Who Votes In The Bluegrass State? The Composition of Kentucky's Electorate, 2002-2006

This report uses Census Bureau Current Population survey data to present information on Kentucky's population, voter registration and voting over time and compared to the United States. We pay special attention to the racial, ethnic, age and income demographics within Kentucky.

Key findings from the report include:

* Kentucky's population increased at a lower rate than the overall U.S. population between 2002 and 2006 -- 3 percent compared with 4 percent.

* Kentucky is much less racially and ethnically diverse than the U.S. as a whole -- 88 percent of Kentuckians are White compared to 66 percent of the U.S. population.

* Kentucky's population appears to be growing younger -- the state's "65 and over" age group declined by 80,000 in population between 2002 and 2006, while the " under 30" cohort swelled by approximately 120,000 people.

* Kentucky's White population has a high percentage of its population eligible to vote relative to Blacks and non-Whites (75 percent for the White population and 57 percent for the non-White population).

* Blacks gained ground in registration as a percent of their eligible voting population (47 percent in 1998 to 68 percent in 2006).

* Once registered, Kentucky's Blacks vote at a rate equal to Whites (68 percent of both groups in 2006).

* More than four out of five citizens aged 65 and over were registered in 2006 compared to fewer than 3 out of five citizens under 30.

* Just 33 percent of voting-eligible persons earning less than $25,000 in 2006 voted; 80 percent of persons earning more than $75,000 voted.