Index: Community Living / Subcategory: Civic Life

Voter Participation

Date updated: 11/18/2011

Chart Directory:

Voter participation is reported below in two ways: the number of registered Voting Age Population and the number of those registered who voted.

The number of people registered to vote in Larimer County is a dynamic number that is constantly changing as people move in and out of the County and voters are placed in inactive status for failure to vote. The highest number of registered voters occurs just prior to the general election and is usually lowest after general elections when nonvoters have been changed to inactive status. For purposes of this analysis, the number used was the one taken prior to election day and includes active and inactive status.

As of June 2007, C.R.S. 1-8-104.5 established permanent mail-in ballot status. It is possible that the number of registered voters, beginning with the 2008 general election, will increase because of this law.

What this chart shows: Voting Age Population (VAP) Registration in the United States, Colorado, and Larimer County, 2004 to 2010

Voting Age Population (VAP) Registration in the United States, Colorado, and Larimer County, 2004 to 2010

Data Source:

See data table

What the above data tell us:

From 2004 to 2010, Larimer County and Colorado had a higher percentage of registered voters compared to the United States as a whole. It is possible, however, that the method for calculating the number of registered voters differs between the national, state, and county levels.

Often the number of registered voters increases in presidential election years (2004 and 2008) and that trend was more pronounced at the county level than the national or state level.

Although the data represented above depicts the percentage of registered voters who voted, it should be noted that over the last four general elections, the percentage of those eligible to vote varied from a low of 52.4% in 2006 to a high of 72.7% in 2010.

What this chart shows: Registered Voter Turnout in General Elections in the United States, Colorado, and Larimer County, 2004 to 2010

Registered Voter Turnout in General Elections in the United States, Colorado, and Larimer County, 2004 to 2010

Data Source:

See data table

What the above data tell us:

From 2004 to 2010, Larimer County had a higher percentage of registered voters who voted compared to the United States as a whole. With the exception of 2004, Larimer County had a lower voter turnout than Colorado.

Often the number of voters increases in presidential election years (2004 and 2008) and that trend was the case at the national, state and county level.

What this chart shows: Voting Methods Used in Larimer County, 2004 to 2010 General Elections

Voting Methods Used in Larimer County, 2004 to 2010 General Elections

Data Source: Larimer County Clerk's Office (data not available online)

See data table

What the above data tell us:

In 2008, the ballot contained a large number of initiatives and long lines at the polling places were anticipated. The Secretary of State encouraged voters to request mail-in ballots and it appears voters in Larimer County heeded that advice. In 2010, the trend for voting by mail continued.

It should be noted that in Larimer County voters no longer vote at a precinct polling station determined by their residential address. Started in 2003, residents may now vote at any designated County Voting Center.

Absentee voting involves having a ballot sent to your home rather than going to a precinct voting center to vote. Provisional ballots are ballots that allow a person to vote even though his or her name is not on the official voter registration list. In Colorado, individuals must first sign an affidavit to vote with a provisional ballot.

What this chart shows: Percentage of Registered Voters by Designated Affiliation in Larimer County, 2002 to 2010

Percentage of Registered Voters by Designated Affiliation in Larimer County, 2002 to 2010

Data Source: Larimer County Clerk's Office (data not available online)

See data table

What the above data tell us:

Beginning in 2010, unaffiliated voters in Larimer County were the largest percentage of registered voters, followed by Republicans and Democrats. Since 2002, the general trend has seen more voters registered as Democrats and Unaffiliated and fewer registered as Republicans.

Additional Information:

Related Information on COMPASS -

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Industry Standards or Targets:

 N/A

Data Tables:

Voter Registration

  

United States

Colorado

Larimer County

N Registered

% Registered

N Registered

% Registered

N Registered

% Registered

2004

 142,070,000 65.9% 2,307,000 67.9% 161,007 76.1%

2006

 135,847,000 61.6% 2,275,000 65.7% 154,378 70.3%

2008

 146,311,000 64.9% 2,437,000 66.0% 181,864 79.1%

2010

 137,263,000 59.8% 2,299,000 61.0% 167,638 70.4%

See chart

Voter Turnout

  

United States

Colorado

Larimer County

N Voted

% Voted

N Voted

% Voted

N Voted

% Voted

2004

 125,736,000 88.5% 2,097,000 90.9% 146,908 91.2%

2006

 96,119,000 70.8% 1,730,000 76.0% 115,133 74.6%

2008

 131,144,000 89.6% 2,308,000 94.7% 167,227 92.0%

2010

 95,987,000 69.9% 1,826,000 79.4% 127,700 76.2%

See chart

Voting Methods Used - Larimer County

2004

2006

2008

2010

N

%

N

%

N

%

N

%

Provisional

 1,798 1.2% 1,262 1.1% 3,159 1.9% 2,574 2.0%

Precinct

 52,481 36.1% 42,203 37.2% 25,155 15.3% 26,148 20.5%

Absentee

 92,833 63.9% 71,372 62.8% 138,978 84.7% 98,978 77.5%

See chart

Affiliations of Registered Voters - Larimer County

Republicans

Democrats

Other

N

Percent

N

Percent

N

Percent

2002

 75,706 40.2% 48,035 25.5% 63,367 33.7%

2004

 78,087 39.0% 52,288 26.1% 68,565 34.3%

2006

 74,739 38.0% 51,582 26.3% 68,923 35.1%

2008

 74,453 35.3% 60,363 28.6% 74,431 35.3%

2010

 75,276 34.3% 61,851 28.2% 82,427 37.5%

See chart