Why Voter Turnout Statistics at a Fine Level?
The Census Bureau has voter turnout numbers for some counties, excluding much information. Even if counted, small counties can contain over fifty precincts, and each precinct may contain a different political culture, and thus, different voter turnout rates. By breaking down turnout statistics into smaller units of analyses, we are able to get a finer picture of voter behavior and the operation of local politics. How we Collected This Data Voter turnout data are difficult to acquire – often researchers must gather data county by county, or wait a few years after an election for turnout data from the Census Bureau. Even then, Census data is only an estimate. The Voter Turnout Archive provides easy access to actual, non-estimated turnout data and greater transparency of voting records. We requested turnout statistics from numerous Pennsylvania Counties. Some counties, however, did not keep records of how many ballots were cast in each precinct. Rather, they had turnout numbers for each p
