The Current Population Survey collects data on voting and voter registration in November of even-numbered years, and has done so since 1964. It provides information about voting and registration by many characteristics, including age, sex, race, and education. Because the data are from a survey, they are subject to sampling error. This report highlights elections held between 1996 and 2016 for the United States and focuses on the voting aged citizen population. |
Percent Voted in 2012 State
United States
Year
2012
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Voting rates are historically higher in years with presidential elections than in congressional election years. For example the national voting rate in 2012 -a Presidential election- was 61.8 percent while the national voting rate in 2010 -a Congressional election- was 45.5 percent.
Voting and registration in congressional elections in United States |
Voting and registration in presidential elections in United States |
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Voting and registration rates tend to increase with age. In the United States in 2012 only 41.2 percent of 18-to-24-year-olds voted, compared with 72.0 percent of those 65 and older.
Voting and registration by age in United States: 2012
In many elections, women vote at higher rates than men. In 2012 this was the case in the United States, where the voting rate was 63.7 percent for women, compared to 59.7 for men.
Voting and registration by sex in United States: 2012
Voting and registration rates tend to increase with education. In 2012 in the United States, the voting rate for citizens with at least a bachelor's degree was 77.1 compared to 38.0 percent for those who had not received a high school diploma.
Voting and registration by education in United States: 2012
Voting rates also typically vary by race and Hispanic origin. In 2012 in the United States, the voting rate for Non-Hispanic Whites was 64.1 percent. It was 66.2 percent for Blacks and 48.0 percent for Hispanics.
Voting and registration by race in United States: 2012
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