221,256,931	174,800,000 *	79.00%	122,295,345	55.27%

*Note: Total REG data is incomplete or unavailable in some states, making it appear in some years as though more people voted than were registered to vote. From 1976 through 2004, this is due to the fact that North Dakota does not have voter registration, and in Wisconsin eligible voters may register to vote at the polls.

Source:
(1824-1956) - Lyn Ragsdale, Vital Statistics on the Presidency (Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Press, 1998), 132-38.
(1960-2004) - Compiled by Gerhard Peters from data obtained from the Federal Election Commission.

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