Presidential Election Years Draws More Voters than Non-Presidential Election Years in Maverick County
By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2016
The Eagle Pass Business Journal reviewed the Maverick County registered voters participation rates during Presidential Election years such as the instant 2016 compared to Non-Presidential Election years, finding that more registered voters participate and vote during Presidential Election years than Non-Presidential Election years. Thus, a strong voter turnout is expected for the February 16-26, 2016 Early Voting Period as well as the March 1, 2016 Texas Primary Election date.
A total of 28 local persons registered their candidacies for different county, state and national public offices for the 2016 Presidential Election Year cycle. Local candidates hope that the increased surge of voters this year may give them the opportunity to get elected into public office.
According to Texas Secretary of State annual reports on Texas Voters participation rates, Presidential Election years causes more Texans to come and vote than during Non-Presidential Election years.
Texas Secretary of State reports show that Maverick County voters have had a decline of voter participation rates during Non-Presidential Election Years similarly to the state of Texas.
During the Non- Presidential Election years of 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014, Maverick County voters participation rates decreased compared to Presidential Election Years.
Secretary of State Reports show that in 1990 Maverick County had 12,038 registered voters (RV) with 42.03 % or 5,059 coming out to vote.
In 1992, which was a Presidential election year, Maverick County voter participation increased to 7,335 votes, an increase of 2,276 votes. There was also an increase of 1,305 ( more voter registrations during that two year span with 13,343 registered voters in Maverick County.
During 1994, a Non- Presidential election year, Maverick County reported 14,136 registered voters with only 5,547 of them voting (39.24%). Voter participation did have a decrease of 1,788 less votes cast (5,547) in 1994 compared to 1992 (7,335). During that same time there was an increase of 793 new voters registered.
During 1990 to 1994, the total number of voters and voter registrations gained during this four year period went hand in hand, but decreased in 1994 by 1,788 less voters casting ballots.
From 1994 to 1996, which was a national Presidential election year, Maverick County once again gained 4,075 new registered voters in a two year span averaging to 2,037 voter registrations per year going from 14,136 in 1994 to 18,211 in 1996. In that same time frame, there was only a 1,039 increased difference in voter participation, averaging to 519 new votes per year from 1994 ( 5,547 votes) to 1996 ( 6,586 votes).
These numbers show a problem as there were three times the voters registered (4,075) from 1994 to 1996 than the increase of voters participating (1,039) in the electoral process.
The decreased amount of votes depicts a lack of voter interest and participation from the Maverick Countians, including newly registered voters exercising their civic right to go out and vote.
From 1996 to1998, Maverick County gained 2,412 new registered voters, increasing from 18.211 to 20,623 registered voters, averaging 1,206 new registered voters per year. In that same time span, there was a 1,740 loss of voter turnout from 1996 to 1998 decreasing from 6,586 votes in 1996 to 4,846 votes in 1998. Although voter registrations continue to increase in Maverick County during this period, voter participation does not, losing voter participation along these years instead of gaining.
In 2000, another Presidential year, Maverick County gained 4,365 votes with 9,229 votes cast in comparison to the previous year (1998) which only had 4,864 for an increase of 47% more votes than the previous election year. In that two year span, there was a 1,160 voter registrations gain to 21,783 from 20,623 in 1998, averaging 580 new registrations per year between 1998 and 2000.
The significant increase in voters numbers in 2000 shows Maverick Countians respect and enthusiasm for voting during Presidential election years unlike non-presidential election years.
In 2002, Maverick County had a 2,832 decrease in voter participation going from 9,229 votes casted in 2000 to 6,397 votes in 2002. During this time span from 2000 to 2002, there was a 31% decrease in voters’ participation from one election cycle to the next. There was a 2,337 increase in new voter registrations going from 21,783 registered voters in 2000 to 24,120 in 2002. There was a greater loss of votes (2,832) in 2002 than even the increase of new registered voters (2,337).
It is quite obvious that Maverick Countians do not come out and vote during non-presidential election years than presidential election years.
During the 2004, Presidential election year there was an increase of 3,637 voters at the polls going from 6,397 votes casted in 2002 to 10,034 during the 2004 election cycle, an increase of 36%. During that same time period, there was an increase of 1,079 voters registered from 24,120 in 2002 to 25,041 in 2004.
Another obvious conclusion is that when there are federal government elections, Maverick Countians come out and vote in larger numbers than those years where there are not any federal elections.
During 2006, Maverick County once again saw a decrease of 40% of voter participation during a non-presidential election year, a total of 6,078 less votes in comparison to 2004 which had 10,034 votes cast compared to a paltry 3,956 votes cast in 2006. In 2006, there were 25,528 registered voters in Maverick County, an increase of 1,408 registered voters from 2004 (24,120) to 2006.
Again we see a great decrease in 2006 (3,956) voter participation in comparison to 2004 (10,034) and even 2002 (6,397 votes) even with more than 1,400 new registered voters.
Maverick County had one of the lowest voter participation rates in modern election history bringing in 3,956 votes or 15.50% in 2006 with 25,528 voters registered.
During the 2008, Presidential Election year in which Barack Obama was elected President, Maverick County amassed a whopping 6,983 more votes doubling the previous year total of 3,956 (2006) votes cast. 2008’s vote totals were 10,939 votes. There were also another 1,531 new voter registrations added from 2006 (25528) to 2008 (27,050).
During 2010, a non-presidential election year, there were 7,155 votes cast, a decrease of 3,784 or 35% less votes from the previous election year of 2008(10,939). During this two year period, there were only 45 new voter registrations going from 27,050 to 27,095 in Maverick County.
In 2012, a Presidential electoral year in which President Obama was elected to a second term, there was again an increase of 32% in voter participation with 3,407 more votes (10,562) than in 2010 which only had 7,155 votes cast. There were 815 new voter registrations from 2010 to 2012 increasing to 27,910 from 27,095 in Maverick County.
In 2014, and under the most recent elections there was a decrease of almost 50% (5,264) less votes from the previous electoral year of 2012. There were only 5,298 votes cast in 2014 as compared to 10,562 votes in 2012. There were 942 new registered voters added to the Maverick County registered voter rolls during this two year span.
This year, 2016, being a Presidential Election year bodes well for political candidates with an expected surge of voter participation among Maverick Countians. Just how many voters will cast their ballots during the March 1, 2016 Primaries is anyone guess, but a conservative figure should be between 10,000 to 11,000 voters. Anything less would be considered a low voter turnout. We’ll soon find out after March 1st how Maverick Countians fared in voter participation in the 2016 Texas Primary Elections.
