How Politically Engaged is New York State?

With Election Day upcoming a recent study was conducted to determine the most and least politically engaged states. Where do you think New York ranks?

A key ingredient to a democracy that is well-functioning is civic participation. In the 2016 election, a record 137.5 million Americans showed up and voted. While that number is great, it only accounts for roughly 61 percent of the voting-age population.

The 2020 election expects to see a pretty high turnout, though many people may choose to mail in their votes, rather than vote in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are many factors that affect the numbers in regards to participation rates, income being a key factor, with implications on both voter turnout as well as public policy. In 2016, families with incomes under $10,000 only showed approximately 41 percent voter participation, while families with incomes over $150,000 showed over 80 percent participation.

With Election Day so close, Wallethub compared the 50 states across 11 key indicators of political engagement. The data set ranges from the percentage of registered voters in the 2016 presidential election, to total political contributions per adult population.

New York was ranked as the 23rd most politically engaged state when compared to the rest of the country. New York was just ahead of  North Dakota and just behind Connecticut.

The most politically engaged states according to this study were Maine, Washington, and Colorado.

Political Engagement in New York:

• 47^th – % of Registered Voters in 2016 Presidential Election
• 40^th – % of Electorate Who Voted in 2018 Midterm Elections
• 43^rd – % of Electorate Who Voted in 2016 Presidential Election
• 31^st – Change in % of Electorate Who Actually Voted in 2016 Elections vs. 2012 Elections
• 1^st – Total Political Contributions per Adult Population
• 20^th – Civic Education Engagement
• 35^th – Voter Accessibility Policies