Final turnout numbers for the 2024 election will be delayed until after the U.S. Census Bureau completes its postelection surveys, but past election data already tells a clear story about the influence of older voters. In 2020, for instance, 71.9 percent of Americans aged 65 and up reported casting ballots, as shown by Census Bureau surveys. Compare that to the 65.5 percent turnout among voters aged 45-64, 55 percent for those aged 25-44, and just 48 percent for those aged 18-24. That high turnout for the 65-plus crowd marked a peak since the Census Bureau began recording such data in 1964.
This trend isn’t limited to presidential election years; older voters have also been driving numbers in midterm elections, where turnout among those 65 and older has grown steadily, easily surpassing rates for younger groups. Polling data from 2024 backs up the ongoing trend, with AARP surveys showing a solid motivation to vote among older populations. In Ohio, for instance, a hefty 91 percent of voters over 65 rated their enthusiasm to vote as a 10 out of 10. The younger groups, predictably, showed less urgency, with only 69 percent of the youngest voters rating their motivation that high. This trend was consistent in other states as well.
Adding fuel to this dynamic is the fact that the 65-plus demographic has grown considerably over recent years. More voters, coupled with an unmatched turnout rate, have only strengthened the voting power of this older bloc. The demographic’s impact, which already punches above its weight in elections, is now more pronounced than ever.
The expanding size and increasing turnout of older voters have made this group a force in U.S. elections. Politicians and political strategists can’t ignore the outsized role of older voters, who are more likely to head to the polls, often prioritizing issues like Social Security, Medicare, and public safety—areas that many feel are in need of solid leadership. As each election cycle rolls by, the 65-plus voting bloc not only brings consistency but an increasing clout that speaks loudly at the ballot box.
