• V.A.P. = Voting Age Population
1) from 1972 includes citizens 18 years of age; 2) V.A.P. includes those ineligible to vote such as felons. Because of this, V.A.P. figures are naturally lower than if the Voting Eligible Population (V.E.P.) is used as the denominator.
• REG = Registered to Vote
| Year |
Total V.A.P. |
Total REG* |
% REG of V.A.P * |
Turnout |
% TO of V.A.P. |
| 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% |
| Year |
Total V.A.P. |
Total REG* |
% REG of V.A.P * |
Turnout |
% TO of V.A.P. |
| 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 |
173,936,000 |
124,184,647 * |
71.18% |
92,652,842 |
53.27% |
| 1988 |
182,628,000 |
126,381,202 * |
69.20% |
91,594,809 |
50.15% |
| 1992 |
189,044,000 |
133,821,178 * |
70.79% |
104,426,659 |
55.24% |
| 1996 |
196,498,000 |
146,211,960 * |
74.40% |
96,277,634 |
49.00% |
| 2000 |
205,815,000 |
156,421,311 * |
76.00% |
105,405,100 |
51.21% |
| 2004 |
215,694,000 |
174,800,000 * |
79.00% |
122,295,345 |
56.70% |
| 2008 |
225,499,000 |
TBD |
TBD |
131,313,820 |
58.23% |
| 2012 |
235,248,000 |
TBD |
TBD |
129,085,403 |
54.87% |
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.
(1824-1956) - Lyn Ragsdale, Vital Statistics on the Presidency (Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Press, 1998), 132-38.
(1960-2012) - Compiled by Gerhard Peters from data obtained from the Federal Election Commission.
