Youth voting hit a record in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, with 18 to 29 year olds turning out at 52.6 percent, and many groups moving in different directions at the same time. Young women led young men in 2020 at 58 percent versus 52 percent, while college educated youth voted at 65 percent compared with 47 percent for non college youth. Even across places, suburban turnout reached 56.7 percent, while rural areas lagged at 45.3 percent.
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
While young people aren't a monolith, these numbers paint a clear picture: the ballot box in 2020 was most reliably opened by the educated, the suburban, and young Black women, while rural areas and those without degrees lagged behind, proving that political engagement is less about age and more about opportunity and community.
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
Youth voters, like capricious ghosts, only haunt the polls in numbers when they either see a political savior or feel the cold breath of a national crisis.
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
While youth engagement can swing dramatically from Sweden's robust 71% to France's concerning 28%, these figures collectively whisper a global truth: democracies are on a generationally unstable footing, reliant on a coin toss as to whether the young will show up to shape their own future.
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
Minnesota and Colorado's youth are apparently running the democracy show, while the rest of the country's young voters seem to be stuck on the "maybe next election" loading screen.
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
The data suggests young voters are not apathetic but judiciously selective, dramatically increasing turnout for high-stakes presidential elections while still treating midterms like an optional subscription they occasionally remember to cancel.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
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 · attribution is report-level