Hold down the celebration, although the news is good.
We now know that the recent election turnout, more than 131 million, was the highest ever. We also know that the percentage of eligible voters voting was the highest in 40 years.
Some context.
One of the reasons that more people voted is that we have a lot more people. But still this is a good sign.
That portion of eligibles who actually voted last month was 61.6 percent. It stands to reason that with the United States at war, at partisan fever pitch, in the throes of economic turbulence and at a crossroad in history, the presidential election would prompt a big turnout. Then add the historic African-American candidacy of Barack Obama.
Still, a higher percentage of voters turned out for the Nixon-Humphrey election of 1968. It also means that with so much at stake, 38.4 percent – or nearly two out of every five eligible voters – didn’t vote.
We are again reminded that ours remains a democratic work in progress.
For the record, Minnesota had the highest turnout rate, 77.8 percent, and Hawaii and West Virginia the lowest rate, 50.6 percent. Florida finished at 67.1 percent. Hillsborough County, at 72 per cent, had its highest rate ever.