2023 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium

Voting and Registration

Section 16: Voting and Registration

This section presents statistics on voting and registration during the 2020 US presidential election and is co-sponsored by the Rutgers University, Program on Disability Research. These statistics are adapted from the “Fact Sheet: Disability and Voter Turnout in the 2020 Elections,” by Lisa Schur and Douglas Kruse.  Go to https://smlr.rutgers.edu/faculty-research-engagement/program-disability-research for more detailed statistics.

 

These statistics concern the number and percentage of individuals with disabilities who voted, did not vote or were registered to vote. Specifically, the statistics address number and percentage of individuals who voted or did not vote by disability status, demographic characteristics, region, state and employment status. The statistics also present number and percentage of individuals who voted using different voting methods such as at a polling place or by mail. Finally, this section presents statistics about individuals who were registered to vote but did not vote by reason for not voting and disability status.

 

The underlying data source for this section is the Voting and Registration Supplement of the November 2020 Current Population Survey (CPS).

Table 16.1: Number and Percentage Voting and Not Voting, by Disability Status and Disability Type: 2020
Geography Disability Indicator Total number of citizens eligible to vote Voting Not Voting
Count % Count %
U.S. Total citizens 231,590,000 154,630,000 66.8 76,960,000 33.2
U.S. No Disability 202,870,000 136,890,000 67.5 65,990,000 32.5
U.S. Disability  28,720,000  17,740,000 61.8 10,980,000 38.2
U.S. Hearing Disability   8,850,000   6,060,000 68.5  2,780,000 31.5
U.S. Vision Disability   3,870,000   2,290,000 59.2  1,580,000 40.8
U.S. Cognitive Disability   9,170,000   4,650,000 50.7  4,520,000 49.3
U.S. Ambulatory Disability  16,300,000   9,840,000 60.4  6,460,000 39.6
U.S. Self-Care Disability   4,570,000   2,260,000 49.4  2,310,000 50.6
U.S. Independent Living Disability  10,310,000   5,320,000 51.6  4,990,000 48.4

Citation: Paul, S., Rogers, S., Bach, S., & Houtenville, A. (2023). Annual Disability Statistics Compendium: 2023 (Table 16.1) Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire, Institute on Disability. Note: Adapted from “Fact sheet: Disability and Voter Turnout in the 2020 Elections,” L. Schur & D. Kruse, 2021.
Table 16.2: Number and Percentage Voting, by Demographic Characteristics, Region, Employment Status and Disability Status: 2020
Geography Groups Disability No Disability Disability Gap
Count % Count % Percentage Points
U.S. Total Eligible Voters 17,740,000 61.8 136,890,000 67.5  -5.7
U.S. Women  9,480,000 62.7  72,670,000 69.2  -6.5
U.S. Men  8,260,000 60.8  64,220,000 65.6  -4.9
U.S. White non-Hispanic 13,140,000 64.8  96,690,000 71.9  -7.1
U.S. Black non-Hispanic  2,250,000 57.7  15,840,000 63.6  -5.9
U.S. Hispanic/Latino  1,470,000 50.6  14,990,000 54.1  -3.5
U.S. Other race/ethnicity    890,000 54.3   9,360,000 59.6  -5.4
U.S. Age 18-34  1,460,000 46.1  36,380,000 57.3 -11.2
U.S. Age 35-49  1,810,000 52.8  33,390,000 66.8 -14.1
U.S. Age 50-64  4,590,000 60.5  37,270,000 73.7 -13.2
U.S. Age 65+  9,880,000   68  29,840,000 76.9  -8.9
U.S. Northeast  3,040,000 63.8  24,310,000 69.6  -5.9
U.S. Midwest  4,040,000 63.1  30,170,000 69.4  -6.3
U.S. South  6,660,000 59.5  50,400,000 65.4  -5.9
U.S. West  4,000,000 62.9  32,000,000 67.5  -4.6
U.S. Employed  3,720,000 70.9  90,360,000 69.2   1.7
U.S. Not employed 14,020,000 59.7  46,530,000 64.4  -4.7

Citation: Paul, S., Rogers, S., Bach, S., & Houtenville, A. (2023). Annual Disability Statistics Compendium: 2023 (Table 16.2) Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire, Institute on Disability. Note: Adapted from “Fact sheet: Disability and Voter Turnout in the 2020 Elections,” L. Schur & D. Kruse, 2021.
Table 16.3: Number and Percentage Voting, by State and Disability Status: 2020
State Disability No Disability Disability Gap   State Disability No Disability Disability Gap
Count % Count % Percentage Point Count % Count % Percentage Point
U.S. 17,740,000 61.8 136,890,000 67.5  -5.7 MO    420,000 62.1   2,570,000 67.7  -5.6
AL    270,000 52.5   1,980,000 61.8  -9.3 MT     70,000 70.6     540,000 73.9  -3.2
AK     30,000 55.6     300,000 64.9  -9.3 NE    110,000 62.8     780,000 65.5  -2.7
AZ    450,000 76.8   3,200,000 71.3   5.6 NV    160,000 59.8   1,190,000 61.7    -2
AR    160,000   48   1,020,000 55.1  -7.2 NH     90,000 64.3     700,000 75.5 -11.3
CA  1,660,000 58.8  15,230,000 65.9    -7 NJ    460,000 71.6   4,180,000 79.1  -7.5
CO    300,000 66.4   2,530,000 67.7  -1.3 NM    140,000 64.7     800,000 62.3   2.4
CT    190,000 63.7   1,490,000   67  -3.3 NY    910,000 61.4   7,700,000 65.2  -3.8
DE     50,000 58.6     440,000 68.9 -10.3 NC    590,000   59   4,190,000 65.6  -6.6
DC     40,000 80.7     410,000 84.3  -3.6 ND     40,000 73.1     330,000 66.4   6.8
FL  1,070,000 61.6   8,650,000 62.2  -0.6 OH    760,000 62.5   5,370,000 71.4  -8.9
GA    500,000 62.8   4,390,000 66.4  -3.6 OK    270,000 55.5   1,360,000 58.8  -3.4
HI     70,000 61.1     560,000 64.8  -3.6 OR    330,000 70.6   2,070,000 74.7    -4
ID    110,000 59.7     730,000 65.8  -6.1 PA    810,000 61.8   5,940,000 71.6  -9.8
IL    650,000 64.3   5,410,000 68.9  -4.6 RI     70,000 62.6     440,000   67  -4.4
IN    350,000 59.3   2,650,000 61.3    -2 SC    310,000   60   2,150,000   64    -4
IA    170,000 67.4   1,450,000 70.9  -3.5 SD     50,000 54.4     330,000 59.2  -4.8
KS    160,000 58.7   1,140,000 66.8  -8.1 TN    380,000 53.9   2,970,000 68.5 -14.6
KY    380,000 64.1   1,830,000 69.5  -5.3 TX  1,320,000 59.4  10,550,000 64.5  -5.2
LA    270,000 57.7   1,770,000 62.6  -4.8 UT    120,000 56.4   1,270,000 64.4    -8
ME    140,000 68.8     630,000 71.9  -3.1 VT     30,000 67.7     310,000 68.5  -0.7
MD    250,000 59.4   2,910,000 75.1 -15.7 VA    430,000 68.3   3,840,000 71.9  -3.6
MA    340,000 63.7   2,910,000 66.7    -3 WA    510,000 63.6   3,340,000 72.9  -9.4
MI    630,000 60.1   4,370,000   68  -7.9 WV    140,000 53.7     630,000 56.6    -3
MN    340,000 76.3   2,880,000 78.1  -1.8 WI    350,000 63.6   2,900,000   75 -11.4
MS    220,000 62.6   1,310,000 71.8  -9.2 WY     40,000 61.4     240,000 66.2  -4.9

Citation: Paul, S., Rogers, S., Bach, S., & Houtenville, A. (2023). Annual Disability Statistics Compendium: 2023 (Table 16.3) Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire, Institute on Disability. Note: Adapted from “Fact sheet: Disability and Voter Turnout in the 2020 Elections,” L. Schur & D. Kruse, 2021.
Table 16.4: Number and Percentage Voting by Voting Method and Disability Status: 2020
Geography Voting Method Disability No Disability Disability Gap
Count Percent Count Percent Percentage Points
U.S. Total 17,740,000  100 136,890,000  100  -  
U.S. At polling place on election day  4,540,000 25.8  42,410,000 31.2 -5.5
U.S. At polling place before election day  3,710,000 21.1  36,520,000 26.9 -5.8
U.S. By mail before election day  9,150,000 51.9  54,890,000 40.4 11.5
U.S. By mail on election day    220,000  1.3   2,090,000  1.5 -0.3

Citation: Paul, S., Rogers, S., Bach, S., & Houtenville, A. (2023). Annual Disability Statistics Compendium: 2023 (Table 16.4) Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire, Institute on Disability. Note: Adapted from “Fact sheet: Disability and Voter Turnout in the 2020 Elections,” L. Schur & D. Kruse, 2021.
Table 16.5: Number and Percentage Registered But Not Voting by Reason for not Voting and Disability Status: 2020
Geography Reasons for not voting [1] Disability No Disability Disability Gap
Count Percent Count Percent Percentage Points
U.S. Total number of non-voters 2,260,000  100 10,140,000  100   -  
U.S. Illness or disability   820,000 36.5    840,000  8.3  28.2
U.S. Not interested - felt my vote wouldn't make a difference   290,000   13  1,960,000 19.3  -6.3
U.S. Didn't like candidates or campaign issues   260,000 11.3  1,610,000 15.9  -4.6
U.S. Concerns about the coronavirus - COVID-19 pandemic   120,000  5.4    430,000  4.2   1.2
U.S. Too busy- conflicting work or school schedule   100,000  4.3  1,580,000 15.6 -11.3
U.S. Transportation problems    90,000    4    210,000  2.1   1.9
U.S. Forgot to vote or send in absentee ballot    80,000  3.7    390,000  3.9  -0.2
U.S. Registration problems i.e., didn't receive absentee ballot, not registered in current location    80,000  3.7    550,000  5.4  -1.7
U.S. Out of town or away from home    60,000  2.5    720,000  7.1  -4.6
U.S. Inconvenient hours, polling place or hours or lines too long    40,000  1.7    300,000  2.9  -1.2
U.S. Bad weather conditions         0  0.2          0    0   0.2
U.S. Other   310,000 13.7  1,550,000 15.3  -1.6

Citation: Paul, S., Rogers, S., Bach, S., & Houtenville, A. (2023). Annual Disability Statistics Compendium: 2023 (Table 16.5) Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire, Institute on Disability. Note: Adapted from “Fact sheet: Disability and Voter Turnout in the 2020 Elections,” L. Schur & D. Kruse, 2021.
[1] This survey question was limited to individuals who were registered to vote but did not vote which is a subset of non-voters.