Blog 2

Voter turnout is defined as the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election. Midterm election hit a record high during the senate race, even though Texas has been known to have a low voter turnout. According to an article from THE WALL STREET JOURNAL by Aaron Zitner and Dante Chinni, Austin had more votes in the midterm election than the presidential election. The article goes on explaining the rarity of midterm elections surpassing presidential elections which has not been seen in centuries. The article compares vote casts from the presidential election in 2016, and the recent senate election in Texas, Montana, and Georgia. Focusing on Texas, the article explains the increase of votes in and around Austin. “Together, three counties in the Austin area produced nearly 24,000 more votes than they did in the 2016 presidential election”. Although the democratic senate won in those counties, Beto O’Rourke lost statewide by less than three percentage points. This article is filled with information about voter turnout, not only in Texas but in different parts of the United States. Professor Michael McDonald gives calculations of voter turnout which goes as far back as 1914. Reading this article will help increase your knowledge of the voter turnout during the midterm election and the presidential election of 2016.