With Election Day coming up and only 66.8 percent of the voting-age population having cast ballots in the 2020 presidential election, WalletHub recently released its report on the Most & Least Politically Engaged States in 2024, as well as expert commentary, to identify where Americans are making their voices heard the most. The more engaged voters are, the better chance they have to impact future economic and social issues.
WalletHub compared the 50 states based on 10 key indicators of political engagement. They range from voter registration statistics and laws to the percentage of people who voted in recent elections to political contributions.
The top five states, the most politically engaged, were Maryland at the top, followed by Virginia, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington. In the bottom five, least politically engaged states were Indiana, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Alabama and, at number 50, Arkansas.
Political Engagement in California (1=Most; 25=Avg.)
Overall Rank: 8th
29th – Percentage of Electorate Who Voted in 2022 Midterm Elections
14th – Change in percentage of Electorate Who Actually Voted in 2020 Elections vs. 2016 Elections
8th – Total Political Contributions per Voting-Age Population
1st – Civic Education Engagement
1st – Voter Accessibility Policies
“You might expect the most politically engaged states to be contentious swing states where votes matter most, but in actuality they are states that are solid blue or lean blue – Maryland, Virginia and New Jersey. The only swing states among the top 10 most politically engaged states are Minnesota and Arizona, which shows that plenty of people who could have an impact on the upcoming election are either choosing not to have their voices heard or are meeting some sort of obstacles to vote,” said Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst. “Maryland is the most politically engaged state, in large part because it requires civic education in schools and makes it very easy to register to vote with early voting, no-excuse absentee voting, online voter registration and same-day voter registration. The state also allows young people to preregister to vote as early as age 16.”
For the full report, visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/most-least-politically-engaged-states/7782/
Expert Commentary
What states do you think will have a particularly high turnout this election year?
“States with high levels of voter enthusiasm and engagement will have high turnout in 2024; those states with entrenched ideological majorities, e.g. West Virginia and New York will maintain high levels of turnout, while newer swing states (or those leaning towards becoming purple) particularly with increased youth populations will also see higher turnout due to the momentum on the Democratic side of the campaign, e.g. Texas, Georgia, and North Carolina.”
Emily Stacey, Ph.D. – Professor; Political Science Coordinator, Rose State College
“States with highest likely turnouts: It will probably be some of the usual suspects as in prior elections: Minnesota, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Maine. These states typically have higher turnout rates, in large part because those states make it easy for people to vote, with many employing vote by mail systems. In general, they also allow people to register to vote quite late; in some, same day registration is allowed. Other reasons that turnout and engagement might be higher in some states has to do with state demographics and whether the state is tightly contested, in either the presidential race or in state races. States with higher average education levels, for example, tend to have higher turnout rates, as do states with higher average income levels. On the other hand, states with restrictive voter registration rules tend to have lower participation rates.”
Robert Duffy – Professor; Chair, Political Science Department, Colorado State University
What are effective local strategies for increasing political engagement?
“At the local level, many residents are issue-oriented. Grassroots organizations are an accessible entryway for people to discuss and engage with local and state governments. This experience translates into broader political engagement. Many local political figures in the United States begin their careers focusing on a specific problem that is significant to them.”
Dr. Timothy W. Kneeland – Professor; Director, Museums, Archives & Public History, Nazareth University
“Creating coalitions of like-minded citizens, not necessarily based on political ideology but on democratic principles such as the importance of voting and participation in the process is effective in removing intimidation barriers. Hosting community or campus events to assist people in the voter registration process or providing nonpartisan voter education materials so that they can make the best political decisions for themselves, and their communities is also part of my mission as a professor. There are numerous organizations that provide resources to groups looking to engage including, ALL IN, Campus Compact, Pizza to the Polls, Civic Holidays, and more.”
Emily Stacey, Ph.D. – Professor; Political Science Coordinator, Rose State College
Do Super PACs (Political Action Committees) add value to the political process? Should they be more heavily regulated?
“Political Action Committees allow individuals and groups to aggregate their political concerns and voice their political opinions. According to the FEC, ‘Super PACS (independent expenditure-only political committees) are committees that may receive unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations, labor unions, and other PACs to finance independent expenditures and other independent political activity.’ Free speech in the form of unregulated political speech is necessary for a healthy democracy, and PACs are part of this. However, so-called dark money Super PACS, PACS that do not reveal their donors, lack transparency and raise suspicion about the motives of these groups. Regulating these 501c4s to ensure they reveal their donors is common sense and would enhance the democratic process.”
Dr. Timothy W. Kneeland – Professor; Director, Museums, Archives & Public History, Nazareth University
“I think that in a democracy having diverse and varied representation in the political process is critical, including by PACs and the organizations behind them (inevitably they are composed of regular individuals who have valid concerns). With that said, the ability for these PACs to donate millions of dollars to ‘issue advocacy’ overshadows the voices and interests of average Americans who cannot donate to causes or campaigns at even a fraction of the same level. That is a problem for all of us, regardless of our political leanings.”
Emily Stacey, Ph.D. – Professor; Political Science Coordinator, Rose State College
