Voter turnout for 2004 highest since 1968.

Deep divisions over the war in Iraq and intense voter registration drives pushed the 2004 presidential election turnout to 60.7 percent, the highest level since 1968, the Center for the Study of the American Electorate said Friday.

Both candidates drew more votes than their parties' nominees in 2000, CSAE said. President Bush gained more than 11.5 million votes over the 50.5 million votes he received four years earlier. Kerry won some 8 million more votes than the 51 million received by Al Gore in 2000.

(AP.)