Civic engagement takes many forms. Participation in the electoral process is another way in which people are involved in their community.
More than eight in ten Mid-Hudson Valley residents are registered to vote comparable to five years ago. The proportion of registered voters is consistent throughout the region. More than 80% of residents in each of the seven counties are registered to vote at their current address although Putnam County boasts the greatest proportion of registered voters.
Reflecting national trends, Mid-Hudson Valley residents under the age of thirty are among the least likely to be registered to vote. Just 68% of residents who fall within this age group are registered to vote. In contrast, 81% of residents between the ages of 31 and 44, and 91% of residents 45 or older are registered.
Residents who have recently moved to their community or those who do not own property or a business in the area are also less likely to be registered to vote than residents as a whole.
Registration is also low among those who are economically vulnerable including members of households with low income and particularly those with children, households that have received public assistance in the past year, the uninsured, and the unemployed.
Latino residents are less likely to be registered to vote, as well. Just 69% of Latinos are registered voters compared with 86% of African American residents and 86% of white residents.
