Youth voter turnout reached 55 percent in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Young women voted at a rate of 58 percent, a full six points higher than young men.
Key Takeaways
- In 2020, young women 18-29 turnout 58%, higher than young men at 52%
- Among Black youth 18-29 in 2020, turnout was 59%
- Latino youth 18-24 turnout 2020: 48.2%
- US youth 18-24 turnout in 1972 was 43.4%, first post-26th amendment election
- 1976 presidential youth turnout dropped to 37.8%
- 1980 youth 18-24: 33.5%
- In Canada 2019 federal election, youth 18-24 turnout was 57%
- UK 2019 general election youth 18-24 turnout 47%
- Australia 2022 federal youth 18-24: 68%
- In Minnesota 2020, youth 18-24 turnout was 58.1%, highest state
- Texas 2020 youth 18-29 turnout 46.2%
- California 2022 midterms youth turnout 18-24: 22.4%
- In the 2020 U.S. presidential election, voter turnout among youth aged 18-29 reached 55%, a significant increase from previous cycles
- For the 2018 U.S. midterm elections, youth turnout (18-29) was 31%, higher than the 21% in 2014 midterms
- In 2022 U.S. midterms, 18-24 year olds had a turnout of 23%, while 25-29 was 34%
In 2020 youth turnout hit a record, led by college educated voters and young women.
Related reading
01 · Category
Demographics14 stats
01
In 2020, young women 18-29 turnout 58%, higher than young men at 52%
02
Among Black youth 18-29 in 2020, turnout was 59%
03
Latino youth 18-24 turnout 2020: 48.2%
04
White youth 18-29 2020 turnout 53.4%
05
College-educated youth 2020 turnout 65%, vs non-college 47%
06
Suburban youth turnout 2020: 56.7%, urban 51.2%, rural 45.3%
07
Asian American youth 18-29 2020: 54.1%
08
In 2018, young men turnout 28%, young women 34%
09
Black youth women 2020 turnout 62.3%
10
Rural Latino youth 2020: 42.8%
11
LGBTQ+ youth turnout 2020 estimated at 60%
12
First-time youth voters 2020: 53% turnout
13
Youth with disabilities 2016 turnout 35%
14
Urban Black youth 18-24 2020: 57.9%
Interpretation
Demographics Interpretation
Under the Demographics angle, youth turnout in 2020 varied sharply by group, with college educated young voters at 65% compared with 47% for non college youth, while young women 18 to 29 led young men 18 to 29 by 58% to 52%.
02 · Category
Historical Trends20 stats
01
US youth 18-24 turnout in 1972 was 43.4%, first post-26th amendment election
02
1976 presidential youth turnout dropped to 37.8%
03
1980 youth 18-24: 33.5%
04
1984 Reagan election youth turnout 42.1%
05
1988 youth turnout 36.2%
06
1992 Clinton election youth 18-29: 39.7%
07
1996 youth turnout lowest at 32.4%
08
2000 Bush v Gore youth 36.1%
09
2004 youth surged to 47.1%
10
2008 Obama election youth 50.1%
11
2012 youth 41.9%
12
2014 midterms youth 19.9%
13
2016 youth 43.8%
14
2018 midterms youth 31.1%
15
2020 record high youth 52.6% for 18-29
16
Midterm youth turnout 1982: 38.2%
17
1990 midterms youth 20.4%
18
2002 post-9/11 youth turnout 28.7%
19
2006 midterms youth 26.3%
20
2010 Tea Party midterms youth 24.1%
Interpretation
Historical Trends Interpretation
Across these Historical Trends, US youth turnout after the 26th Amendment peaked at 43.4% in 1972, then mostly slid in subsequent elections, only rebounding notably to 42.1% in 1984 before falling again to 36.2% in 1988.
03 · Category
International19 stats
01
In Canada 2019 federal election, youth 18-24 turnout was 57%
02
UK 2019 general election youth 18-24 turnout 47%
03
Australia 2022 federal youth 18-24: 68%
04
Germany 2021 federal youth 18-24: 49.2%
05
France 2022 presidential youth 18-24: 28%
06
Sweden 2022 youth 18-21: 71%
07
Netherlands 2021 youth 18-24: 52.6%
08
South Korea 2020 parliamentary youth 18-29: 46.7%
09
Brazil 2022 presidential youth 16-24: 54.8%
10
India 2019 Lok Sabha youth 18-29 estimated 40%
11
Japan 2021 general youth 18-19: 43%
12
Spain 2023 general youth 18-24: 45.2%
13
Italy 2022 general youth 18-24: 38.7%
14
Mexico 2021 midterm youth 18-29: 41.3%
15
New Zealand 2023 youth 18-24: 67%
16
Ireland 2020 general youth 18-24: 62.5%
17
Poland 2023 presidential youth 18-29: 48.9%
18
Turkey 2023 presidential youth 18-24: 52.1%
19
Argentina 2023 presidential youth 16-29: 55.4%
Interpretation
International Interpretation
Across these international elections, youth turnout is highest in Sweden at 71% and Australia at 68% but can drop sharply in France to just 28%, showing a wide spread in how strongly young voters turn out worldwide.
More related reading
04 · Category
State Level Us20 stats
01
In Minnesota 2020, youth 18-24 turnout was 58.1%, highest state
02
Texas 2020 youth 18-29 turnout 46.2%
03
California 2022 midterms youth turnout 18-24: 22.4%
04
Florida 2020 youth 18-29: 49.8%
05
New York 2018 youth turnout 27.5%
06
Georgia 2022 youth 18-24: 25.1%
07
Pennsylvania 2020 youth 18-29: 52.3%
08
Wisconsin 2016 youth turnout 52%
09
Michigan 2022 youth 18-24: 26.8%
10
Ohio 2020 youth 18-29: 45.7%
11
Illinois 2018 youth turnout 28.9%
12
Colorado 2020 youth 18-24: 61.2%
13
Virginia 2022 youth turnout 24.3%
14
North Carolina 2020 youth 18-29: 50.1%
15
Washington 2022 youth 18-24: 29.7%
16
Oregon 2020 youth turnout 57.4%
17
Nevada 2018 youth 25.6%
18
Arizona 2022 youth 18-29: 28.2%
19
New Jersey 2020 youth turnout 47.9%
20
Massachusetts 2018 youth 30.1%
Interpretation
State Level Us Interpretation
Under the State Level Us framing, youth turnout varies sharply by state, with Minnesota leading at 58.1% in 2020 while California’s 2022 midterms report just 22.4% for ages 18 to 24.
05 · Category
Us National Turnout10 stats
01
In the 2020 U.S. presidential election, voter turnout among youth aged 18-29 reached 55%, a significant increase from previous cycles
02
For the 2018 U.S. midterm elections, youth turnout (18-29) was 31%, higher than the 21% in 2014 midterms
03
In 2022 U.S. midterms, 18-24 year olds had a turnout of 23%, while 25-29 was 34%
04
Youth voter turnout (18-29) in the 2008 presidential election was 48.5%
05
In 2012, national youth turnout for 18-24 was 41.2%
06
2020 saw 18-29 turnout at 51.4% per Census data
07
Youth 18-24 turnout in 2000 was 36%
08
2004 presidential youth turnout 47%
09
2016 election youth 18-29 turnout 44%
10
Non-college youth turnout in 2020 was 48%, lower than college-educated youth at 62%
Interpretation
Us National Turnout Interpretation
Across U.S. national elections, youth turnout has surged in recent cycles with 18 to 29 year olds rising to 55% in 2020, up from 48.5% in 2008 and far above the 31% seen in the 2018 midterms, signaling a stronger national engagement momentum.
report visual · Projection
Youth voter turnout: record highs in 2020
Youth turnout rises in recent cycles, peaking in 2020 for young voters (18–29).
47.1%
Start
+0.69%
CAGR · 16y
52.6%
Projected
20042020
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Priyanka Sharma. (2026, February 13). Youth Voter Turnout Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/youth-voter-turnout-statistics
MLA
Priyanka Sharma. "Youth Voter Turnout Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/youth-voter-turnout-statistics.
Chicago
Priyanka Sharma. 2026. "Youth Voter Turnout Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/youth-voter-turnout-statistics.
Sources & references
48 datasets cited across this report