The most powerful way for citizens to influence government is by voting – choosing leaders to govern, manage the public life of our nation and address the challenges that confront the state and our local communities. Because Presidential election years have consistently higher voter turnout than Midterm election years, the 2011 Arizona Civic Health Index separates data on Midterm elections from data on Presidential elections

1. Voter Registration (2006 – 2010 Midterm Elections)



What Happened? Arizona was one of 10 states that increased voter registration in the 2010 Midterm election. Arizona (+3.9%) and South Carolina (+3.8%) experienced the largest increases, a key factor in moving both states up in the national rankings. It is believed the statewide debate over SB 1070 helped drive citizen participation in Arizona's 2010 Midterm election.

2010 Top 10: Maine, Louisiana, Vermont, Mississippi, Washington, Minnesota, Michigan, Oregon, Iowa, Wisconsin

The Arizona We Want Goal: Increase voter registration in the 2014 Midterm election by a minimum 4 percentage points (the difference between Arizona and #10 Wisconsin), especially among citizen groups reporting participation below the state average.

Challenges: In the fall 2010 U.S. Census Current Population (CPS) Survey, 35.3% of unregistered citizens report they are not interested in politics or elections, 19.8% report they did not meet registration deadlines, and 18.8% report other reasons for not registering.

2. Voter Turnout (2006 – 2010 Midterm Elections)



What Happened? Arizona was one of 13 states that increased voter turnout in the 2010 Midterm election. The gains ranged from as low as 1 percentage point to as high as 10 percentage points in Louisiana. For the first time since 1974, Arizona exceeded the national average for Mid–term voter turnout. It is believed that the statewide debate over SB 1070 helped drive citizen participation in Arizona's 2010 election.

2010 Top 10: Maine, Washington, Oregon, North Dakota, Vermont, Minnesota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Colorado, Iowa

18–to–29 Year olds: Voter turnout among 18–to–29 Year olds in Midterm elections increased from 23% in the 2006 Midterm election to 31% in 2010, an increase that moved Arizona from 37th to 9th in the national rankings. Other top 10 states for this age group in 2010 include Ore–gon, North Dakota, South Carolina, Minnesota, Washington, South Dakota, Maine, the District of Columbia and Colorado. State rankings are not available for other demographic groups.

The Arizona We Want Goal: Increase voter turnout in the 2014 Midterm election by a minimum 3.5 percentage points (the difference between Arizona and #10 Iowa), especially among citizen groups reporting participation below the state average.

Challenges: In the fall 2010 U.S. Census CPS Survey, nearly 30% of Arizonans who did not vote indicated they were too busy and the election conflicted with their work or school schedules. Nearly 11% said they weren't interested and felt their vote wouldn't make a difference.

3. Voter Registration (2004 – 2008 Presidential Elections)



What Happened? In 2008, voter registration increased in 14 states compared to the 2004 election. Arizona's decrease of 2.3 percentage points was moderate compared to 15 other states, but it still helped move Arizona down in the national rankings.

2008 Top 10: Maine, Minnesota, District of
Columbia, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Iowa, New Hampshire

The Arizona We Want Goal: Increase voter registration in the 2012 Presidential election by a minimum 7.1 percentage points (the difference between Arizona and #10 New Hampshire), especially among citizen groups reporting
participation below the state average.

Challenges: In the fall 2008 U.S. Census Current Population (CPS) Survey, a total of 38.0% of unregistered citizens said they did not register to vote in the 2008 Presidential election because they were not interested or involved with politics.

4. Voter Turnout (2004 – 2008 Presidential Elections)



What Happened? Voter turnout in the 2008 election caused significant shifts in national rankings. A total of 21 states increased voter turnout, including Mississippi with a gain of 8 percentage points. Arizona's decrease of 4 percentage points was relatively high given the citizen response in other states, resulting in a sharp drop for Arizona in the rankings.

2008 Top 10: Minnesota, District of Columbia, New Hampshire, Maine, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Iowa, Mississippi, Virginia, Colorado.

The Educational Divide: Education beyond high school is a key predictor of voter registration, voter turnout and other expressions of citizen engagement. Slightly more than 80% of all Arizonans with a college degree and nearly 76% of those with some college experience voted in the 2008 Presidential election.

The Arizona We Want Goal: Increase voter turnout in the 2012 Presidential election by a minimum 8.6 percentage points (the difference between Arizona and #10 Colorado), especially among citizen groups reporting participation below the state average.

Challenges: In the fall 2008 U.S. Census current Population (CPS) Survey, 21.4% of eligible Arizona citizens who did not vote said they were too busy with conflicting work or school schedules. Another 21.1% indicated they were not interested and their vote wouldn't make a difference. Nearly 11% said they did not like the candidates or campaign issues.