A Look at Historical Voter Turnout in Presidential Cycles

The 2008 presidential election will be the first one in 56 years (since 1952) where neither a sitting President, nor a sitting Vice President, will be on the ballot. It's also worth noting that the election of 1952 had the highest voter turnout in modern history.

YEAR - WINNER vs. LOSER (% PARTICIPATION )
2004 - President Bush vs. Senator Kerry (55.3%) 2000 - Governor Bush vs. Vice President Gore (51.3%) - though, Gore didn't lose...
1996 - President Clinton vs. Senator Dole (49.1%)
1992 - Governor Clinton vs. President Bush (55.1%)
1988 - Vice President Bush vs. Governor Dukakis (50.1%)
1984 - President Reagan vs. Former Vice President Mondale (53.1%) 1980 - Governor Reagan vs. President Carter (52.6%)
1976 - Governor Carter vs. President Ford (53.6%)
1972 - President Nixon vs. Senator McGovern (55.2%)
1968 - Former Vice President Nixon vs. Vice President Humphrey (60.8%)
1964 - President Johnson vs. Senator Goldwater (61.9%) 1960 - Senator Kennedy vs. Vice President Nixon (63.1%)
1956 - President Eisenhower vs. Governor Stevenson (60.6%)
1952 - General Eisenhower vs. Governor Stevenson (63.3%)
1948 - President Truman vs. Governor Dewey (62.5%)
1944 - President Roosevelt vs. Governor Dewey (56.0%)