Census Bureau News -- Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2010

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hispanics made up 7 percent of voters in the 2010 congressional election, the highest percentage for a nonpresidential election since the U.S. Census Bureau began collecting this information in 1974. Hispanics comprised 6 percent of voters in 2006.

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Blacks also increased their share of the electorate, going from 11 percent in 2006 to 12 percent in 2010 (a figure not statistically different from the record high in 1998).

These numbers come from Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2010, a set of tables that compares voting and registration patterns by demographic, social and geographic characteristics. They also include state figures on voting and registration.

"These statistics show that the nation's electorate is becoming increasingly diverse," said Tiffany Julian, of the Census Bureau's Education and Social Stratification Branch. "The electorate looks much different than when we first started collecting these data 37 years ago."

The Asian share of the electorate in 2010 was not statistically different than the share in 2006 (2.5 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively). Non-Hispanic white voters decreased from 80.4 percent of the electorate in 2006 to 77.5 percent in 2010, a decline of 2.9 percentage points.

Other highlights from the tables:

• Maine and Washington experienced voter turnout greater than 55 percent. Fewer than 40 percent of citizens in Texas reported voting.
• The most common reason people did not vote was they were too busy (27 percent). Another 16 percent felt that their vote would not make a difference.
• Homeowners were more likely to register and vote than renters; 74 percent of homeowners were registered to vote and 68 percent actually voted; 61 percent of renters were registered and 52 percent voted.
• People with at least some college education made up 68 percent of voters. Individuals without a high school diploma comprised 6 percent of voters.
• Veterans were more likely to vote (57 percent) than nonveterans (44 percent).
• People living in families who earned $100,000 or more were more than twice as likely to vote as those who lived with families earning less than $20,000 (61 percent and  30 percent, respectively).

These data come from the Current Population Survey. Statistics from sample surveys are subject to sampling and nonsampling error. For further information on the source of the data and accuracy of the estimates, including standard errors and confidence intervals, go to http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/socdemo/voting/publications/p20/2010/CPS2010-Voting_S&A.pdf .

Editor's note: The information can be accessed at http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/socdemo/voting/index.html.

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SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau