Minnesota set to remain leader in US voter turnout, early data shows
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota came out of Tuesday's general election with an estimated voter turnout of 75.9%, higher than initial reports and projections from every other state.
Early and unofficial results recorded by the University of Florida's Election Lab and secretary of state's offices show Minnesota could take the No. 1 spot for voter turnout once again. Minnesota has held the No. 1 spot for voter turnout in every presidential election since 2008, according to data from the Minnesota Secretary of State's Office.
If estimates hold after results are made official, it will mark Minnesota's fifth general election at No. 1.
The usual states that compete with Minnesota for voter turnout — Wisconsin, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, Maine, Colorado and New Hampshire — have not reached the same 75.9% mark, but several are projected to be within a few percentage points.
According to data from the University of Florida's Election Data Lab, the state's closest competitors so far are Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Michigan and Maine, which are all above 72% in early data.
Other states within a few percentage points are Vermont, Washington, Iowa and North Carolina, which all fell between 70% and 72%, according to the Election Lab.
The country's lowest turnout rates were seen in Oklahoma and West Virginia, which respectively had 53.44% and 54.69%, according to early reports.
The Midwest states — Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin — had an estimated average of 66.59%, about 9% points lower than Minnesota's turnout.
National averages as reported by the University of Florida's Election Lab are around 62.5%.
The 75.9% figure from Tuesday's election is about 3% lower than Minnesota's 2020 presidential election turnout of 79%, but higher than 2016's turnout of 75%. Secretary of State Steve Simon said in a press release that Minnesotans had demonstrated their civic engagement once again.
"All over the state, we heard about voters excited to get out and make their voices heard before and on Election Day," he said in a Wednesday press release. "Minnesotans proved once again that we are committed to our communities by showing up at the polls."
States with high voter turnout have differing reasons for why they see these high rates. Minnesota, for example, makes voting more accessible through same-day registration and direct balloting. Washington and Oregon have an all-mail system where voters are automatically sent their ballot.
Minnesota also enacted several new laws this voting cycle that may have impacted voter turnout: allowing absentee ballots to be returned up until 8 p.m. on Election Day, adding more translations on "How to Vote" instructions at polling places for Hmong-, Spanish- and Somali-speaking populations and adding up to 57,000 extra votes by restoring voting rights to formerly incarcerated individuals.
Estimates on Minnesota's turnout are based on 4.3 million eligible voters and the roughly 3.3 million ballots cast by Nov. 5. Absentee turnout, estimated at 36% with roughly 1.2 million ballots accepted, is more on par with pre-pandemic figures — higher than the 26% mark in 2016, but short of the 58% seen in 2020.
Voter turnout figures are considered unofficial and will likely update as results are finalized.
