Who is Voting?

Urban vs. Rural Voter Turnout

2008 Presidential Election Numbers (in thousands) Age, sex, and educational attainment Total Population US Citizen Total Citizen Population Reported Registered Not Registered Reported Voted Did Not Vote Number Percent 18 YEARS AND OVER   BOTH SEXES .Total 225,499 206,072 146,311 71.0 59,761 29.0 131,144 63.6 74,928 36.4 64.9 58.2 .Less than 9th grade 11,097 6,813 3,342 49.1 3,471 50.9 2,599 38.1 4,215 61.9 30.1 23.4 .9th to 12th grade, no diploma 19,107 16,168 8,260 51.1 7,908 48.9 6,447 39.9 9,721 60.1 43.2 33.7 .High school graduate 70,427 65,378 41,880 64.1 23,498 35.9 35,866 54.9 29,513 45.1 59.5 .Some college or associate's degree 63,780 60,974 45,904 75.3 15,069 24.7 41,477 68.0 19,496 32.0 72.0 65.0 .Bachelor's degree 40,850 38,091 30,928 81.2 7,163 18.8 29,330 77.0 8,761 23.0 75.7 71.8 .Advanced degree 20,238 18,648 15,996 85.8 2,652 14.2 15,425 82.7 3,222 17.3 79.0 76.2

2008 Presidential Election Numbers (in thousands) Age, sex, and educational attainment Total Population US Citizen Total Citizen Population Reported Registered Not Registered Reported Voted Did Not Vote Number Percent FEMALE   .Total 116,525 107,255 78,069 72.8 29,186 27.2 70,415 65.7 36,840 34.3 67.0 60.4 .Less than 9th grade 5,509 3,486 1,678 48.1 1,807 51.9 1,274 36.5 2,212 63.5 30.5 23.1 .9th to 12th grade, no diploma 9,521 8,206 4,474 54.5 3,732 45.5 3,512 42.8 4,694 57.2 47.0 36.9 .High school graduate 35,801 33,396 22,253 66.6 11,143 33.4 19,310 57.8 14,086 42.2 62.2 53.9 .Some college or associate's degree 34,570 33,176 25,619 77.2 7,557 22.8 23,302 70.2 9,874 29.8 74.1 67.4 .Bachelor's degree 21,205 19,751 16,097 81.5 3,654 18.5 15,353 77.7 4,398 22.3 75.9 72.4 .Advanced degree 9,919 9,240 7,948 86.0 1,293 14.0 7,663 82.9 1,577 17.1 80.1 77.3

2008 Presidential Election Numbers (in thousands) Age, sex, and educational attainment Total Population US Citizen Total Citizen Population Reported Registered Not Registered Reported Voted Did Not Vote Number Percent MALE   .Total 108,974 98,818 68,242 69.1 30,576 30.9 60,729 61.5 38,088 38.5 62.6 55.7 .Less than 9th grade 5,589 3,328 1,664 50.0 1,325 39.8 2,003 60.2 29.8 23.7 .9th to 12th grade, no diploma 9,586 7,962 3,786 47.6 4,176 52.4 2,935 36.9 5,027 63.1 39.5 30.6 .High school graduate 34,627 31,982 19,627 61.4 12,355 38.6 16,555 51.8 15,427 48.2 56.7 47.8 .Some college or associate's degree 29,209 27,798 20,285 73.0 7,513 27.0 18,176 65.4 9,622 34.6 69.4 62.2 .Bachelor's degree 19,645 18,340 14,831 80.9 3,509 19.1 13,976 76.2 4,363 23.8 75.5 71.1 .Advanced degree 10,318 9,407 8,048 85.6 1,359 14.4 7,762 82.5 1,645 17.5 78.0 75.2

More recent trends in Voting Voter Turnout in the 2004 and 2008 elections showed a noticeable increase over the turnout in 1996 and 2000. While voter turnout has been decreasing (last 60 years), voter registration has been increasing. Registration rates varied from 65% to 70% of the voting age population from the 1960s to the 1980s Registration swelled to 75% in 1996 and 2000. However, turnout has not greatly improved 50-60% since 1968 under 50% in 1996 61% in the 2008 election, the highest in 40 years

The Top Ten Reasons People Don’t Vote (from the home office in Cheyenne, Wyoming) 10) Cannot get to the polls 1%

The Top Ten Reasons People Don’t Vote 9) Cannot leave job 3% 10) Cannot get to the polls 1%

The Top Ten Reasons People Don’t Vote 8) Are away from home 3% 9) Cannot leave job 3% 10) Cannot get to the polls 1%

The Top Ten Reasons People Don’t Vote 7) Are new residents in the area 4% 8) Are away from home 3% 9) Cannot leave job 3% 10) Cannot get to the polls 1%

The Top Ten Reasons People Don’t Vote 6) Are not interested in politics 5% 7) Are new residents in the area 4% 8) Are away from home 3% 9) Cannot leave job 3% 10) Cannot get to the polls 1%

The Top Ten Reasons People Don’t Vote 5) Are not US citizens 5%

The Top Ten Reasons People Don’t Vote 4) Are sick or disabled 8% 5) Are not US citizens 5%

The Top Ten Reasons People Don’t Vote 3) No particular reason 10% 4) Are sick or disabled 8% 5) Are not US citizens 5%

The Top Ten Reasons People Don’t Vote 2) Do not like the candidates 17% 3) No particular reason 10% 4) Are sick or disabled 8% 5) Are not US citizens 5%

The Top Ten Reasons People Don’t Vote 1) Did not register 42% 2) Do not like the candidates 17% 3) No particular reason 10% 4) Are sick or disabled 8% 5) Are not US citizens 5%