Hawaii has the lowest voter turnout rate in the nation, according to a recent study released by Nonprofit VOTE and the U.S. Elections Project. And that’s not a new distinction. The 2016 “America Goes to the Polls” report reveals this is the fifth presidential election in a row in which the state has ranked dead last for voter participation. According to the study, approximately 3 out of 5 eligible voters in Hawaii did not cast a ballot during the last presidential election. The voter turnout rate for the 2016 presidential election was 43 percent. How does that compare to other states or the rest of the country as a whole?
The study reveals that national turnout for eligible voters is slightly increasing over the years and reached 60 percent in 2016.
The states with the highest voter participation — Minnesota, Maine, New Hampshire, Colorado, Wisconsin and Iowa — all had voter turnout that exceeded 60 percent and all six also offered same-day voter registration. According to the report, five of them were battleground states that were heavily targeted by campaigns.
Hawaii ranked last out of the 50 states and D.C., with the next lowest turnout states listed as West Virginia, Texas, Tennessee and Arkansas. None are battleground states, and the study reveals all five cut off the ability to register or update a registration at least three to four weeks before Election Day.
Full Article: Lawmakers say mail-in voting could bolster Hawaii’s abysmal vote – Hawaii News Now – KGMB and KHNL.