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Election Turnout
Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County Vote Center, Staples Center, 2020

Los Angeles County Vote Center at Staples Center, 2020 - Photo courtesy of Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Twitter


Since 1992, the highest turnout of registered voters for a presidential election in Los Angeles County was for the 2008 election between Barack Obama and John McCain. Then, 78.4 percent of registered voters turned out. For the 2020 presidential election, 74.6 percent of registered voters were reported to have cast ballots - the highest since that 2008 election. The 2020 election in Los Angeles County, however, had the highest voting turnout of all eligible voters (more than 70 percent), since at least 1992.


The highest turnout by registered Los Angeles County voters for a mid-term election (the final count for the 2022 General Election is still pending) was the 2018 General Election. Then, 57 pecent of registered L.A. County voters cast a ballot.


Eligible & Registered Voters, 1990-2022
Including Turnout & Votes by Mail

Election Persons Eligible to Vote Persons Registered to Vote Mail Ballots Cast Total Votes Cast Mail Ballot Percentage of Votes Turnout of Registered Voters Turnout of Eligible Voters
2022 General 6,663,965 5,601,835 1,969,333 2,456,701 80.2% 43.9% 36.9%
2022 Primary 6,677,886 5,690,637 1,371,722 1,620,593 84.7% 28.5% 24.3%
2021 Recall 6,038,668 5,690,406 2,522,568 2,943,340 85.7% 51.7% 48.7%
2020 General 6,129,494 5,813,333 3,424,426 4,338,191 78.9% 74.6% 70.8%
2020 Primary 6,184,428 5,546,785 1,141,594 2,122,469 53.8% 38.3% 34.3%
Election Persons Eligible to Vote Persons Registered to Vote Mail Ballots Cast Total Votes Cast Mail Ballot Percentage of Votes Turnout of Registered Voters Turnout of Eligible Voters
2018 General 6,230,147 5,306,704 1,350,313 3,023,417 44.7% 57.0% 48.5%
2018 Primary 6,216,686 5,149,461 665,075 1,490,502 44.6% 28.9% 24.0%
2016 General 6,222,266 5,253,427 1,283,648 3,544,115 36.2% 67.5% 57.0%
2016 Primary 6,199,606 4,909,904 722,079 2,026,068 35.6% 41.3% 32.7%
2014 General 6,096,320 4,897,915 577,023 1,518,835 38.0% 31.0% 24.9%
Election Persons Eligible to Vote Persons Registered to Vote Mail Ballots Cast Total Votes Cast Mail Ballot Percentage of Votes Turnout of Registered Voters Turnout of Eligible Voters
2014 Primary 6,076,302 4,857,424 400,694 824,070 48.6% 17.0% 13.6%
2012 General 5,976,156 4,758,437 975,828 3,236,704 30.2% 68.0% 54.2%
2012 Primary 5,959,291 4,459,268 431,811 973,274 44.4% 21.8% 16.3%
2010 General 5,823,294 4,449,415 678,651 2,377,105 28.6% 53.4% 40.8%
2010 Primary 5,804,922 4,352,711 369,499 1,021,448 36.2% 23.5% 17.6%
Election Persons Eligible to Vote Persons Registered to Vote Mail Ballots Cast Total Votes Cast Mail Ballot Percentage of Votes Turnout of Registered Voters Turnout of Eligible Voters
2008 General 5,775,838 4,298,440 810,222 3,368,057 24.1% 78.4% 58.3%
2008 Primary 5,712,484 3,963,780 482,921 2,183,998 22.1% 55.1% 38.2%
2006 General 5,708,463 3,914,138 531,383 2,033,119 26.1% 51.9% 35.6%
2006 Primary 5,691,552 3,839,483 314,824 1,050,076 30.0% 27.4% 18.5%
2004 General 5,656,610 3,972,738 521,004 2,710,280 19.2% 77.7% 54.6%
Election Persons Eligible to Vote Persons Registered to Vote Mail Ballots Cast Total Votes Cast Mail Ballot Percentage of Votes Turnout of Registered Voters Turnout of Eligible Voters
2004 Primary 5,628,181 3,682,950 252,444 1,251,521 20.2% 37.5% 24.5%
2003 Recall 5,602,765 3,996,700 515,137 2,203,838 23.4% 55.1% 39.3%
2002 General 5,513,142 3,976,189 303,207 1,690,101 17.9% 44.9% 32.4%
2002 Primary 5,596,320 4,140,740 218,976 1,070,65 20.5% 25.9% 19.1%
2000 General 5,367,115 4,075,037 540,183 2,720,067 19.9% 68.0% 51.6%
Election Persons Eligible to Vote Persons Registered to Vote Mail Ballots Cast Total Votes Cast Mail Ballot Percentage of Votes Turnout of Registered Voters Turnout of Eligible Voters
2000 Primary 5,354,117 3,808,488 316,882 1,836,153 17.3% 48.2% 34.3%
1998 General 5,221,673 3,854,817 407,776 2,058,862 19.8% 53.4% 39.4%
1998 Primary 5,192,309 3,772,592 285,532 1,450,126 19.7% 38.4% 27.9%
1996 General 4,517,259 3,857,805 396,033 2,505,790 15.8% 65.0% 55.5%
1996 Primary 4,509,175 3,620,677 257,359 1,346,358 19.1% 37.2% 29.9%
Election Persons Eligible to Vote Persons Registered to Vote Mail Ballots Cast Total Votes Cast Mail Ballot Percentage of Votes Turnout of Registered Voters Turnout of Eligible Voters
1994 General xxx xxx xxx xxx 17.5% 31.8% 24.4%
1994 Primary 4,620,158 3,550,877 197,824 1,128,308 17.5% 31.8% 24.4%
1992 General 5,601,005 3,744,096 388,795 2,831,077 13.7% 76.6% 50.6%
1992 Primary 4,924,912 3,338,914 226,130 1,612,673 14.0% 48.3% 32.8%
1990 General 5,529,883 3,487,180 270,645 1,925,811 14.1% 55.2% 24.8%
1990 Primary 5,514,586 3,402,509 177,295 1,283,079 13.8% 37.7% 23.4%

† California Gubernatorial Recall Election

Source: California Secretary of State and Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk