Nearly 136.6 million Americans voted for president in 2008 election, up from 122.3 million in 2004. That would give 2008 a 64.1 percent voter turnout rate, the highest since 1908. 4. States achieved record voter turnout figures of African-Americans and Hispanics. In those elections, Barack Obama became the first African-American ever to be elected president of the United States. Besides, there was a woman running for the Vice-President on the Republican side, Sarah Palin.