Voter turnout in U.S. presidential elections by age 1964-2020

Since 1964, voter turnout rates in U.S. presidential elections have generally fluctuated across all age groups, falling to a national low in 1996, before rising again in the past two decades. Since 1988, there has been a direct correlation with voter participation and age, as people become more likely to vote as they get older. Participation among eligible voters under the age of 25 is the lowest of all age groups, and in the 1996 and 2000 elections, fewer than one third of eligible voters under the age of 25 participated, compared with more than two thirds of voters over 65 years.

Voter turnout rates* among selected age groups in U.S. presidential elections from 1964 to 2020

Characteristic	National average	18-24**	25-44	45-64	65+
2020	61.3%	48%	55%	65.5%	71.9%
2016	56%	39.4%	49%	61.7%	68.4%
2012	56.5%	38%	49.5%	63.4%	69.7%
2008	58.2%	44.3%	51.9%	65%	68.1%
2004	58.3%	41.9%	52.2%	66.6%	68.9%
2000	54.7%	32.3%	49.8%	64.1%	67.6%
1996	54.2%	32.4%	49.2%	64.4%	67%
1992	61.3%	42.8%	58.3%	70%	70.1%
1988	57.4%	36.2%	54%	67.9%	68.8%
1984	59.9%	40.8%	58.4%	69.8%	67.7%
1980	59.3%	39.9%	58.7%	69.3%	65.1%
1976	59.2%	42.2%	58.7%	68.7%	62.2%
1972	63%	49.6%	62.7%	70.8%	63.5%
1968	67.8%	50.4%	66.6%	74.9%	65.8%
1964	69.3%	50.9%	69%	75.9%	66.3%

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Release date

2021

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Region

United States

Survey time period

1964 to 2020

Supplementary notes

*Voter turnout figures relate to the share of eligible voters who take part in the election, and does not represent the share of the entire population (for example, under-18's, non-citizens, felons (rules vary)).
Residents in U.S. overseas territories are eligible to vote in general elections, but may not vote in the presidential election.

**Data from before 1972 is for 21 to 24 year olds, except for voters in Georgia and Kentucky (18-24), Alaska (19-24) and Hawaii (20-24). The 26th Amendment to the U.S. constitution lowered the minimum voting age to 18 across the country.

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