Voters in 2008 were the most diverse U.S. electorate ever. Nearly one-quarter (23.7%) of all voters in 2008 were non-white, continuing a trend of growing diversity among voters in presidential contests.

  • More than three-quarters (76.3%) of all voters in 2008 were white, down 2.9 percentage points from a 79.2% share in 2004. The share of the electorate that was white in 2008 was the lowest in U.S. history.
  • Blacks increased their share of the electorate from 11.0% in 2004 to 12.1% in 2008.
  • Latinos also increased their share of the electorate, from 6.0% in 2004 to 7.4% in 2008.
  • Asian represented 2.5% of all voters in 2008, up from 2.3% in 2004.
  • Among voters in 2008, 17.1% were ages 18 to 29, up from 16.0% in 2004 (Kirby and Kawashima-Ginsberg, 2009).