The Youth Vote in the 2018 Midterms

Since Election Day, CIRCLE has been publishing exclusive data and analysis on myriad aspects of youth engagement in the midterm elections. The headline: 31% of youth voted last Tuesday, up from 21% in the 2014 midterms and the highest youth turnout rate in at least a quarter century.

Here’s our latest on youth participation in 2018:

• Election Night Analysis:  Young People Favor Democratic House Candidates by Historic Margin, Data Continue to Suggest High Youth Participation for a Midterm – Young people favored Democratic House candidates by a historic 35-point margin, undoubtedly helping the Democratic Party retake control of the House of Representatives.
• Exclusive Turnout Estimate:Young People Dramatically Increase their Turnout to 31%, Shape 2018 Midterm Elections – Youth turnout jumped an extraordinary 10 points, and the youth vote was critical in several key statewide races in Nevada, Wisconsin, and Montana.
• County by County, Young People of Color Key to Democratic Candidates in Close Races – Though they may not have prevailed, Democrats Beto O’Rourke in Texas, and Stacey Abrams in Georgia, mounted serious challenges in deep-red states thanks to strong support in counties with high proportions of youth of color.
• Five Takeaways on Social Media and the Youth Vote in 2018 – In a year when many social media platforms stepped up their efforts to provide electoral information and encourage young people to vote, we find that half of youth heard about the election on social media—and it may have played a crucial role in informing and engaging first-time voters.

Check our website soon for more, and explore all of our work related to the 2018 midterms in our 2018 Election Center.

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