From the AP...
JACKSON, Miss. -- New U.S. Census Bureau figures show Mississippi's voting-age and overall population counts rose slightly between 2008 and 2009.
The estimates, which are current as of July 1, 2009, show the number of Mississippians 18 and older increased by 12,356, or 0.56 percent.
The bureau's estimate of the state's voting-age population in 2008 was 2,171,898, compared to 2,184,254 for 2009.
Link: http://www.clarionledger.com
The 2009 voting age population represented 74 percent of the overall population, as it did in 2008.
Mississippi's overall population rose from 2,938,618 to 2,951,996, the bureau estimated, an increase of 13,378, or 0.45 percent.
Showing posts with label Voting trends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Voting trends. Show all posts
Friday, January 8, 2010
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Reduced voting participation among whites key element to Obama's victory, says Census Bureau stats
The AP writes about recent Census Bureau stats on voter trends...says voting participation actually declined in 2008 for the first time in a dozen years... full story here
Voting rate dips in 2008 as older whites stay home
By HOPE YEN (AP) – 20 hours ago
WASHINGTON — For all the attention generated by Barack Obama's candidacy, the share of eligible voters who actually cast ballots in November declined for the first time in a dozen years. The reason: Older whites with little interest in backing either Barack Obama or John McCain stayed home.
Census figures released Monday show about 63.6 percent of the nation's eligible voters, or 131.1 million people, voted last November.
Although that represented an increase of 5 million voters — virtually all of them minorities — the turnout relative to the population of eligible voters was a decrease from 63.8 percent in 2004.
Ohio and Pennsylvania were among those showing declines in white voters, helping Obama carry those battleground states.
"While the significance of minority votes for Obama is clearly key, it cannot be overlooked that reduced white support for a Republican candidate allowed minorities to tip the balance in many slow-growing 'purple' states," said William H. Frey, a demographer for Brookings Institution, referring to key battleground states that don't notably tilt Democrat or Republican.
"The question I would ask is if a continuing stagnating economy could change that," he said.
According to census data, 66 percent of whites voted last November, down 1 percentage point from 2004. Blacks increased their turnout by 5 percentage points to 65 percent, nearly matching whites. Hispanics improved turnout by 3 percentage points, and Asians by 3.5 percentage points, each reaching a turnout of nearly 50 percent. In all, minorities made up nearly 1 in 4 voters in 2008, the most diverse electorate ever.
Voting rate dips in 2008 as older whites stay home
By HOPE YEN (AP) – 20 hours ago
WASHINGTON — For all the attention generated by Barack Obama's candidacy, the share of eligible voters who actually cast ballots in November declined for the first time in a dozen years. The reason: Older whites with little interest in backing either Barack Obama or John McCain stayed home.
Census figures released Monday show about 63.6 percent of the nation's eligible voters, or 131.1 million people, voted last November.
Although that represented an increase of 5 million voters — virtually all of them minorities — the turnout relative to the population of eligible voters was a decrease from 63.8 percent in 2004.
Ohio and Pennsylvania were among those showing declines in white voters, helping Obama carry those battleground states.
"While the significance of minority votes for Obama is clearly key, it cannot be overlooked that reduced white support for a Republican candidate allowed minorities to tip the balance in many slow-growing 'purple' states," said William H. Frey, a demographer for Brookings Institution, referring to key battleground states that don't notably tilt Democrat or Republican.
"The question I would ask is if a continuing stagnating economy could change that," he said.
According to census data, 66 percent of whites voted last November, down 1 percentage point from 2004. Blacks increased their turnout by 5 percentage points to 65 percent, nearly matching whites. Hispanics improved turnout by 3 percentage points, and Asians by 3.5 percentage points, each reaching a turnout of nearly 50 percent. In all, minorities made up nearly 1 in 4 voters in 2008, the most diverse electorate ever.
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