Government and Citizens

Voter Registration and Turnout

Voter Registration and Turnout

Voter registration is a strong indicator of citizens who are committed to their community. Virginia encourages citizens to register and vote in a variety of ways, from school programs to publicity campaigns.

Why is This Important?

Virginia wants to have citizens who are informed and engaged and who actively participate in their communities. Voting helps to ensure that the results of an election accurately reflect the will of the people; it also serves as a measure of how engaged people are in their communities.

How is Virginia Doing?

There are various ways to look at voter registration and turnout. One method is to measure the number of ballots counted as a percent of the estimated citizen voting age population (CVAP). CVAP reflects the percentage of the population who are 1) citizens of voting age, 2) who register and 3) who turn out to vote. In 2006, Virginia ranked 23rd in the nation, with 43.6 percent of CVAP casting ballots. Vermont had the highest turnout in 2006, with 66 percent of CVAP casting ballots. Virginia had a higher voting rate than North Carolina (32.4 percent) or Tennessee (41.9 percent), but a lower turnout than Maryland (45.9 percent).  The total voter turnout in the nation in 2006 was 38.2 percent.

Turnout rates in Virginia’s regions are available for the 2006 national elections using a voting age population (VAP) measure that includes all residents of voting age, rather than just citizens.  The Central region had the highest VAP turnout rate at 42.4 percent, followed by the West Central region at 40.6 percent.  The lowest turnout rate was in the Southside region.  Total Virginia VAP turnout in 2006 was 38.9 percent, higher than the national rate of 34.5 percent.

Registration rates are also available for the voting age population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2006 Virginia ranked 40th in the nation for voter registration, with 61 percent of VAP on the rolls. The national rate was 61.6; North Dakota was the highest at 82 percent. Virginia’s rate was lower than Tennessee (61.9 percent), North Carolina (64.1 percent) and Maryland (65.1 percent).

Within the Commonwealth, a high variation in registration exists. The Virginia State Board of Elections reported that 78.3 percent of Virginia's VAP had active registrations for the 2006 elections. The Northern region had the highest rate of registration with 80.6 percent, and the Valley had the lowest number of registered voters with 71.3 percent.

What Influences Voter Registration and Turnout?

Presidential elections play a significant role in determining voter registration and turnout rates. In years with a presidential election, such as 2000 or 2004, turnout was much higher than years with only congressional or gubernatorial elections, such as in 1998 or 2002. Voting patterns among all demographic groups in every state closely follow this pattern.

In 2002, Virginia experienced the lowest turnout rate in the country at 27 percent. However, the nature of these elections, rather than demographics, played a much larger role in voter turnout here: There was no presidential election in 2002; Virginia is only one of a handful of states with gubernatorial elections that do not coincide with congressional elections; and in the only statewide congressional election during 2002, the opposition party did not field a candidate to challenge the incumbent senator.

Citizens are more likely to register and vote the higher the:

• Office being voted on;
• Voter's educational level;
• Voter's income;
• Voter's age; or
• If the voter is employed as a civil servant.

Citizens may not actually cast their vote if they are disenchanted with government, indifferent, or content with the way things are.

Registration requirements also affect whether people vote, including:

• Cut-off dates for registration;
• The length of time at a new residence;
• Convenience of registration and/or paperwork requirements.

What is the State's Role?

Two state agencies have roles in voter participation. The State Board of Elections:

• Administers election laws.
• Ensures compliance with campaign finance disclosure.
• Manages voter registration processes in Virginia.
• Maintains a centralized database of statewide voter registration and election-related data.

The Virginia Department of Education includes the importance of civic participation and voting in the Standards of Learning to encourage Virginia's youth to become active participants in the voting process.