Which U.S. states had the highest and lowest voter registration rates in 2024?
Executive summary
State-by-state registration counts for 2024 vary by source and methodology: the Census’s Current Population Survey (CPS) reports 73.6% of the citizen voting‑age population (CVAP) were registered in the 2024 presidential election [1], while the Election Assistance Commission’s EAVS collected from state election officials reports 211 million active registered voters — 86.6% of the CVAP [2]. Available sources do not provide a single, authoritative list of which individual U.S. states had the single highest and lowest voter registration rates in 2024; state rankings appear in secondary compilations (e.g., USAFacts) and state election reports that use differing definitions and timing [3] [2].
1. Two incompatible national baselines, two different answers
Two reputable national datasets give very different headline registration rates for 2024 because they measure different things. The Census Bureau’s CPS supplement — a household survey of citizens — estimates 73.6% of the citizen voting‑age population were registered in the 2024 presidential election [1]. By contrast, the Election Assistance Commission’s 2024 EAVS compiled administrative data directly from every state and territory and reports 211 million active registered voters, equal to 86.6% of the CVAP [2]. Those two metrics are both valid but not directly comparable; one is survey‑based and subject to sampling and self‑reporting, the other is an administrative roll count and subject to differences in how states maintain “active” lists [1] [2].
2. Why state rankings differ: timing, definitions and list maintenance
State‑by‑state rankings depend on methodology. The EAC’s 86.6% figure is derived from state rosters at the time they reported to EAVS and counts “active” registered voters [2]. The CPS asks individuals whether they are registered and produces estimates by demographic groups and region [1] [4]. Outside analysts compiling state lists (USAFacts, news outlets) often mix administrative voter‑file snapshots with Census or independent turnout estimates; that mixing changes which state appears highest or lowest [3]. The Census also publishes detailed P20 tables with state and demographic breakdowns, but those are presented as estimates and require users to reconcile margins of error and sampling design [4] [5].
3. What secondary sources say about state extremes
Some secondary compilations flag consistent patterns: Minnesota frequently ranks near the top for turnout and registration in recent years, while states such as Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas are often in the lower tier for registration or turnout in 2024 snapshots [6] [3] [7]. USAFacts’ August 2025 compilation cites Minnesota at about 84% registration and Arkansas at about 64.7% for 2024, but that is a post‑election aggregation of state releases and is separate from CPS or EAVS methodologies [3]. The Axios and Ballotpedia pieces focus primarily on turnout, not registration, and show Minnesota and several Northeastern/Midwestern states near the top for participation, with Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas and some Southern states near the bottom — again reflecting turnout rather than a single registration ranking [8] [9].
4. Why the question has political and technical stakes
Which state is “highest” or “lowest” matters for narratives about registration access and electoral competitiveness, but the answer depends on the metric chosen. Administrative roll counts can overstate active participation if lists are not fully purged; survey estimates can undercount registration among hard‑to‑reach groups or overstate it via respondent misreporting [2] [1]. Advocacy groups emphasize policies (automatic registration, same‑day registration, online registration) when promoting higher state rates; researchers note those policies are correlated with higher registration and turnout but caution that causation is complex and context‑dependent [10] [11].
5. What reporting can and cannot tell you from available sources
Available sources confirm national registration estimates from two authoritative perspectives: 73.6% (CPS) and 86.6% (EAVS) [1] [2]. Available sources do not provide a single consensus table in these search results that names the one state with the absolute highest and lowest registration rate under a single agreed methodology for 2024; instead, state‑level claims appear in different compilations and use different denominators [3] [4]. If you want a definitive state ranking under one methodology, specify which metric you prefer (CPS sample percentage, state administrative active‑roll percentage from EAVS, or an independent voter‑file snapshot) and I will extract and reconcile the relevant state figures from the cited data products [1] [2] [4].
6. Quick reading list and next steps
- For survey‑based state estimates and P20 tables: U.S. Census Voting and Registration (CPS) — P20 detailed tables and the April 2025 press release [1] [4].
- For administrative roll counts reported by election officials: EAC’s 2024 EAVS report [2].
- For aggregated state compilations and journalistic treatments (useful but methodologically mixed): USAFacts [3], Ballotpedia and Axios [9] [8].
If you want, tell me which methodology you prefer (CPS survey, EAVS administrative roll, or a third party’s voter‑file snapshot) and I will pull the top and bottom state names and figures from the cited sources.