The myth of the vanishing voter
By: MCDONALD, Michael P
.
Contributor(s): POPKIN, Samuel L.
Material type: 
ArticlePublisher: 2001American Political Science Review 95, 4, p. 963-947Abstract: The apparent decline in voter participation in national election since 1972 is an illusion created by using the Bureau of the Census estimate of the voting-age pupulation as the denominator of the tournout rate. We construct a more accurate estimate of those eligible to vote, from 1948-2000, using government statistical series to adjust for inelegible but included groups, such as noncitizens and felons, and eligible but excluded groups, such as overseas citizens. We show that the ineligible population, no the nonvoting, has been increasing since 1972. During the 1960s the turnout rate trended downward both natinally and outside the South. Although the average tournout rates for presidential and congressional elections are lower since 1972 that during 1948-70, the only pattern since 1972 is an increased turnout rate in southern congressionla elections. While the voting age was lowered to 18 in 1971, the lower turnout rate of young voters accounts for less than one-fourth of reduced voter participation
| Item type | Current location | Collection | Call number | Status | Date due | Barcode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Periódico | Biblioteca Graciliano Ramos | Periódico | Not for loan |
The apparent decline in voter participation in national election since 1972 is an illusion created by using the Bureau of the Census estimate of the voting-age pupulation as the denominator of the tournout rate. We construct a more accurate estimate of those eligible to vote, from 1948-2000, using government statistical series to adjust for inelegible but included groups, such as noncitizens and felons, and eligible but excluded groups, such as overseas citizens. We show that the ineligible population, no the nonvoting, has been increasing since 1972. During the 1960s the turnout rate trended downward both natinally and outside the South. Although the average tournout rates for presidential and congressional elections are lower since 1972 that during 1948-70, the only pattern since 1972 is an increased turnout rate in southern congressionla elections. While the voting age was lowered to 18 in 1971, the lower turnout rate of young voters accounts for less than one-fourth of reduced voter participation
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