Seeking Data: Actual number of votes cast in each state 2000 and 2004

[L. Coyote]

Can anyone point to this data from a reliable source?

Not the numbers for president, the number of votes cast.

[Darknyte7]

1. It's my understanding that...

the information does not exist for 2000, or for that matter, any presidential election before 2004. There is an organization that I saw profiled on the News hour with Jim Lehrer back in November that was attempting to do just that for the first time.

[skids]

2. You mean ballots cast...

...not necessarily counted?

[L. Coyote]

5. Correct, the number of persons voting, not the results of a race.

Right now, I would have to go to each state individually to get this info.

[skids]

6. Yep pretty much.

And in some states, to each county. And in some counties, to each precinct.

Get some people to help us out at USCountVotes.org and we may have you an answer in a couple of months.

[L. Coyote]

7. I'm almost half-way done, going to each state's website, however

it is amazing how poorly presented the data is, and how often the number of voters is not even shown. I've had to e-mail a few states already to ask them if they know!

One more item for the vote reform list: Uniform, complete, accessibly formatted election and registration statistics on a precinct level for the entire nation.

[skids]

8. That isn't the half of it.

You're just picking top-level numbers off. Look at what we here at USCVprogs are faced with to get all the precinct level data out:

http://uscvprogs.sourceforge.net/boefmts.html

...and that's just the ones that publish it. The rest are going to be faxes and hardcopies. We've got a lot of work ahead of us for sure.

[L. Coyote]

10. Two email responses, but no help

Iowa and Kansas SOS replies just say go to our Web site even though the information is not available there!

Isn't there national non-vote info somewhere? I know people are saying NM has the highest rate nationwide.

[skids]

11. Tell me when you have a complete list of "problem states"

I'll see what I can do to get the numbers at the county level.

[Carolab]

3. Here's a useful resource.

2004: http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/elec2004.html

2000: http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/elec2000.html

Lots of good links to more information as well.

Also, www.wikipedia.org has good stuff.

[rumpel]

4. Here is CA info, if this helps

http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/sov/2004_general/sov_pref_pg9_10_compare_stats_1910_2004.pdf

last page is 2000 & 2004

[Wilms]

9. Kick for data n/t