Voter Turnout in NYC: Results from the 2008/2009 Elections and Strategies for 2012/2013

New York City’s most recent mayoral election yielded the lowest voter turnout since 1969 with only 26 percent of the 4.1 million registered voters casting a ballot. The Voter Assistance Commission is responsible for identifying under-registered segments of the city's population and enabling eligible residents to register and vote. In November 2010, the Campaign Finance Board (CFB) expanded its mission when voters approved a City Charter amendment that moved the Voter Assistance Commission to CFB. The Capstone team assisted the CFB with this new role by preparing a statistical analysis to identify New Yorker’s voting patterns and the factors that impact the voter turnout rate. While research has been performed at the local level, it is outdated and excludes the emergence of the Internet. The analysis informed the team's recommendations for potential programs and activities to increase turnout in the 2012 and 2013 elections.