Among the most

notable trends, according to Cox, was that blacks and young adults made

up a higher percentage of the electorate than in 1996.

Black Georgians

cast 23.2 percent of the ballots last November, up from 21.2 percent in

1996.

Participation

among those in hte 18-24 age group, who typically have by far the lowest

levels of turnout, also grew somewhat since 1996, from 5.6 to 6.8 percent

of the electorate.

Political parties,

educators, candidates and elections officials throughout the nation have

been exploring new ideas and initiatives to increase youth registration

and turnout.

While the new

data confirms that voting by the young still far trails that of older

citizens, Cox said the 2000 data offers some cause for optimism that youth

voting may begin to improve.

Overall statewide

turnout was slightly under 69 percent, a significant increase from the

61.5-percent tally in 1996.

Turnout among

white registrants was 71.4 percent, and among blacks it was 62.8 percent.

Female voters

continued to significantly outnumber males. Women cast 55.4 percent of

the ballots in last year's general election, an increase of about one

percent since 1996.

The data also

shows that, up to age 65, turnout increases with age, with some 81 percent

of registrants age 60-64 turning out to vote in last year's presidential

contest.

The Credit

for Voting report is generated based on more than two and a half million

entries of voter history by voter registration officials in all 159 counties.

Georgia's statistical summary of who did and did not vote in the election

is believed to be one of the most detailed in the nation.

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