Voter Turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of a defined eligible-voter population that voted in an election. In the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey measure, the eligible population is citizens age 18 or older, and turnout is the share of that citizen voting-age population who indicated they voted.
Voter turnout is the percentage of a defined eligible-voter population that voted in an election. In the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey measure, the eligible population is citizens age 18 or older, and turnout is the share of that citizen voting-age population who indicated they voted.
Example: In the 2024 U.S. presidential election, the Census Bureau estimated that 65.3% of the citizen voting-age population voted.
Common misconception: The 2024 figure of 65.3% is not the share of all adults or registered voters; its denominator is the citizen voting-age population. The Census Bureau reported separate 2024 rates of 59.3% of the voting-age population and 88.8% of registered voters.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2024; U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Presidential Election Voting and Registration Tables Now Available