1. National Voter Turnout in Federal Elections: 1960–2006 Year Voting-age population Voter registrationVoter turnout Turnout of voting-age population (percent) 2006220,600,000135,889,60080,588,00043.6% 2004221,256,931174,800,000122,294,97855.3 2002215,473,000150,990,59879,830,11937.0 2000205,815,000156,421,311105,586,27451.3 1998200,929,000141,850,55873,117,02236.4 1996196,511,000146,211,96096,456,34549.1 1994193,650,000130,292,82275,105,86038.8 1992189,529,000133,821,178104,405,15555.1 1990185,812,000121,105,63067,859,18936.5 1988182,778,000126,379,62891,594,69350.1 1986178,566,000118,399,98464,991,12836.4 1984174,466,000124,150,61492,652,68053.1 1982169,938,000110,671,22567,615,57639.8 1980164,597,000113,043,73486,515,22152.6 1978158,373,000103,291,26558,917,93837.2 1976152,309,190105,037,98681,555,78953.6 1974146,336,00096,199,020 1 55,943,83438.2 1972140,776,00097,328,54177,718,55455.2 1970124,498,00082,496,747 2 58,014,33846.6 1968120,328,18681,658,18073,211,87560.8 1966116,132,00076,288,283 3 56,188,04648.4 1964114,090,00073,715,81870,644,59261.9 1962112,423,00065,393,751 4 53,141,22747.3 1960109,159,00064,833,096 5 68,838,20463.1

2. Voter Turnout (Presidential v. Congressional Midterm)

3. Voter Turnout Higher in Presidential Elections Public Perception: President more important More media attention on Presidential election Generally only a few candidates to chose from Less knowledge of Congressional members Less media attention on Congressional election High re-election rate of Congressional members

4. National Voter Turnout in Federal Elections: 1960–2006 Year Voting-age population Voter registrationVoter turnout Turnout of voting- age population (percent) 2006220,600,000135,889,60080,588,00043.6% 2004221,256,931174,800,000122,294,97855.3 2002215,473,000150,990,59879,830,11937.0 2000205,815,000156,421,311105,586,27451.3 1998200,929,000141,850,55873,117,02236.4 1996196,511,000146,211,96096,456,34549.1 1994193,650,000130,292,82275,105,86038.8 1992189,529,000133,821,178104,405,15555.1 1990185,812,000121,105,63067,859,18936.5 1988182,778,000126,379,62891,594,69350.1 1986178,566,000118,399,98464,991,12836.4