Record Vote

The 1952 presidential election brought out the biggest vote in U.S. history, more than 60 million. This bettered by about 11 million the previous high set in 1940.

It also reversed a trend alarming to those who believe that a democracy is weakened when citizens fail to go to the polls: the 60 million turnout represented more than 61% of U.S. adults. In 1948, only 52% of those over 21 voted.

A good deal of credit for the 1952 showing goes to a spectacular get-out-the-vote drive sparked by American Heritage Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan agency. Beginning last June, the foundation (chairman: New York Banker Winthrop Aldrich; vice chairman A.F.L. President William Green) went hammer & tongs to obtain the cooperation of civic groups, broadcasters, editors, educators, cartoonists, advertisers.

Statistical comparisons indicated that the U.S. electorate still has a lot of ground to recover before it does as well as in 1880, when 78.4% of all potential votes were cast. It is even further away from the performances of Belgians, who voted 90% strong in 1950, or Britons who voted 83% in 1951. Laziness or indifference, however, may not be the most important factor in the U.S. voting record. Americans are a mobile people; upwards of 30 million changed residence in 1951. Since most states and counties have long residence requirements, a lot of shifting citizens temporarily lose their vote every election. Needed, in conjunction with the drive for more voters: an updating of U.S. state election laws to keep pace with peripatetic Americans.

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