# Voter Registration Rates Do Not Exceed Adult Citizens in States

> Social media claims voter registration rates exceed adult citizens in Colorado, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and others, but Census estimates are inexact.
- Title: Voter Registration Rates Do Not Exceed Adult Citizens in…
- Summary: Social media claims voter registration rates exceed adult citizens in Colorado, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and others, but Census estimates are inexact.
- Keywords: voter registration, census estimates, colorado, maryland, virginia, new jersey, election turnout, adult citizens, voter rolls, census 2020-2024, american community survey, margin of error
- Source: Lead Stories — https://leadstories.com/hoax-alert/2026/11/fact-check-registration-rates-do-not-exceed-eligible-voter-population-in-colorado-maryland-virginia-new-jersey-adult-census-estimates-not-accurate-numbers.html
- Published: 2026-11-12T03:05:11+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: voter registration, census estimates, colorado, maryland, virginia, new jersey, election turnout, adult citizens, voter rolls, census 2020-2024, american community survey, margin of error
## Social Media Claim
Social media posts claimed Colorado, Maryland, Virginia, and New Jersey have voter registration rates exceeding adult citizens based on Census estimates.

> 🚨 ELECTION ISSUES: Colorado has more registered voters than Census adult citizens.
## Census Estimate Source
The claim used Census 2020-2024 adult-citizen estimates from the American Community Survey, not the full 10-year Census.

> The survey produces useful numbers for example for planning highways, hospitals, power plants, etc.
## Margin of Error
The American Community Survey has a margin of error due to sampling, with statistical noise added to protect respondent confidentiality.

> The estimates from the ACS are based on a sample survey and hence are subject to sampling error.
## Actual Turnout Rates
Colorado counties show voter turnout rates between 62.57% and 77.81% of active voters, far below the claimed registration rates.

> San Juan County (archived here) TOTAL 77.81% Ballots Cast: 582 Active Voters: 748
## Virginia Data
Virginia localities show voter turnout rates between 58.45% and 65.44% of active voters, not exceeding the claimed registration rates.

> Fairfax City Active Voters: 18,225 Inactive Voters: 1,013 Voters: 19,238 Ballots Cast: 11,326 Voter Turnout: 58.87%
## New Jersey Data
New Jersey counties show voter turnout rates between 39.19% and 50.60% of active voters, not exceeding the claimed registration rates.

> Union County (archived here) Voter turnout TOTAL 45.87% Ballots Cast: 182,323 Registered Voters: 397,454
## Other States
The same account claimed similar issues in Maryland, Michigan, and Alaska, but no specific turnout data was provided.

> Three other states, Maryland, Michigan and Alaska, were targeted by the same account.
## Why the Discrepancy
Voter rolls include inactive voters, moved residents, and old names, which can cause registration numbers to exceed census estimates.

> Numbers from the ACS not matching voter roll counts does not necessarily prove election fraud.
## Fact Check Result
Voter registration rates do not exceed adult citizens in Colorado, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, or other states as Census estimates have margin of error.

> The numbers reported by the states in the claim do not show more votes than registered voters.
## Key takeaway

Voter registration rates in Colorado, Maryland, Virginia, and New Jersey do not exceed adult citizens as Census estimates have margin of error.