Lisa

We will need more specifics to direct you, for instance, what year/election?  I am going to assume turnout in 2012.

The national media pool exit polls are available at the ICPSR or at the Roper Center.  I have not used these extensively and cannot tell you whether or not they can be disaggregated to the congressional district level.  I suspect they can but also suspect that the sample sizes will be too small.  Keep in mind that these polls are intended to create national and state projections, therefore the samples are not designed to produce estimates at the CD level.  Furthermore, the 2012 data are not yet available.

You'd think that states would report consistent turnout data, but this has been a problematic issue.  To review the state of state level turnout files, I'd suggest you look at the "Election Performance Index" report from the Pew Center on the States.  A number of political scientists played a role in the construction of this document.  The short answer is that state level turnout data is relatively accurate at this point, but is seldom broken down by demographic group because voter registration files do not contain much beyond gender and age (plus race in Section 5 jurisdictions).

I think, but am not sure, that the information you want--turnout at the CD level for 2012--can be purchased here http://uselectionatlas.org/BOTTOM/store_data.php for $94.  The reason that Leip (and others) can and do charge for this information is that election results are not automatically reported at the CD level.  They are reported by most states at the county level. You can get precinct level files, but these cost money in some cases (see the Pew link above).  Then someone needs to reaggregate upwards from the precinct level back to the CD level.  This is not a simple procedure.  

I agree with Prof. Charles Stewart who has posted about Leip's data before--it's reliable and very modestly priced.  It's regularly updated.  I'd just pony up the $94 if you are able.

If you have $10,000 (  ;-)  ) you could gain access to the Catalist database. 


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Paul Gronke	Ph:   503-517-7393
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On Mar 6, 2013, at 6:40 AM, Lisa Lynne Lawrason wrote:

> I was wondering if anyone in the field could give me leads on whether Congressional district or even state-level voter turnout data by demographic group is available. If I could find something like exit poll data at the district or state level, that would be perfect. 
> 
> Thanks,
> Lisa Lawrason
> PhD Student 
> Wayne State University
> 
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