Voter Turnout and Election-Day Registration
| | |
| :--------------------------------------------------- | :---- |
| **States with Election-Day Registration** | |
| 2008 | 72 % |
| 2012 | 65 % |
| **States without Election-Day Registration** | |
| 2008 | 62 % |
| 2012 | 58 % |
Some states allow election-day registration, while others do not. Which statement best describes the table?
A. States with election-day registration had higher turnout.
B. States without election-day registration had higher turnout.
C. States with and without election-day registrations had roughly equal turnout.
D. States with election-day registration outnumber those without.
Source: United States Elections Project
Answer (1)
The table compares voter turnout in states with and without Election-Day Registration (EDR) for 2008 and 2012. States with EDR consistently had higher turnout in both years. Therefore, the statement that best describes the table is:
States with election-day registration had higher turnout.
States with election-day registration had higher turnout.
Explanation
Understand the problem and provided data We are given a table that shows voter turnout percentages for states with and without Election-Day Registration (EDR) in 2008 and 2012. We need to determine which statement best describes the data in the table.
Compare voter turnout percentages Let's compare the voter turnout percentages between states with and without EDR for each year.
In 2008: States with EDR: 72% States without EDR: 62%
In 2012: States with EDR: 65% States without EDR: 58%
In both years, states with EDR had a higher voter turnout than states without EDR.
Evaluate the statements Now, let's evaluate the given statements:
States with election-day registration had higher turnout. - This statement is true based on our comparison.
States without election-day registration had higher turnout. - This statement is false.
States with and without election-day registrations had roughly equal turnout. - This statement is false.
States with election-day registration outnumber those without. - This statement is not directly supported by the table, which only shows turnout percentages, not the number of states.
Select the best statement The statement that best describes the table is: States with election-day registration had higher turnout.
Examples
Understanding voter turnout based on registration policies can help policymakers decide whether to implement election-day registration to potentially increase voter participation. For example, if a state wants to increase voter turnout, this data suggests that implementing election-day registration could be a beneficial strategy. By analyzing the impact of different policies on voter behavior, governments can make informed decisions to promote civic engagement.
