---
title: "III. A Diverse Electorate"
description: "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 […]"
date: "2009-04-30"
authors:
  - name: "Mark Hugo Lopez"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2009/04/30/iii-a-diverse-electorate/"
---

# III. A Diverse Electorate

![](https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/04/2009-electorate-08.png?w=373)

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.

![](https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/04/2009-electorate-09.png?w=384)

- 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).

---

**Next:** [III. Voter Turnout Rates](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2009/04/30/voter-turnout-rates.md)