The only time the U.S. had 80% or more voter turnout was when Abe Lincoln ran.

[No Elephants]

That election, turnout was 81%. The U.S. has not seen anything remotely like that since.


Recent presidential elections show around a 50% turnout (that's 50% of registered voters--we don't bother to figure out which percent of adults eligible to register to vote don't even register). In off year elections, well under 40% of registered voters show up.

Why so low, Joe?

Anyhoo.....hoping the Leftie wins in France--and governs very well.

23 April 2012 Last updated at 19:09 ET
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French election: Why is turnout so high?
By Tom Geoghegan BBC News Magazine

It's a measure of the Gallic fervour for election campaigning that the candidate who went on to earn fourth place in Sunday's vote was able to draw crowds in their tens of thousands.

<snip>

Turnout was slightly down on the 84% who voted in the last presidential election in 2007, but given the poor showings in the regional and European elections in the last few years, there had been fears it would be a lot lower.

And 80% far outstrips the turnout in the most recent national elections held in many of France's neighbours, including Germany (71%), the UK (66%) and Switzerland (47%).

<snip>

So the danger is that what's happened in the UK and US, which also has low turnouts, means many people have been put off voting for life.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17812595