WASHINGTON — Enthusiasm among blacks and Democrats for President-elect Barack Obama’s candidacy pushed voter turnout to the highest level in 40 years.
Final figures from nearly every state and the District of Columbia showed that more than 131 million people voted last month, the most ever for a presidential election. A little more than 122 million voted in 2004.
This year’s total is 61.6 percent of the nation’s eligible voters, the highest turnout rate since 1968, when Republican Richard Nixon defeated Democrat Hubert Humphrey, said Michael McDonald, a political-science professor at George Mason University.
States finished certifying their election results over the weekend. The Electoral College was scheduled to elect Obama president today, with electors meeting in each state to vote in a largely ceremonial procedure.
Turnout increased for the third straight presidential election, encouraging news for those who have warned about voter apathy. Four years ago, 60.1 percent of those eligible voted.
President George W. Bush’s unpopularity after eight years in office, the nation’s fatigue with the Iraq war and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression — coupled with Obama’s message of change — contributed to the increased turnout. He was also helped by a surge in black voters, who had the opportunity to elect the first black president.
The number of registered Democrats jumped in many states, helping to propel Obama to a larger share of the vote than Sen. John Kerry had in 2004 in 44 states and the District of Columbia.
Early voting hit a new high, with about 41 million people — or more than 31 percent — voting before Election Day.
