Issued April 2014

P20-573

Population Characteristics

Young-Adult Voting: An Analysis of 

Presidential Elections, 1964–2012

By Thom File

U.S. Department of Commerce

Economics and Statistics Administration

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

census.gov

INTRODUCTION

Voting is arguably the most important civic opportunity 

given to citizens in the United States. In recent elections, much attention has been focused on the number of young people casting ballots.1 Traditionally in 

American elections, young people have stood out for 

their consistently low levels of electoral participation, 

but a shift has appeared in some years, at least in part, 

in the direction of greater engagement. The main questions addressed in this analysis concern how important 

young-adult voting has been in the past, particularly 

recent presidential elections, and how important it may 

become in the future. 

This research, which uses data from select November 

Current Population Survey (CPS) Voting and 

Registration Supplements, comprises two main sections, each of which corresponds to a major criterion 

for determining voting eligibility.2 The main difference 

in the two sections has to do with the population base 

used to calculate voting rates. The first section covers the period of 1964–2012 and focuses solely on the 

voting-age population, or the number of individuals 

who are old enough to vote legally in a given election, regardless of citizenship or other criteria. In most 

1 See <www.people-press.org/2012/11/26/young-voters-supported

-obama-less-but-may-have-mattered-more/>. 2 A third criterion not addressed in the CPS is felony disenfranchisement or the practice of not allowing convicted felons to vote. At least 

some of the nonvoters measured in this survey may have been felons, 

and as such, may have been unable to cast ballots legally.

instances, this population is the number of individuals 

18 years of age and older, although there are some 

exceptions.3

In addition to the age requirement, voters in national 

elections must also be U.S. citizens. Although the U.S.

Census Bureau has collected voting and registration 

data since 1964, the CPS has gathered consistent citizenship data in presidential elections only since 1996. 

Accounting for citizenship status provides a more 

accurate reflection of the population eligible to vote, 

therefore the second part of this analysis focuses on 

the age-eligible citizen population and is limited to the 

period of 1996–2012 for the reasons outlined above.4

Taken together, these two sections provide readers 

with a detailed historical portrait of voters in American 

presidential elections, with a specific focus on young 

adults. The first section provides broad historical 

context by focusing on age-eligible voters beginning in 

1964, while the second section explores voting behavior in a more detailed fashion by accounting for citizenship status beginning in 1996. 

3 Prior to 1972, data are for people 21 and older with the exception 

of Georgia and Kentucky (18 and older), Alaska (19 and older), and 

Hawaii (20 and older). In 1972 and later years data are for the population 18 years of age and older for all states. 4 Removing noncitizens from the voting-eligible population 

increases voting rates, as the population base for the rates becomes 

smaller, while the number of people who report voting does not 

change.
2 U.S. Census Bureau

ABOUT THIS REPORT

Voting and registration rates 

are historically higher in years 

with presidential elections 

than in congressional 

election years. For this report, 

we compare 2012 election 

data only with data from 

other recent presidential 

election years. 

Historical Trends in the 

Voting-Age Population

Voting rates, which represent the 

number of voters relative to a given 

population or subpopulation, have 

varied across recent election cycles 

with the general outcome being 

that voting rates increase with age. 

In every presidential election since 

1964, young voters between the 

ages of 18 through 24 have consistently voted at lower rates than all 

other age groups, although youngadult voting rates have fluctuated 

from one election to another 

(Figure 1). Overall, America’s 

youngest voters have moved 

towards less engagement over 

time, as 18- through 24-year-olds’ 

voting rates dropped from 50.9 

percent in 1964 to 38.0 percent in 

2012. The decline in voting rates 

discussed in this first section is 

partially due to the increase in the 

noncitizen population, which by 

definition does not vote.5

In certain elections, young adults 

have shown significant levels of 

increased engagement, first in 

1992, when 18- through 24-yearold voting rates increased to 42.8 

percent, and then again in 2004, 

when young-adult voting rates 

increased to 41.9 percent.6 The 

main difference between these two 

5 Michael P. McDonald. 2007. “The True 

Electorate: A Cross-Validation of Voter File and 

Election Poll Demographics.” Public Opinion 

Quarterly 71(4): 588–602. 6 Young-adult voting rates in 1992 and 

2004 were not statistically different. 

Figure 1.

Voting Rates Over Time for the Voting-Age Population: 1964–2012

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Select Years.

(In percent)

30

40

50

60

70

80

65 years and over

45 to 64 years

25 to 44 years

18 to 24 years

1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012

50.9

66.3

69.0

75.9

38.0

49.5

63.4

69.7
U.S. Census Bureau 3

periods of increased young-adult 

voting is in their longevity. Following the 1992 election increase, 

young-adult voting rates dropped 

to 32.4 percent in the very next 

presidential election (1996). In contrast, following the 2004 election 

increase, young-adult voting rates 

increased once again in 2008 to 

44.3 percent, before dropping off 

in the election of 2012. 

In contrast to young voters, in 

recent presidential elections Americans 65 years of age and older 

have typically had voting rates 

higher than all other age groups. In 

2012, for example, the voting rate 

for the 65 years and older group 

was 69.7 percent, about 6 percentage points above the next highest 

age breakdown. 

The phenomenon of elderly 

Americans voting at higher rates 

than all other age groups is a fairly 

recent development in American 

elections. Between 1964 and 1992, 

voting rates for the 65 years and 

older group were either lower than 

or not statistically different from at 

least some other age breakdown. 

In 1964, for example, the oldest 

group of Americans actually voted 

at a lower rate (66.3 percent) than 

both 25- through 44-year-olds (69.0 

percent) and 45- through 64-yearolds (75.9 percent). It was not until 

1996 that the oldest voting rates 

surpassed those of all other age 

groups, a development that has 

remained consistent in every presidential election since.

Older Americans showed an overall 

voting rate increase between 1964 

and 2012 (66.3 percent to 69.7 

percent), surpassing the rates 

of all other age groups. Voting 

rates decreased for 25- through 

44-year-olds (69.0 percent in 1964 

to 49.5 percent in 2012), and for 

18- through 24-year-olds and 45- 

through 64-year-olds as well.7

At least some of the voting rate 

decreases observed in this section 

for younger Americans are likely 

attributable to increasing numbers 

of noncitizens living in the United 

States. According to 2012 Census 

Bureau estimates, the noncitizen 

population in the United States has 

grown to over 22 million people.8

As the number of voting-age noncitizens increases, it is important to 

7 The historical voting rate decreases for 

18- through 24-year-olds and 45- through 

64-year-olds were not statistically different. 

These estimates do not account for citizenship status. 8 2012 American Community Survey.

account for citizenship status when 

estimating voting rates. 

Historical Trends in the 

Voting-Age Citizen Population

This section of the report presents 

voting statistics in presidential 

elections from 1996 to 2012. As 

mentioned earlier, although the 

Census Bureau has collected voting 

and registration data since 1964, 

the CPS has gathered consistent 

citizenship data in presidential elections only since 1996. By offering 

a more accurate reflection of the 

voting-eligible population, this section serves as a complement to the 

analysis already presented. 

In an effort to expand the sample 

size and boost the reliability of 

the presented voting estimates, 

in the following section we have 

expanded the youngest age group 

from 18- through 24-year-olds to 

18- through 29-year-olds. 

Overall voting rates for the citizen 

voting-age population have fluctuated in recent presidential elections, from a low of 58.4 percent in 

1996 to a high of about 64 percent 

in both 2004 and 2008 (Table 1).9

In 2012, the overall age-eligible citizen voting rate was 61.8 percent. 

9 The overall voting rates in 2004 and 

2008 were not statistically different. 

Table 1. 

Reported Rates of Voting: 1996–2012

(Numbers in thousands)

Presidential election year Total, 18 years 

and older

Citizens

Total

Voted

Number Percent 90 percent confidence interval

2012. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235,248 215,081 132,948 61.8 61.5 62.1

2008. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225,499 206,072 131,144 63.6 63.3 63.9

2004. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215,694 197,005 125,736 63.8 63.5 64.1

2000. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202,609 186,366 110,826 59.5 59.2 59.8

1996. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193,651 179,935 105,017 58.4 58.1 58.7

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, November Select Years.
4 U.S. Census Bureau

Since 1996, the number of citizens eligible to vote has increased 

in every presidential election, as 

has the number of citizens who 

have reported voting. Overall, 133 

million people reported voting in 

2012, a turnout increase of 1.8 

million people since the election 

of 2008. Between 1996 and 2008, 

turnout increases were larger than 

in 2012, reaching a high of about 

15 million additional voters in 

2004. Table 2 displays the relative 

voting rate increases by age group 

over the five most recent presidential election cycles.

Figure 2.

Voting Rates, by Age, for the Voting-Age Citizen Population: 2012

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 2012.

(In percent)

45.0

72.0

67.9

59.5

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

18 to 29 30 to 44 45 to 64 65 and older

ages of 30 through 44 reported a 

decrease of about 1.7 million.11

In comparison with the election of 

2008, about 4 million additional 

voters 65 years of age and older 

reported going to the polls in 2012, 

as did about 1.3 million additional 

voters between the ages of 45 

through 64. 

11 The net voting decreases of 1.7 million 

and 1.8 million were not statistically different.

In 2012, the voting population 45 

years of age and over increased, 

while the number of voters 18 

through 44 years old decreased. 

Between 1996 and 2008, there was 

only a single example of an age 

group showing a decrease in net 

voting from one presidential election to the next, yet in 2012 significant decreases occurred for two 

age groups.10 Younger voters 18 

through 29 years of age reported 

a net voting decrease of about 1.8 

million, while voters between the 

10 In 2008, 30- through 44-year-olds 

showed a net voter decrease of about 1.9 million from 2004.
U.S. Census Bureau 5

Table 2. 

Voter Turnout, by Age: 1996–2012

(Numbers in thousands)

Year and age Total votes cast

Change from previous 

presidential election

2012

 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132,948 1,804

18 to 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20,539 –1,846

30 to 44. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30,756 –1,740

45 to 64. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52,013 1,270

65 and older. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29,641 4,122

2008

 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131,144 5,408

18 to 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,385 2,260

30 to 44. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32,496 –1,864

45 to 64. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50,743 3,416

65 and older. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25,519 1,594

2004

 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125,736 14,910

18 to 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20,125 4,261

30 to 44. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34,360 851

45 to 64. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47,327 8,026

65 and older. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23,925 1,772

2000

 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110,826 5,809

18 to 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,864 *215

30 to 44. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33,509 *111

45 to 64. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39,301 4,686

65 and older. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,153 797

1996

 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105,017 X

18 to 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,649 X

30 to 44. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33,398 X

45 to 64. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34,615 X

65 and older. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21,356 X

* Not statistically different from zero.

X Not applicable. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, November Select Years.

The following section of this report discusses two additional 

populations: the eligible population and the voting population. 

The eligible population refers specifically to citizens 18 years of 

age and older—or the citizen voting-age population. 

The voting population refers to the number of voting-age citizens 

who actually reported casting ballots.

This section also introduces measurements of voting relative to eligibility. It is important to note these concepts refer only to two votingrelated measures for a specific group, and they do not compare one 

group with either another group or with national/overall measures. 
6 U.S. Census Bureau

The Eligible Population and 

the Voting Population 

Just as with the voting-age population, voting rates for the votingage citizen population have varied 

across recent election cycles and 

have tended to increase with age 

(Figure 3). In 2012, Americans 65 

years of age and older voted at a 

higher rate (72.0 percent) than any 

other age group.

Figure 3.

Voting Rates in Presidential Elections, by Age, for the Voting-Age Citizen Population: 

1996–2012

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Select Years.

(In percent)

39.6

68.2

69.1

59.5

67.9

72.0

45.0

56.9

65 years and over

45 to 64 years

30 to 44 years

18 to 29 years

30

40

50

60

70

80

1996 2000 2004 2008 2012

One useful strategy for assessing 

electoral behavior is to compare 

a subpopulation’s share of the eligible population with their share of 

the population that actually voted. 

If a group accounts for 50 percent 

of the eligible population (i.e., citizens 18 years of age and older) and 

75 percent of the voting population 

(i.e., citizens who actually reported 

casting ballots), then we can say 

this group is over voting relative to 

their share of the eligible population. However, if the same subgroup accounts for only 25 percent 

of the voting population, this group 

may be said to have under-voted at 

the polls, relative to their group’s 

eligibility rate. 
U.S. Census Bureau 7

Table 3. 

Composition of the Eligible Population and Voting 

Population, by Age: 1996–2012

(Numbers in thousands)

Year and age Percentage of eligible 

population1

Percentage of voting 

population2

2012

18 to 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21.2 15.4

30 to 44. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24.0 23.1

45 to 64. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35.6 39.1

65 and older. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19.1 22.3

2008

18 to 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21.3 17.1

30 to 44. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25.5 24.8

45 to 64. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35.6 38.7

65 and older. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17.6 19.5

2004

18 to 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20.9 16.0

30 to 44. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27.9 27.3

45 to 64. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34.1 37.6

65 and older. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17.1 19.0

2000

18 to 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21.1 14.3

30 to 44. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30.7 30.2

45 to 64. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31.1 35.5

65 and older. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17.1 20.0

1996

18 to 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22.0 14.9

30 to 44. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32.6 31.8

45 to 64. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28.2 33.0

65 and older. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17.2 20.3

1 The eligible electorate refers specifically to citizens 18 years and older. 

2 The voting population refers to the percentage of those who actually reported casting ballots.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, November Select Years.

Table 3 shows groups by both their 

percentage share of the eligible 

population and their percentage 

share of the voting population.12

Overall, younger Americans have 

consistently under-voted at the 

polls relative to their eligibility. The 

magnitude of these differences has 

fluctuated over time. As Figure 4 

illustrates, the voting rate of young 

people aged 18 through 29 was 7.1 

points below the group’s eligibility 

rate in 1996. In 2000, the youngadult under-voting rate was not 

statistically different from 1996, 

but in 2004, 2008, and 2012, the 

young-adult under-voting rate was 

smaller than in 1996. 

In 2012, the voting rate of young 

people aged 18 through 29 was 5.8 

points below the group’s eligibility 

rate. This estimate of the relative 

young-adult under-vote is larger 

than it was in either 2004 or 2008, 

an indication that the under-voting 

decreases observed in those elections were temporary. 

Older Americans, meanwhile, 

have been more inclined to vote 

at higher rates than their share of 

the eligible population. Overall, the 

voting rate gap between younger 

and older voters narrowed in the 

elections of 2004 and 2008, but 

opened up again in 2012. When 

viewed alongside the analysis of 

the voting-age population in the 

“Historical Trends in the Voting-Age 

Population” section, it seems likely 

that the observed young-adult voting surge of 2004–2008 was temporary and not representative of 

12 U.S. citizens living abroad, and people 

in instiutionalized housing, such as correctional facilities or nursing homes, were not 

included in the November Voting Supplement. 

Demographic information for Armed Forces 

members (enumerated in off-base housing 

or on-base with their families) is included on 

the CPS data files. No labor force information is collected of Armed Forces members 

in any month. In March, supplemental data 

on income are included for Armed Forces 

members. This is the only month that nondemographic information is included for 

Armed Forces members. 
8 U.S. Census Bureau

a permanent shift towards greater 

young-adult engagement in presidential elections. 

Age and Gender Voting Gaps

Voting rates have also historically 

varied according to gender. In every 

presidential election since 1996, 

women have voted at higher rates 

than men (Figure 5). Most recently 

in 2012, the spread was about 4 

percentage points. 

Since 1996, a gender voting rate 

gap has been consistently present 

for most age groups, particularly 

young voters. In every election 

in this section, young women 

between the ages of 18 through 29 

voted at higher rates than young 

men of the same ages, reaching a 

differential of about 8 percentage 

points in 2008.13 In each election 

since 1996, women have voted 

at higher rates than men for all 

age groups except in the oldest 

age group.

For elderly Americans, a gender 

voting gap has operated in reverse, 

with men 65-years-of-age and older 

voting at higher rates than women 

in every election since 1996. At 

about 6.5 percentage points, this 

differential was larger in 1996 than 

in the two most recent elections, 

13 The 2008 differential was not statistically different from 1996, 2004, and 2012.

with elderly men voting at a higher 

rate than elderly women by about 

3.7 percentage points in 2012, an 

indication that as a new cohort 

ages into the 65-years-of-age and 

older category, the gender divide of 

elderly men voting at higher rates 

than elderly women may soon be a 

thing of the past.14,15

Young-Adult Voting Patterns 

by State

Although the CPS is representative 

at the state level, the sample sizes 

for state voting statistics, when 

14 The 1996 differential was not statistically different from 2000 or 2004. 15 The 2012 differential was not statistically different from 2004 and 2008.

Figure 4.

Differences Between Shares of the Eligible Population and Voting Population, 

by Age: 1996–2012

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Select Years.

(In percent)

65 and older

45 to 64

30 to 44

18 to 29 

1996 2000 2004 2008 2012

-7.1

-0.6

-4.2

-0.7 -0.9

-5.8

-6.8

-0.5 -0.8

-4.9

4.8

3.5

2.9

4.4

3.1 3.2 3.5

1.9

3.1

1.9
U.S. Census Bureau 9

combined with subestimates of the 

population such as age, result in 

margins of error for voting rates in 

many states that are so large as to 

make comparisons across states 

difficult. In this section, we discuss 

state-level voting outcomes for 

18- through 29-year-olds that have 

been statistically tested against the 

national average. Certain states 

may have young-adult voting outcomes that appear quite different 

from the national average, but after 

statistical testing is completed, 

these voting rates are shown not 

to be statistically different from the 

national rate. Users should interpret state-level results with caution. 

Although 18- through 29-year-olds 

voted at lower levels than other 

age groups nationally in 2012, this 

result was not geographically uniform. Table 4 displays each state’s 

young-adult voting rate alongside 

the voting rate for each state’s population 30 years of age and older. 

Table 4 also shows whether or not 

these voting rates were statistically different from the respective 

national averages. 

In the majority of states (27), the 

young-adult voting rate did not 

differ statistically from the national 

average, but in 14 states, youngadult voting rates were statistically 

higher than the national standard. 

These states where young people 

had comparatively high levels of 

voting were not geographically 

clustered but were typically states 

Figure 5.

Female Voting Rates Relative to Male Voting Rates, 

By Age, for the Voting-Age Citizen Population: 

1996–2012

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Select Years.

(In percent)

-7

-6

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

1996 2000 2004 2008 2012

65 years and over

45 to 64 years

30 to 44 years

18 to 29 years 7.1

-3.7

3.4

6.1 6.2

3.8

1.5

-6.5

with high voting rates among the 

rest of the population, as all but 

three of these with high youngadult voting rates had high voting 

rates among the 30-years-of-age 

and older population as well. The 

only exceptions were North Dakota, 

Ohio, and South Carolina. 

In ten states, young-adult voting 

rates were statistically lower than 

the national young-adult average 

of 45.0 percent. All geographies 

where young people had low levels 

of young-adult voting relative to 

the national level were located 

in either the southern or western 

parts of the country, and in all 

but four of these low young-adult 

voting rate states, voting rates 

for the 30-years-of-age and older 

population were also lower than 

the national average. Exceptions 

included Alaska, Kansas, South 

Dakota, and Wyoming. Kansas was 

the only state with a significantly 

low young adult voting rate alongside a significantly high 30-yearsof-age and older voting rate. 

Discussion

These state level findings suggest 

that in many parts of the country in 

2012, voting rates for young adults 

aged 18 through 29 were consistent with voting rates for the rest 

of a state’s population. Throughout 

this report, we have documented 

the many instances where young 

people, either those aged 18 

through 24 or aged 18 through 

29, have been less inclined than 

other age groups to turnout at the 

polls. Although these deficits exist, 

young-adult voters have tended to 

be more engaged, relative to one 

another, in states with older populations that are highly engaged as 

well. At the very least, this suggests that low voting rates among 
10 U.S. Census Bureau

young adults can vary according to 

geography and other factors.

On the national level, whether looking at the voting-age population 

or the voting-age citizen population, in every year of this analysis, 

young adults had voting rates 

below all other age groups. The 

first section of this report documented how Americans 65 years of 

age and older voted at higher rates 

than all other age groups in 2012, 

a result consistent with the last five 

presidential elections. However, 

historical age-based voting patterns 

are not set in stone. As recently 

as 1992, the voting population’s 

oldest group did not vote at a level 

higher than all other age groups.

In 1992, and then again in 2004, 

voting rates for young-adults aged 

18 through 24 increased significantly. The 1992 increase was 

short-lived, as young-adult voting 

rates dropped off in the very next 

presidential election, but the 2004 

increase was actually compounded 

by another increase in 2008, all 

of which happened in advance of 

another young-adult voting decline 

in 2012. 

SOURCE AND ACCURACY OF 

THE DATA

The data in this report come 

from the November 2012 Current 

Population Survey (CPS) Voting 

and Registration Supplement, 

which surveys the civilian noninstitutionalized population in the 

United States. 

The population represented (the 

population universe) in the 

Voting and Registration Supplement 

to the November 2012 CPS is the 

civilian noninstitutionalized population living in the United States. The 

excluded institutionalized population is composed primarily of individuals in correctional institutions 

and nursing homes. 

Table 4. 

Voting Rates by Age and State: 2012

(Numbers in thousands)

State

Citizens

Young adults 18–29 Adults 30 years and 

older

Voting rate

Margin of 

error (±) Voting rate

Margin of 

error (±)

District of Columbia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *69.9 4.8 *78.3 2.7

Mississippi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *68.1 5.1 *76.4 2.5

Wisconsin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *58.0 5.0 *77.5 2.1

Minnesota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *57.7 5.1 *77.2 2.2

Iowa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *57.1 5.8 *72.3 2.7

North Carolina. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *56.5 3.9 *71.9 1.8

South Carolina. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *55.9 5.6 66.9 2.7

Colorado. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *55.7 5.2 *74.6 2.5

New Hampshire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *55.6 6.0 *72.8 2.7

Massachusetts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *53.5 4.5 *75.4 2.1

Louisiana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *52.8 5.6 *69.9 2.7

Virginia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *52.1 4.1 *70.7 2.0

North Dakota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *51.9 5.3 67.4 2.8

Oregon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51.0 5.7 *71.7 2.7

Ohio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *50.2 3.5 66.6 1.7

Maryland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50.1 4.8 *69.4 2.5

Michigan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48.5 3.9 *71.4 1.8

Missouri. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48.5 4.9 67.9 2.4

Rhode Island. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47.5 6.0 66.0 3.0

Georgia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46.8 3.8 65.8 1.9

Maine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46.6 6.7 *73.5 2.8

Washington. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46.5 4.6 *70.4 2.2

New Jersey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46.1 4.0 65.7 2.1

Pennsylvania. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46.1 3.3 65.5 1.6

Delaware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46.0 5.9 *71.9 2.6

Florida. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45.8 2.7 #64.3 1.4

New Mexico. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45.6 5.4 65.8 2.8

Nebraska. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45.1 5.7 65.7 2.9

United States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45.0 0.6 66.3 0.3

Montana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44.6 5.6 *71.2 2.6

Illinois. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43.8 3.2 66.2 1.7

Kentucky. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43.8 5.5 #63.4 2.8

California. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43.7 1.8 #61.9 1.1

Connecticut. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43.0 5.7 67.4 2.8

Idaho. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42.7 5.4 *69.0 2.6

Nevada. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42.5 5.0 #62.9 3.0

New York. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42.4 2.5 #63.4 1.5

Tennessee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42.1 4.6 #59.2 2.4

Indiana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41.1 4.6 #63.8 2.3

Vermont. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40.6 6.2 68.6 2.9

Utah. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40.5 4.5 #62.8 2.7

Alabama. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40.3 5.4 67.2 2.6

Kansas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #38.3 5.2 *70.3 2.8

Arizona. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #38.1 4.4 #61.0 2.5

Alaska. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #37.9 5.3 64.4 2.9

Wyoming. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #37.5 5.5 64.6 2.9

South Dakota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #36.4 4.8 68.6 2.6

Hawaii. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #30.5 4.9 #56.4 2.8

Arkansas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #30.4 4.8 #59.8 2.9

Texas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #29.6 2.0 #61.4 1.3

Oklahoma. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #27.1 4.8 #59.9 2.9

West Virginia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #23.6 4.7 #53.1 2.6

 * Indicates that the estimate is statistically higher from the national average for that age group.

 # Indicates that the estimate is statistically lower from the national average for that age group.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, November 2012.
U.S. Census Bureau 11

The November CPS supplement, 

which asks questions on voting 

and registration participation, 

provides the basis for estimates in 

this report. The first question in the 

2012 supplement asked if respondents voted in the election held 

on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. If 

respondents did not respond to the 

question or answered “no” or “do 

not know,” they were then asked 

if they were registered to vote in 

the election. 

As in all surveys, the Current 

Population Survey estimates 

are subject to sampling and nonsampling error. Data users should 

observe the size of standard errors 

when interpreting the data presented in this report—the larger 

the margin of error, the less reliable the estimate. All comparisons 

presented in this report have taken 

sampling error into account and are 

significant at the 90 percent confidence level. 

Nonsampling error in surveys is 

attributable to a variety of sources, 

such as survey design, the respondent’s interpretation of a question, the respondent’s willingness 

and ability to provide correct and 

accurate answers, and post survey practices like question coding 

and response classification. To 

minimize these errors, the Census 

Bureau employs quality control 

procedures in sample selection, the 

wording of questions, interviewing, coding, data processing, and 

data analysis.

The CPS weighting procedure uses 

ratio estimation to adjust sample 

estimates to independent estimates 

of the national population by age, 

race, sex, and Hispanic origin. This 

weighting partially corrects for bias 

due to undercoverage, but biases 

may still be present when people 

are missed by the survey who 

differ from those interviewed in 

ways other than age, race, sex, and 

Hispanic origin. We do not precisely 

know the effect of this weighting 

procedure on other variables in the 

survey. All of these considerations 

affect comparisons across different 

surveys or data sources.

Further information on the source 

of the data and accuracy of the estimates, including standard errors 

and confidence intervals, can be 

found at <www.census.gov/apsd

/techdoc/cps/> or by contacting 

the Demographic Statistical 

Methods Division via e-mail at 

<dsmd.source.and.accuracy

@census.gov>.

Measuring Voting and 

Registration in the Current 

Population Survey

The Current Population Survey 

(CPS) Voting and Registration 

Supplement is a nationally representative sample survey that collects information on voting shortly 

after an election in November. The 

CPS supplement estimates the number of people who registered to 

vote and who voted based on direct 

interviews with household respondents. The CPS estimates are an 

important analytic tool in election 

studies because they identify the 

demographic and socioeconomic 

characteristics of people who 

report that they do, or do not, vote.

Each state’s board of elections 

tabulates the vote counts, while 

the Clerk of the U.S. House of 

Representatives reports these 

official results. These tallies show 

the number of votes counted for 

specific offices. In the presidential 

elections discussed in this report, 

the official count of comparison is 

the total number of votes cast for 

the office of the President, or the 

aggregate of the individual state 

reports as reported by the Clerk of 

the House.

Discrepancies occur in each election between the CPS estimates and 

the official counts.16 In previous 

years, the disparity in the estimates 

in presidential elections has varied, 

with official tallies typically showing lower turnout.17 Differences 

between the official counts and the 

CPS may be a combination of an 

understatement of the official numbers and an overstatement in the 

CPS estimates as described below.

Understatement of Total 

Votes Cast 

Ballots are sometimes invalidated 

and thrown out during the counting process and therefore do not 

appear in the official counts. Official vote counts also frequently do 

not include mismarked, unreadable, 

and blank ballots. Additionally, 

when the total number of votes 

cast for U.S. President represents 

the official count, voters who do 

not vote for this office are not 

included in the reported tally, even 

though they may report voting during their CPS interview. 

Reports of Voting in the CPS 

Some of the error in estimating 

turnout in the CPS is the result of 

population controls and survey 

coverage. Respondent misreporting is also a source of error in the 

CPS estimates. Previous analyses 

based on reinterviews showed 

that respondents and proxy 

respondents are consistent in their 

reported answers and thus misunderstanding the questions does 

not fully account for the difference 

between the official counts and the 

CPS. However, other studies that 

matched survey responses with 

voting records indicate that part 

of the discrepancy between survey 

16 Information about state regulations for 

registration and voting can be found at the 

National Conference of State Legislatures Web 

site, <www.ncsl.org>, or from the individual 

state election offices. 17 The official count of votes cast can be 

found on the Web page of the Clerk of the 

House of Representatives at <http://clerk

.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo>.
12 U.S. Census Bureau

estimates and official counts is the 

result of respondent misreporting, 

particularly vote over reporting for 

the purpose of appearing to behave 

in a socially desirable way.18

As stated above, the definition of 

“official count” can provide another 

source of disparity. The CPS gathers 

information on whether respondents voted in the November election, not whether they voted for a 

specific office. The CPS estimates 

include respondents who voted 

in only state or local elections, 

but these individuals would not 

be included in official vote tallies 

based on ballots cast for a 

U.S. presidential candidate.

Voting Not Captured in the CPS 

The CPS covers only the civilian 

noninstitutionalized population 

residing in the United States, and 

therefore does not capture voting 

18 See Holbrook, Allyson L. and Krosnick, 

John A. “Social Desirability Bias In Voter 

Turnout Reports: Tests Using the Item Count 

Technique.” Public Opinion Quarterly, Vol. 74, 

Issue 1. Oxford University Press.

for citizens residing in the United 

States who were in the military or 

living in institutions. The CPS also 

does not capture voting for citizens 

residing outside the United States, 

both civilian and military, who cast 

absentee ballots.

MORE INFORMATION

Detailed tabulations are available 

that provide demographic characteristics of the population by 

voting and registration. The Census 

Bureau also provides a series of 

historical tables and graphics, in 

addition to an interactive “Voting 

Hot Report.” Electronic versions of 

these products and this report are 

available at <www.census.gov

/hhes/www/socdemo/voting>.

CONTACT

Contact the U.S. Census Bureau 

Customer Services Center toll free 

at 1-800-923-8282 or 

<https://ask.census.gov/>.

SUGGESTED CITATION

File, Thom. 2013. “Young-Adult 

Voting: An Analysis of Presidential 

Elections, 1964–2012.” Current 

Population Survey Reports, P20-

572. U.S. Census Bureau, 

Washington, DC.

USER COMMENTS

The Census Bureau welcomes the 

comments and advice of users of 

our data and reports. Please send 

comments and suggestions to:

Chief, Social, Economic, and 

Housing Statistics Division

U.S. Census Bureau

Washington, DC 20233-8500