Tender Branson's MEGA Election 2012 Chart (Population, Turnout, VAP, VEP, etc.)

[Tender Branson]

Check it out (right-click for huge version):



Now that the American Community Survey data for 2012 is out, I was finally able to create this chart using all the 2012 data, for example the 18+ non-citizen population data for each state.

Some strange findings:

* DC and Michigan were the only states in 2012 that had MORE registered voters than there were ELIGIBLE voters in the state, according to Census Bureau data.

DC can probably be explained because there are many overseas registered voters which have their residence in DC.

But Michigan ? I think there have to be dead people on the voter register list, or people who moved out of the state who are still on the list in Michigan ...

Also, there are 30 million American citizens who are eligible to vote, but not registered. Most of them in California.

Arizona is the worst state in relative terms, when it comes to registering eligible voters: Arizona did only register 70% of its eligible voting population ahead of the 2012 election.

WY actually is lowest, but WY has same-day registration, so their number cannot be used.

Other than the DC and MI flukes, Colorado did the best job in registering eligible voters: 99%.

[Tender Branson]

Some other interesting stuff:

* CA had the most voting-age non-citizens (17.4%), WV was the most "American" (0.8%)

* DC had the highest share of people aged 18+ (82.7%), while UT had the lowest (68.9%)

* VT had the highest VEP percentage (almost 79%), with CA the lowest (62.6%) - almost 4/10 Californians cannot vote because they are either too young or no citizens.

* MN basically leads all turnout-related rankings (in terms of overall population, VAP, VEP) - while HI and TX have always the lowest turnout.

* When it comes to RV turnout (turnout based on registered voters in each state), WY does best, followed by Wisconsin actually. West Virginia is dead last in RV turnout. Only 53.8% of West Virginia's registered voters voted in 2012.

[Tender Branson]

If anyone wants the sortable Excel-file, just PM me.

[Tender Branson]

Fascinating stuff. Did you include that felons can't vote in many (most?) states in your analysis?

Nope because A) I want a uniform standard for all states and B) the data for felons is already old and C) the laws in each state are different and complicated (I guess), so not the whole felon-data may apply ...

[Tender Branson]

Also, there are 30 million American citizens who are eligible to vote, but not registered. Most of them in California.

Arizona is the worst state in relative terms, when it comes to registering eligible voters: Arizona did only register 70% of its eligible voting population ahead of the 2012 election.

WY actually is lowest, but WY has same-day registration, so their number cannot be used.

Other than the DC and MI flukes, Colorado did the best job in registering eligible voters: 99%.

It matches up in the chart but these numbers are just so surprising. An opt-in voter registration system reaching 90%+ of eligible voters? When the Oregon Secretary of State proposed that automatic voter registration bill earlier this year, the main rationale for it was that it would increase the percentage of eligible voters that were registered to vote from the mid-70% range to the low-90% range.

I don't understand how so many states are hitting 95% in that VEP/RV% column. What are they doing, or, are we not doing?

Maybe same day registration.

And maybe some states just have a more efficient voter registration info system or better coordinated drives.

Do states with internet registration rank any better here ?