2008 General Election Turnout Rates

Last Updated: 3/31/12

All states have now posted offical or certified results. There are a few minor outstanding issues that may revise these numbers slightly. I discuss and provide links to the state election results here.

Please see the FAQ for information on the construction of these statistics. The demoninator data reflect the July 1, 2008 and July 1, 2009 voting-age population estimates (2010 intercensial adjustment) interpolated to Nov. 2008, non-citizen estimates from the 2008 and 2009 American Community Surveys interpolated to Nov. 2008, the year end-year 2008 DOJ prison report and the end-year 2008 DOJ probation and parole report. The overseas eligible estimate is recently updated with data provided by the Federal Voting Assistance Program.

Special Note on Overseas Citizen Population: This is the first election where I have apportioned overseas voters to the states whereas in the past I have only estimated a national overseas citizen population. For consistency with previous elections, in the turnout rates reported here the national voting-eligible population adjusts for overseas citizens, but the state VEP estimates do not. These state level overseas citizens estimates are provided for those who wish to further adjust state level turnout rates for overseas citizens.

Note that these data provide preliminary estimates of the turnout and voting-eligible population for the November, 2008 election. These statistics are updated continually as new data become available. Most recently, they have been updated for July 1, 2009 voting-age population estimates.

VEP Turnout Rate <recommended statistic> is the vote for highest office divided by the voting-eligible population or VEP. In a midterm election, the vote for highest office is the highest vote tally for Governor, U.S. Senator, or combined House of Representatives. The voting-eligible population is the best estimate of the number of people eligible to vote.
VEP Total Ballots Counted Turnout Rate is the total turnout (or total ballots counted) divded by the voting-eligible population. The total ballots cast includes blank and other such ballots, but does not include rejected absentee and provisional ballots. This would be the preferred turnout rate statistic, but all states do not report total ballots cast. To estimate the total ballots cast nationally, the national vote for president is multiplied by 1.0098%, which is the ratio of votes for highest office to the total ballots cast for the states that report both numbers. I expect more states to report their total ballots cast and will update this estimate when more information is available. Most recently, I have added total turnout statistics for Missouri and Oklahoma drawn from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission's 2008 Election Day Survey. In all other instances the turnout data reported here is from official state sources, which may be different from the 2008 Election Day Survey for numerous reasons.
VAP Rate is the vote for highest office divided by the voting-age population, all residents age 18 and older. Although not recommended, this statistic is provided for organizations such as polling firms that sample the voting-age population.

Again, please see the FAQ for more information.

State	VEP Highest Office Turnout Rate	VEP Total Ballots Counted Turnout Rate	VAP Turnout Rate	Voting-Age Population	% Non-citizen	Prison	Probation	Parole	Total Ineligible Felon	Overseas Eligible	Voting-Eligible Population	Highest Office	Total Turnout
United States	61.6%	62.2%	56.9%	230,872,030	8.4%	1,605,448	2,451,085	627,680	3,144,831	4,972,217	213,313,508	131,304,731	132,653,958
Alabama	60.8%	61.0%	58.4%	3,595,708	2.2%	30,508	53,252	8,042	61,155	74,079	3,454,510	2,099,819	2,105,622
Alaska	68.0%	68.3%	64.3%	507,645	3.7%	5,014	6,708	1,732	9,234	60,686	479,429	326,197	327,341
Arizona	56.7%	57.4%	49.1%	4,673,718	11.6%	39,589	82,232	7,534	84,472	90,036	4,046,075	2,293,475	2,320,851
Arkansas	52.5%	52.9%	50.0%	2,174,846	2.9%	14,716	31,169	19,908	40,255	43,963	2,071,563	1,086,617	1,095,958
California	60.9%	61.7%	49.5%	27,411,094	17.9%	173,670	0	120,753	234,047	486,207	22,261,504	13,561,900	13,743,177
Colorado	71.0%	71.6%	64.7%	3,708,955	8.0%	23,274	0	11,654	29,101	71,854	3,382,959	2,401,361	2,422,236
Connecticut	66.6%		60.4%	2,725,917	8.5%	20,661	0	2,328	21,825	45,799	2,471,082	1,646,792
Delaware	65.6%	65.8%	60.6%	680,493	5.3%	7,075	17,216	551	15,959	12,658	628,200	412,398	413,562
District of Columbia	61.5%	61.7%	55.2%	481,971	10.3%	0	0	0	0	6,916	432,566	265,853	266,871
Florida	66.1%	66.6%	57.6%	14,558,436	11.2%	102,388	279,760	4,528	244,532	451,907	12,687,407	8,390,744	8,453,743
Georgia	62.5%	62.7%	55.6%	7,063,638	7.3%	52,719	397,081	23,448	262,984	141,001	6,281,872	3,924,440	3,940,705
Hawaii	48.8%	49.0%	43.8%	1,036,088	9.7%	5,955	0	0	5,955	20,090	930,067	453,568	456,064
Idaho	63.6%	64.8%	58.6%	1,117,842	4.9%	7,290	49,513	3,361	33,727	26,779	1,029,416	655,032	667,506
Illinois	63.6%	64.3%	57.4%	9,615,700	9.2%	45,474	0	0	45,474	200,530	8,681,138	5,523,051	5,578,195
Indiana	59.1%	60.3%	57.0%	4,826,231	3.0%	28,322	0	0	28,322	89,605	4,653,019	2,751,054	2,805,986
Iowa	69.4%	69.7%	66.9%	2,298,515	2.6%	8,766	22,958	3,159	21,825	43,108	2,216,094	1,537,123	1,543,662
Kansas	62.0%	63.5%	58.8%	2,100,084	4.2%	8,539	16,263	4,958	19,150	42,495	1,991,759	1,235,872	1,264,208
Kentucky	57.9%	59.0%	55.7%	3,277,617	2.2%	21,706	51,035	12,277	53,362	58,518	3,152,629	1,826,508	1,858,578
Louisiana	61.2%	61.8%	58.7%	3,342,279	2.0%	38,381	40,025	24,636	70,712	68,285	3,205,794	1,960,761	1,979,852
Maine	70.6%	71.8%	69.6%	1,049,816	1.3%	0	0	0	0	21,362	1,036,242	731,163	744,456
Maryland	67.0%	67.8%	60.6%	4,342,850	7.8%	23,324	96,360	13,220	78,114	77,074	3,925,117	2,631,596	2,661,905
Massachusetts	66.8%	67.3%	60.9%	5,058,035	8.6%	11,408	0	0	11,408	77,830	4,612,550	3,080,985	3,102,995
Michigan	69.2%	69.7%	66.4%	7,528,460	3.3%	48,738	0	0	48,738	163,673	7,229,512	5,001,766	5,039,080
Minnesota	77.8%	78.1%	73.2%	3,975,974	4.0%	9,910	127,627	5,081	76,264	70,063	3,740,142	2,910,369	2,921,147
Mississippi	61.0%		58.9%	2,190,402	1.9%	22,754	22,267	2,922	35,349	45,082	2,113,347	1,289,856
Missouri	67.6%	69.1%	64.9%	4,507,688	2.5%	30,186	57,360	20,683	69,208	96,710	4,327,572	2,925,205	2,992,023
Montana	66.3%	67.1%	65.1%	755,384	1.3%	3,545	0	0	3,545	22,898	741,853	491,960	497,599
Nebraska	62.9%	63.7%	59.4%	1,348,048	4.3%	4,520	19,606	846	14,746	27,311	1,274,719	801,281	811,923
Nevada	57.0%	57.2%	48.4%	2,000,277	14.1%	12,743	13,337	3,908	21,366	45,656	1,696,831	967,848	970,019
New Hampshire	71.7%	72.5%	69.6%	1,021,787	2.6%	2,702	0	0	2,702	25,558	992,226	710,970	719,643
New Jersey	67.0%	67.7%	58.2%	6,651,284	11.7%	25,953	128,737	15,849	98,246	110,559	5,776,527	3,868,237	3,910,220
New Mexico	60.9%	61.2%	55.1%	1,505,830	8.3%	6,402	20,883	3,724	18,706	31,444	1,362,629	830,158	833,365
New York	59.0%	59.6%	51.4%	14,876,971	12.4%	60,347	0	52,225	86,460	263,787	12,948,969	7,640,640	7,721,718
North Carolina	65.5%	66.1%	60.7%	7,096,503	5.9%	39,482	109,678	3,409	96,026	133,483	6,584,302	4,310,789	4,354,571
North Dakota	62.7%	63.6%	61.7%	512,768	1.3%	1,452	0	0	1,452	11,179	504,762	316,621	321,133
Ohio	66.9%	67.8%	65.1%	8,757,453	2.2%	51,686	0	0	51,686	174,703	8,513,079	5,698,260	5,773,777
Oklahoma	55.8%	56.3%	52.8%	2,770,219	4.0%	25,864	27,940	3,073	41,371	57,046	2,619,121	1,462,661	1,474,694
Oregon	67.7%	68.3%	62.7%	2,916,246	6.9%	14,167	0	0	14,167	63,480	2,700,327	1,827,864	1,845,251
Pennsylvania	63.6%	64.2%	61.3%	9,813,664	3.1%	49,215	0	0	49,215	203,791	9,457,942	6,012,692	6,071,357
Rhode Island	61.8%	62.3%	57.1%	825,786	7.0%	4,045	0	0	4,045	13,827	763,608	471,766	475,428
South Carolina	58.0%	58.2%	55.3%	3,473,488	3.4%	24,326	41,254	1,947	45,927	72,241	3,311,044	1,920,969	1,927,153
South Dakota	64.7%	65.6%	63.4%	602,539	1.2%	3,342	0	2,720	4,702	20,144	590,720	381,975	387,449
Tennessee	57.0%	57.4%	54.5%	4,771,926	3.1%	27,228	58,109	10,578	61,572	127,930	4,563,192	2,599,749	2,618,238
Texas	54.1%		45.5%	17,756,112	13.5%	172,506	427,080	102,921	437,507	549,216	14,929,810	8,077,795
Utah	56.0%	57.1%	51.8%	1,840,087	7.2%	6,552	0	0	6,552	31,783	1,700,286	952,370	971,185
Vermont	67.3%	67.7%	66.0%	492,610	2.0%	0	0	0	0	10,546	482,677	325,046	326,822
Virginia	67.0%	67.6%	61.8%	6,022,123	6.6%	38,276	53,614	4,471	67,319	124,689	5,555,415	3,723,260	3,753,059
Washington	66.6%	67.3%	60.3%	5,032,960	7.8%	17,926	113,134	11,768	80,377	138,296	4,561,163	3,036,878	3,071,587
West Virginia	49.9%	51.2%	49.1%	1,453,045	0.8%	6,059	8,283	2,005	11,203	33,788	1,430,439	713,362	731,691
Wisconsin	72.4%	72.7%	69.3%	4,306,876	3.0%	23,379	50,418	18,105	57,641	78,721	4,120,694	2,983,417	2,997,086
Wyoming	62.8%	63.1%	60.9%	418,040	1.7%	2,084	5,438	727	5,167	13,832	405,732	254,658	256,035