Obama – McCain Election Draws Record Voter Turnout in 2008

UPDATE 11/7/2008: The Federal Election Commission has lowered it’s preliminary estimate of people who voted in the 2008 election to 122,253,622.  That’s only 61.9% of all eligible voters, which hasn’t been bested since 1964 (Lyndon Johnson over Barry Goldwater).  But the numbers remain preliminary, so I’ll revisit everything when it is finalized.  Thanks!  –frets

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Yesterday’s election drew voters out in record numbers, if you couldn’t tell by the lines some of you experienced at your polling places.  I voted early and had to wait about 40 minutes, which isn’t so bad…but I’m not in a swing state!

Based on preliminary results, 148,218,161 million people voted.  That’s 64.1% of all eligible voters.  It may not seem like much, but that’s one for the record books, especially in these times.  That percentage has not been exceeded in our lifetime (unless you’re a hundred years old)!  You have to go back to the election of 1908 to beat it!  Back then, William Howard Taft (R-Ohio) beat William Jennings Bryan (D-Nebraska) with 321 electoral votes, and 65.4% of eligible voters cast a ballot.  Incidentally, the all-time record goes to the hotly-contested race between Rutherford B. Hayes (R-Ohio) and Samuel J. Tilden (D-New York).  Hayes eeked out a 1-point electoral victory, and 81.8% of eligible voters cast a ballot!  Talk about long lines!

Here’s a look at the voter turnout since 1960 (select the image for full-size): 

Presidential Elections: Turnout of Eligible Voters (%)

And here’s a look at the electoral votes won by U.S. Presidents since 1960 (select the image for full-size):

Presidential Elections: Electoral Votes Won

Both of these charts are based on preliminary data.  If the final numbers change substancially, I’ll post an update.