An analysis of Census Bureau data conducted by the Pew Research Center found that "Millennials and Generation Xers cast 69.6 million votes in the 2016 general election." That’s a bit more than the 67.9 million cast by baby boomers and older voters. It’s the first time in decades that "Boomers and older voters represented fewer than half of all votes."[1]
This is part of a natural generation transition as older generations age and die.
Boomers are still the biggest generational voting block, accounting for 35 percent of all votes. Generation X provided 26 percent millennials 25 percent, and the Silent Generation 14 percent. Pew believes, "It is likely, though not certain, that the size of the Millennial vote will surpass the Gen X vote in the 2020 presidential election."
The Pew data for 2016 shows the expected pattern of higher turnout among older voters. Seventy percent 70 percent of eligible voters in the silent generation voted, as did 69 percent of boomers. For Generation X, the figure was 63 percent. Only 49 percent of eligible millennials showed up.
Footnotes:
- Pew Research Center, "Millennials and Gen Xers outvoted Boomers and older generations in 2016 election," July 31, 2017
Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day is published by Ballotpedia. Each weekday, Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day explores interesting and newsworthy topics at the intersection of culture, politics, and technology.
Scott Rasmussen is a Senior Fellow for the Study of Self-Governance at the King’s College in New York and an Editor-At-Large for Ballotpedia, the Encyclopedia of American Politics. His most recent book, "Politics Has Failed: America Will Not," was published by the Sutherland Institute in May.To read more of his reports — Click Here Now.
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