Turnout of blacks, whites said higher in '04 presidential vote

WASHINGTON -- Whites and blacks voted in the 2004 presidential elections at higher rates than they did four years earlier, the Census Bureau reported yesterday.

That was not the case with Hispanics, one of the most heavily courted groups of voters by the political parties. The voting rates did not change for Hispanics or Asian-Americans.

The census report was based on the annual Current Population Survey of 60,000 households.

It reflected the increase in voter turnout in 2004 that has been mentioned in other voting reports, such as the Committee for the Study of the American Electorate's report in January.

Voter turnout totals from a survey tend to be slightly higher than the actual turnout because of overreporting.

President Bush won reelection in 2004 by claiming 50.8 percent of the ballots cast. His Democratic opponents, Senator John F. Kerry of Massachusetts, took 48.3 percent.

The census report indicated people 65 and older had the highest voter registration rate of any age group, at 79 percent.

People ages 18 to 24 had the lowest, voter registration rate, 58 percent.

The voter turnout for people with at least a college degree was 80 percent. The rate for those with a high school education or less was 56 percent.