About 123 million people were registered to vote in 1998, the previous all-time high. The previous record turnout was 86 million in 1994. Reported turnout by registered voters was 69 percent in 2002, higher than the 68 percent who cast ballots in 1998.

     The report, Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2002, said most of the rise in both the number of people registering and voting since 1966 (the first nonpresidential election turnout surveyed by the Census Bureau) resulted from the increased number of people 18 and over in the nation’s population. In 1966, 79 million people were registered to vote and 63 million voted.

     People who are older, married or have at least a bachelor’s degree, and women were more likely to vote, according to the report. Among registered nonvoters in 2002, about 27 percent reported they did not vote because they were too busy or had conflicting work or school schedules.

     Regionally, citizens residing in the Midwest were more likely to register (69 percent) and to vote (49 percent) than those in other regions. Voting rates in the Northeast, South and West were about 45 percent each. The West had the lowest registration rate (63 percent), while the Northeast and South each had around 67 percent.

     Excluding North Dakota, which has no voter registration, Maine and Minnesota had the highest levels of voter registration in the country at about 80 percent. The states with the highest voter turnout rates were Minnesota and South Dakota, at around 67 percent each.

     Other highlights:

• Among those registered to vote, turnout was 71 percent for non-Hispanic whites, 68 percent for blacks, 63 percent for Asians and Pacific islanders and 58 percent for Hispanics.

• Among registered voters in 2002, Hispanics who were naturalized citizens were more likely to vote (64 percent) than were their counterparts who were U.S. citizens by birth (56 percent).

• Among people who registered to vote between 1995 and 2002, a ratio of 4-in-10 registered at a state motor vehicle department.

     The data in the report are from the November 2002 Voting and Registration Supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS). Statistics from surveys are subject to sampling and nonsampling error. As discussed in greater detail in the report, the CPS estimate of overall turnout (89 million) differs from the “official” turnout, as reported by the Clerk of the House.

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