This quote appeared in a telegram from the Wyoming territorial legislature to the US Congress, when the US Congress reported that the Wyoming territory must repeal the women's voting law before statehood would be granted. Women were given the right to vote in Wyoming in 1869, making them the only females in the world who could legally cast a ballot at that time.
Voting is a critical way for Americans to participate in the political system. Americans vote at a very low rate, perhaps taking their right to vote for granted.
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1860-1900: at least 70% of eligible population voted |
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Since 1900, never greater than 70%, and in recent years |
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Also a decline since 1960 |
Here is a chart on voter turnout in elections since 1984. The bolded year reflect the presidential election years:
| Year |
Voting-age population |
Voter registration |
Voter turnout |
Turnout of
voting-age population (percent) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008* | 231,229,580 | (not yet available) | 132,618,580* | 56.8% |
| 2006 | 220,600,000 | 135,889,600 | 80,588,000 | 37.1% |
| 2004 | 221,256,931 | 174,800,000 | 122,294,978 | 55.3 |
| 2002 | 215,473,000 | 150,990,598 | 79,830,119 | 37.0 |
| 2000 | 205,815,000 | 156,421,311 | 105,586,274 | 51.3 |
| 1998 | 200,929,000 | 141,850,558 | 73,117,022 | 36.4 |
| 1996 | 196,511,000 | 146,211,960 | 96,456,345 | 49.1 |
| 1994 | 193,650,000 | 130,292,822 | 75,105,860 | 38.8 |
| 1992 | 189,529,000 | 133,821,178 | 104,405,155 | 55.1 |
| 1990 | 185,812,000 | 121,105,630 | 67,859,189 | 36.5 |
| 1988 | 182,778,000 | 126,379,628 | 91,594,693 | 50.1 |
| 1986 | 178,566,000 | 118,399,984 | 64,991,128 | 36.4 |
| 1984 | 174,466,000 | 124,150,614 | 92,652,680 | 53.1 |
Here are some of the barriers to voting in the US:
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Citizenship: States allow only citizens to vote in most elections; some states allow non-citizens to vote in municipal elections. |
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Residency: The Supreme Court has ruled that a state may only set residency requirements for fifty days: some states have a residency requirement of only ten days. |
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Registration: Voter registration is intended to prevent voter fraud. Every state except North Dakota has some form of voter responsibility. Some states prevent convicted felons, mentally incompetent, those dishonorably discharged from the armed forces, the homeless, and polygamists from registering to vote. |
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Weekday Voting: About one in five people who reported that they registered but did not vote n because they could not leave work or school to vote. |
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Voter apathy: Some Americans are dissatisfied with politicians and therefore do not vote. |
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Minority apathy: Politicians may not reach out to certain groups of people who may not make a difference in the election; these minority groups may feel alienated and therefore not vote. |
