Baby steps for Tea Partyistas and Occupiers

Can you explain how 8.4 million votes cast in a nation of 46 million indicates a turnout of 81.8%?

Even if I concede that women were not permitted to vote, your figure of 81.8% would require that more than 55% the male population was ineligible to vote.

Your figures don't add up.

Some possible factors:

1) women not allowed to vote
2) immigrants who were not yet citizens
3) voting age was 21, thus disqualifying a significant number of children and young adults

Hoops is correct. According to more than one source, for example here:
https://www.historycentral.com/elections/1876.html nearly 82 percent of eligilble voters voted. The same is true for the the results in 2008. That is not 57% of the population but 57% of the eligible voters.

Some further information to help things add up.

According to the official US census of 1880 (closest date to the numbers in question) the official population of the US was 50,155,783. Of that 25,518,820 were male and 24,036,963 were female and hence not eligible to vote.

Of the 25,518,820 some 12,688,471 of the males were under 21 leaving us, without any further filter at all with some 12,830,349 males 21 or over.

So just based on age criteria alone some 49.7 percent of the males in the US were not eligible to vote in 1880. And that is just age. So a total of 55 percent is not that far a reach.

The number of eligible voters will be decreased by millions in the next election thanks to new voter suppression laws being enacted in several states - which coincidentally are all run by Republican Governors - and which coincidentally are targeted at voters in the other party.

The so called voter supression laws require such tactics as requiring a drivers license or passport - the same requirement I need to get on a plane or cash a check or pick up tickets at Stubhub

Thanks marcr. I figured that the comparison between 2008 and 1876 was apples and oranges, and you've confirmed it.

Republicans figured out long ago that they don't do well at the polls when Americans vote.

You dont need a passport or drivers license to pay taxes or to be a resident of the United States.

Student ID's aren't allowed....but gun licences are. Take a guess as to how those two groups vote. And early voting is being shortened. Guess which candidate overwhelmingly benefited from early voting in the last election.

When everybody votes the Republicans lose. Instead of changing their message to attract more people they change the rules to shrink the voting base. Isn't it funny when they call Obama an elitist?

Not sure they are relavent but both are comparing the percentage of those eligible who voted. In 1876 it was nearly 82 percent and in 2008 57 percent. Now the populations who were eligible differed but the point is still a valid one and on point to Ken's comments.