Chart of Voter Turnout in 2014 and 2018

Even more revealing than the table of the fifty states' voter turnout is the chart depicting the turnout in 2014 and 2018.

Notice the variation among the states in terms of voter turnout in 2014 and the linear nature of voter turnout in 2018. Only two states--Alaska and Louisiana--had a decrease in voter turnout. The average increase in voter turnout was 13 percent. The article in the Tribune stresses the importance of competitive races and money in driving voter turnout, but the efforts of the political parties and other groups supporting various methods of contact--including, most importantly, block-walking--is testament to the argument that giving people a reason to vote is more important than reducing barriers to voting in increasing voter turnout. The importance of each factor--ease of registering to vote and mobilization of voters--would be an interesting research question.