Ohioans tend to be proud of the Buckeye State’s perennial swing state status and the attention it receives come election time.
But a national study shows that enthusiasm doesn’t always translate to more citizen participation in politics.
Ohio ranked No. 34 — tied with Wyoming — in a report examining voter registration, voter turnout and political contributions as indicators of a politically involved and interested electorate. Topping the list were Massachusetts, Colorado, Minnesota, Washington, D.C. and Wisconsin.
D.C.-based personal finance website WalletHub crunched the numbers, giving extra weight to voter turnout during the 2010 and 2012 elections. The study also considered the change in voter turnout between 2008 and 2012 and the amount of political contributions made compared to the adult population.
As for turning out the youth vote, Ohio ranked No. 13 for the largest percentage of voters age 18-29 who cast ballots in 2012 — 46 percent.
Ohio did not end up on top five or bottom five lists for any of the individual indicators. Voter turnout in Ohio reached 77 percent in 1992, and has declined since, according to records kept by the Ohio secretary of state.
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