New Report on Voter Turnout in the 2012 Election

Certified results yield state-by-state and national data on voter turnout and trends

BOSTON, March 19, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With elections now certified in all 50 states, Nonprofit VOTE has released America Goes to the Polls 2012--the latest edition in a series of reports on national turnout and voting trends among eligible voters.  America Goes to the Polls provides the only state-by-state turnout comparisons based on official turnout data.  Minnesota was first in the nation in voter turnout, Hawaii was last. Wisconsin and Colorado ranked second and third, respectively.

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The state rankings illustrate the positive impact Election Day Registration and "swing state" status has on turnout. Seven of the top ten turnout states had Election Day Registration, swing state status, or both. Voter turnout in states with Election Day Registration was 12 points higher than in states without it. Turnout in the ten swing states most targeted by campaigns was seven points higher than in non-swing states.

"U.S. turnout would be markedly higher if all 50 states followed the lead of the ten that let voters register or update their voter registration on Election Day," said George Pillsbury, Executive Director of Nonprofit VOTE. "On the other hand, turnout suffers when presidential campaigns make no visits and spend little money in 40 states whose votes are not considered competitive. All but one of the bottom 25 were non-swing states"

Nationally, an estimated 58.7%, or fewer than six of ten eligible voters had votes cast and counted, partially impacted by a steep drop off in turnout in the hurricane-impacted states of New York and New Jersey.  America Goes to the Polls also looks at the rise in early voting, youth turnout and the changing profile of the American electorate.

America Goes to the Polls 2012 has been featured in POLITICO and the Washington Post.

To download America Goes to the Polls 2012, visit: http://www.nonprofitvote.org/download-document/america-goes-to-the-polls-2012.html.

Nonprofit VOTE partners with America's 501(c)(3) nonprofits to help the people they serve participate and vote. As a leading source of nonpartisan resources, Nonprofit VOTE helps nonprofits integrate voter engagement into their ongoing activities and services. In doing so, nonprofits help promote increases in voter participation and broaden support for the revitalization of democracy and election reforms, while also strengthening the sector and encouraging new civic leadership.

Contact: George Pillsbury, Executive Director, 617-733-6653, [email protected]

SOURCE Nonprofit VOTE