New Study Shows Nevada Turnout in 2010 Higher Than the National Trend

Number of ballots cast by Latinos Increased over 2006 Levels

WASHINGTON, Nov. 24, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nationwide, the 2010 midterm election experienced unusually high participation from older and wealthier voters who strongly favored Republican candidates. However, according to a new study by Project Vote, Nevada experienced higher turnout than the national average, particularly among Latino voters, a fact that no doubt helped Senator Reid hold onto his seat.

The analysis by Dr. Lorraine Minnite showed that, while voting for the most part followed predictable historic trends for midterm elections across the country, a few distinct features of the 2010 voting population stand out that contributed to the results:

1. Across the country, senior citizens turned out in force, with the number of ballots cast by voters over 65 increasing by 16 percent. While making up only 13 percent of the U.S. resident population, Americans in this age group constituted 21 percent of 2010 voters. This age group also significantly increased their support of Republican candidates, from 49 percent in 2006 to 59 percent in 2010.
2. The number of ballots cast by Americans from households making over $200,000 a year increased by 68 percent compared to 2006.
3. Relative to 2008, minority and youth voters dropped out of the voting population at higher rates than whites, undoing much of the gain in demographic parity achieved in 2008.
4. Women—already one of the most reliable voting groups—increased their share of the electorate, and significantly increased their support of the Republican Party.

The memo includes state-specific analysis and tables for several states, including Nevada. Bucking the national trends, Latinos increased their share of the voting population in several states, including Nevada, saving at least three Senate seats for the Democrats. Compared to 2006 benchmarks, the number of ballots cast by Latinos in Nevada increased by 24 percent, five times the national rate. And while Nevada, like the rest of the country, saw an increase in voting by those over 65, the youth voting population maintained their share of the electorate from 2006.

To read the full research memo, go to http://www.projectvote.org/images/publications/2010Electorate.pdf

SOURCE Project Vote

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