The Political World: Voting, Tolerance, and Civility - Electing A President

Voter turnout is measured as a percentage of those eligible to vote, not the percentage of those registered.

In 1932, nearly 53% of the voting-age population cast a vote for president. Turnout remained constant during World War II and then increased through the 1950s and 1960s. People had faith in their government and leaders. The war was over. People were working, getting married, buying homes, and going to school. Voters typically were employed, married, homeowners, and educated.

The highest turnout came in 1964. The public was still caught up in the enchantment of Camelot. President Kennedy championed social causes and encouraged us to ask, "what we could do for our country." Many people become more civic minded and joined groups like the newly formed Peace Corps. The 1960s was also the time of great social unrest. Blacks registered to vote in record numbers. The Voting Rights Act passed in 1965. It expanded the number of government agencies that could act to register voters. Before 1965, only 23% of voting-age blacks had registered to vote; by 1969, 61% had done so.

Things then began to change as government stances and policies were called into question. The country began sending troops to Vietnam in 1965. The Watergate scandal served to further disillusion the public. The rest of the 1970s brought additional frustrations for potential voters: a government that could not control gas prices or bring home hostages from Iran. Another dip in voting took place between 1984 and 1988. Perhaps some people were tired of government, budget cuts, and situations like the Iran-Contra scandal.

Turnout increased in 1992, hitting 61.3%. The country had entered the Gulf War in 1991. The economy was suffering. People were looking for a change in leadership. The country turned to Bill Clinton.

There are many other factors that influence voting, of course. Many people still feel that their vote doesn't count. Clinton was favored for re-election in 1996. Could the attitudes of people who simply shrugged their shoulders and said, "It's four more years of him, so why should I bother?" account for the fall in voter turnout between 1992 and 1996? In addition, the top reason given for not voting is lack of time. While our lives have certainly grown busier over the years, is this really an excuse?

The next panels will look at party affiliation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census. Current Population Reports. Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2000. "Committee for the Study of the American Electorate." February 2002, p. 12. Online. Available: http://wwww.gspm.org/csae/cgans12.html, for chart data.