Texas had less young voters in 2018 than in 2016 election, data shows
With early voting underway, Harris County is already seeing a large number of voter turnout at the polls. We're looking at the number of voters in previous elections in the state of Texas, and even reasons why some people did not cast their ballot nationwide.
According to the Pew Research Center, in this year's election, Gen Z is expected to make up 1 in 10 eligible voters, which reportedly has grown from the 2016 election when just 4% were old enough to cast their ballots.
In past elections, baby boomers have made up a high percentage of voters but are making up less and less of eligible voters.
In Texas, data going back as far as 1976 shows that throughout election years, the number of eligible baby boomers increased, but the number of those who voted did not. Data also showed that the number of baby boomers who voted compared to those eligible to vote dropped down during the 1994 midterm election between George W. Bush and Ann Richards, the 1996 Presidential election between Bill Clinton and Bob Dole, and the 1998 election between George W. Bush and Garry Mauro.
This year, they are expected to account for fewer than 40% eligible voters, compared to 20 years ago in 2000, when boomers and older accounted for more than 66% of eligible voters.
But the younger you are, the less likely you are to vote, according to an ABC analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Survey.
In Texas, data showed that in 2018 there was a decrease in voters within the age group of 18-24, compared to 2016 when 31.88% of those eligible to vote did so.
Data also showed that specific age group had fewer voters in general compared to those between the ages of 25-44, 45-64, and 65 and over.
So why don't young people vote?
Data showed that nationwide, people within the 18-24 age group did not vote for the following reasons:
- Too busy or had conflicting schedule
- Not interested
- Out of town
- Other reason
Among the rest of the age groups, not including those 65 and older, people said they were too busy or had a conflicting schedule as to why they did not go to the polls. Those older than 65 reported they did not vote due to an illness or disability.
Overall in 2018, the age group with the highest rate of people who did not vote was those between the ages of 24-44.
The video above is from a previous story.
