Rhode Island
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Author Topic: Rhode Island  (Read 1801 times)
True Democrat
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Junior Chimp
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« on: September 04, 2006, 09:20:58 PM »

Why was voter turnout so low in the late 1800s?

According to wikipedia, the population was 174,620 (US Census) in 1860.  But in that year's presidential election, only 19,951 people voted.  This trend continues until about 1920, when voter participation really picked up.  Can anyone explain this?
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Cubby
Pim Fortuyn
Junior Chimp
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« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2006, 03:52:04 PM »

Rhode Island had very restrictive voting rules in the 19th Century. Jews weren't allowed to vote until the 1840's, and there might have been a property requirement for white males long after this was dropped in other states.
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RBH
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« Reply #2 on: September 06, 2006, 10:51:21 PM »

Rhode Island did also have a mini-revolution in the 30s too. The Almanac of American Politics says this:

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minionofmidas
Lewis Trondheim
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« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2006, 04:39:28 AM »

Methinks the Chafees still hold power in Rhode Island.
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jimrtex
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« Reply #4 on: September 07, 2006, 11:56:19 AM »

Why was voter turnout so low in the late 1800s?

According to wikipedia, the population was 174,620 (US Census) in 1860.  But in that year's presidential election, only 19,951 people voted.  This trend continues until about 1920, when voter participation really picked up.  Can anyone explain this?
Rhode Island had a very high immigrant population, and a high ratio of native females to native males.  For example, in 1900, 40% of Rhode Island males 18-44 were foreign born.   In 1920, the ratio of adult native females to adult native males was 110%.

Large scale immigration into the US stopped in the 1910s.  From 1920 on you would have had the effect of native born children of immigrants becoming adults; with older immigrants becoming naturalized or dieing (40 years or so after they immigrated).

Based on data from:

Historical Census Data

Eligible population (over 21 native and naturalized)

                             Male          Female
                        -------------  --------------
Year  Tot   Vot Vot  Ntv Ntr Vot Ntv  Ntr         
1910 542 116 116   84 32
1920 604 282 135   97 38 147 107 40
1930 687 341 169 120 49 182 134 48
1940 713 425 207 161 46 218 177 41
1950 791 514 257 213 44 257 213 44

Male/Female not available for 1950, so I simply halved the total.

Note the number of persons who could vote increased by 143% between 1910 and 1920.   Turnout declined between 1916 and 1920.  In later years, turnout increased into the 70s.  This might also reflect an aging population.
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