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 residents 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). In 2010, Virginia ranked 39th in the nation, with 38.6 percent of CVAP casting ballots. Maine had the highest turnout in 2010, with 56.0 percent of CVAP casting ballots. Virginia had a higher voting rate than Tennessee (34.5%), but lower than North Carolina (39.4%) and Maryland (45.9%). Total voter turnout in the nation in 2010 was 42.3 percent.

Turnout rates in Virginia’s regions are available for the 2010 national elections using a voting age population (VAP) measure that includes all residents of voting age, rather than just citizens. The Central and Southside regions had the highest VAP turnout rates at 39.9 percent, followed by the Eastern region at 39.2 percent. The lowest turnout rate was in the Valley region (28.4%). Total Virginia VAP turnout in 2010 was 36.0 percent, lower than the national VAP rate of 38.7 percent.

Registration rates are also available for the voting age population, which show significant variation across the Commonwealth. The Virginia State Board of Elections reported that an average 82 percent of Virginia's VAP had active registrations for the 2011 state elections. The Eastern region had the highest rate of registration with 84.4 percent, while the Valley again had the lowest at 74.3 percent.

What Influences Voter Registration and Turnout?

Presidential elections play a significant role in determining voter turnout rates. In years with a presidential election, such as 2004 or 2008, turnout was much higher than years with only congressional or gubernatorial elections, such as in 2006 or 2010. Voting patterns among all demographic groups in every state closely follow this pattern. Interestingly, voter registration rates in Virginia have remained near or even better than the high rates seen during the 2008 national elections.

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

Registered voters employed as civil servants are also more likely to vote.

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?

Three 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

Since 1996, the Department of Motor Vehicles has helped expedite voter registration by allowing citizens to register to vote when applying for a drivers license; residents can also update voting information when they file a change of address with the DMV.

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.