The American Voter.

• Author: Wheatley-Giliotti, Dianne

Voter turnout in the U.S. is embarrassingly low compared to other established democracies around the world. (1) In a voter turnout study published by Fairvote, the Voting and Democracy Research Center, the U.S. placed 20th out of the 21 established democracies studied. (2) While some progress has been reported in U.S. voter participation between the 2000 and 2004 elections, much still needs to be learned from the emerging trends. Of particular concern are the continued low voting rates among younger adults. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, voter turnout among Americans aged 18 to 24 years has consistently declined since 1972 when it was 50 percent. (3) In the 2004 presidential elections, 47 percent of the 18 to 24-year-old age group voted. (4)

What impact has the decline of civic education in our public schools had upon voter turnout? What can be done to generate greater citizen participation in our democracy?

U. S. Voting Trends

Although more and more people throughout the world are gaining the right to vote, Americans are still not fully exercising their right to cast a ballot. (5) In the presidential election of November 2004, 64 percent of voting aged citizens voted. (6) While this was the highest turnout in a presidential election since 1992 (when 68 percent of voting-aged citizens voted), an enormous number of Americans are not even registered to vote. Fifty-five million potential voters were not registered in 2004. What factors contribute to voter registration and turnout? What roles do age, gender, race, education, and income play in voter participation?

Profile of the American Voter

Information obtained from the U. S. Census Bureau suggests the following characteristics in profiling the American voter. (7) Data from the 2004 presidential election demonstrated females were more likely to vote. In the past, men have voted at higher rates than women, but in 1984 women's voting rates surpassed those of men. During the 2004 election cycle, 74 percent of women and 71 percent of men were registered to vote. Yet 65 percent of women and 62 percent of men actually voted, further demonstrating the gender differences.

Age also presents an interesting dynamic in the voter profile. Voting turnout rates were substantially higher (72 percent) in the 55 and older group during the 2004 presidential elections. Yet voter turnout for younger Americans aged 18 to 24 has consistently declined since 1972.

Although young adults had the lowest voting...