Chapter 14
Historical Perspective: Is voter turnout in the United States lower today than in times past, and if so, by how much and why? For much of the 19th century, nearly 80 percent of eligible voters went to the polls, yet widespread voter fraud and political corruption make these numbers less reliable than they may seem. In the modern era, turnout declined consistently for many years, but has rebounded significantly in recent election cycles. Check out the following links for more information on turnout trends over time as well as details on youth voting trends and alternative methodologies for calculating turnout.
Youth voting trends in recent elections
Turnout over time
Election turnout data for the United States over time
Voter turnout in the United States presidential elections
Turnout rates increasing for the last 3 election cycles
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0781453.html#axzz0zZOS06Br
http://hnn.us/articles/1104.html