Turnout in the 2012 Election: A Review and Call for Long-Term Solutions

Abstract

From 2008 to 2012, national voter turnout fell by over 3 percentage points, to 58.2% of the eligible voting population. This decrease reversed the trend of increasing turnout across the previous three presidential elections. Using aggregate data from official records, this article reviews turnout across time and across the states. Taking advantage of recently released individual-level data, it also explores the level of turnout and change in turnout by race and age. Turnout among Blacks and Whites seems to be going in different directions, with Black turnout exceeding White turnout for perhaps the second election in a row. Youth turnout remains low and decreased substantially from its 2008 level. These findings suggest the need for additional attention from the research community. The article concludes with a call for a shift in focus from the next quick fix to longer-term solutions that will establish and maintain an attachment to voting among the citizenry.