Census report shows that Texas still ranks low in voter turnout

[sonias]

Fort Worth Star-Telegram 7/22/09
Census report shows that Texas still ranks low in voter turnout

The presidential race between Barack Obama and John McCain sent more Texans to the polls last year, but the state still had one of the lowest turnouts in the country, according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

After factoring in population growth, turnout in Texas dropped 1 percentage point from 2004.

About 8.4 million voters cast ballots in the state in the November election, roughly half a million more than in 2004.

But that growth didn’t keep pace with the rise in the state’s population, so turnout actually dropped, from 57 percent in 2004 to 56 percent in 2008. That puts Texas 45th among the states in 2008; it was 47th in 2004.

Turnout rose among black voters in Texas from 2004 to 2008, but dropped among Hispanics and Asians. An additional 263,000 blacks voted in 2008, increasing turnout from 58 to 65 percent. Hispanic turnout decreased from 42 to 38 percent, despite an additional 164,000 voters. Turnout among Asians fell to 34 percent from 43 percent, with 34,000 fewer voting.

Pretty sad.

Sonia

[flamin lib]

1. That's what happens when half the electorate thinks it's a wasted effort. nt

[sonias]

2. And when the people in charge make voting harder

Instead of making voting easier as it should be, people are kicked off voter rolls and they can't vote at any poll on election day. We need to move to universal registration - where the burden is on the government to register all eligible voters. Plus election day registration and voting at any location on election day should be the norm. You should be able to vote wherever there is a polling place. If you have proper identification to register to vote, you should be able to register and vote at the same time. We have made huge technological improvements and we should use these to help people participate in our Democracy.

Instead one side only wants to suppress voter turnout.

Sonia