Hmmm...so now there are comments. I thought perhaps I'd have to employ trackback from a scathing post on my own blog. ;)

The data lies I tell you, it lies. South Dakota, 45? That sucks. And I swear we're not all stupid. We do have two Democratic senators -- does that count for something? (You know for doing our part in the "checks and balances" system...)

Ah, but the fact that SD has two Dem Senators isn't necessarily a conflict with the data Jimbo found. I'd be willing to bet that a greater percentage of all voters turn out for presidential election than for senatorial elections. If more smart people turned out for all elections and more dumb people only for presidential, the numbers would still pan out.

Damn this is scary crap. No wonder the rest of the world looks at us like we're dumbasses these days...

That IS scary. I had a few of them invade my site today. Not pretty.

Hey, but I like being called un-American just because I don't bow down and worship Bush as my savior. (heh)

Rayne, I was grasping for straws... :) (Although, I did move to Montana recently, so that bumped me up a whopping two places).

[unnecessary tangent]I just wanted to note that in fact a larger percentage of voters in SD turned out for the senate elections (2002 - 71.52%) than for the presidential election (2000 - 67.1%).

Senate election numbers: http://www.sdsos.gov/2002/02genturnout.htm
Presidential election numbers: http://www.fec.gov/pages/2000turnout/reg&to00.htm

Yes, I am a dork.
[/unnecessary tangent]

Who knows, maybe the SD voters are getting smarter. Well, we can always hope.

i think i am relieved that it was a hoax

Nicole, YOU are the sign that SD may well be smarter than the average American voter. If every eligible voter knew as much about their state's voting statistics as you do, we could rest easier about the state of democracy here in the U.S.

The average IQ in Mississippi is 85?? Geez, that's only 5 points above retarded.

THAT'S what I find the most frightening. What's our national average IQ, I wonder?

"Dumb" people vote for Bush, and "smart" people vote for Kerry, is that it? You've got politics boiled down that simply, huh?

very cool! I'll have to save this link! I was surprised to see my state scored an average 104... wow.

Ex-pats are the smartest of them all, no doubt.

"Dumb" people vote for Bush, and "smart" people vote for Kerry, is that it? You've got politics boiled down that simply, huh?

well, although this post is written as a joke, for the most part, yes. other than the people wealthy enough to be voting for their own self interests.

and anonymous commenting is totally not encouraged around these parts. if you have something to say, please say it. but say it with confidence and ownership.

As seen on Wonkette...

http://www.wonkette.com/archives/get-smart-dems-dumb-016060.php

I'm not sure if that chart makes me feel superior, as a Californian with relatives in Connecticut, Massachusetts, NY and NJ, and going to college in Minnesota, or if it makes me feel very, very frightened.