Census Releases New Data on 2012 Election

On Wednesday, the Census Bureau released The Diversifying Electorate--Voting Rates by Race and Hispanic Origin in 2012 (and Other Recent Elections). The report draws on data from the November 2012 Current Population Survey Voting and Registration Supplement.

Among other things, it confirms that for the first time ever, black voters turned out at a higher rate than white voters: 66.2% of eligible black voters participated, compared to 64.1% of non-Hispanic white voters. Increased participation among black voters has been a trend since 1996, with participation rates increasing 13 percentage points since then. The data also shows that:

• Voting rates increase with age. In 2012, the percentage of eligible adults who voted ranged from 41.2% for 18- to 24-year-olds, to a high of 71.9% for those 65 and older. 
• Black and non-Hispanic white voters continue to lead in turnout. In 2012, both Hispanic and Asian voters voted at a rate of about 48%, trailing black and non-Hispanic white turnout. 
• Mobility matters. 11.7% of voters who lived at their current residence for less than one year cited "registration problems" as a reason for not voting--compared to 5.5% of all voters. 
• The "gender gap" in voting persists. In every presidential election since 1996, women have voted at higher rates than men. In 2012, the spread was about 4 percentage points, and widest among black voters at 9 percentage points. 

Read the full report to learn more about America's diversifying electorate.

Nonprofit Voters Increase Share of the Electorate

In 2012, your organization and the entire nonprofit sector helped encourage communities across the country to participate and vote. Clearly your efforts to register, educate, and engage voters paid off.

This year, lower-income, younger, and more diverse communities frequently served by nonprofits accounted for a greater share of voter turnout than ever before. While some of this can be attributed to population increases, it was also aided by unprecedented voter education and engagement efforts from the nonprofit and civic sector.

• Young voters (under 30) defied predictions by claiming a higher share of total turnout in 2012 (19%) than in 2008 (18%).
• The Latino share of the electorate continued to rise, increasing to 10% this year.
• Black voters maintained their share of the electorate from 2008, holding at 13%.
• Voters with family income below $50,000 increased their share of the electorate, jumping three points to 41%, despite the fact that the population of that bracket has remained unchanged from 2008.

Read the full report for additional details on the changing electorate, early voting, participation trends, and more. Congratulations again on successfully promoting voting and engaged and active citizenship in 2012!