Demographics: Race, Gender, and Age

While the headline youth turnout number is 47%, that single figure masks a 33-point gap within the youth electorate itself, driven by race and gender.

Youth turnout by race and gender (2024)

The internal youth gap

Change from 2020 to 2024

Every demographic group except white youth saw declines in turnout — with Black and Latino youth showing the sharpest drops.

The full age picture

Comparing all age groups — not just youth subgroups — shows where young voters sit in the broader electorate:

What the empirical research suggests drives these gaps

According to CIRCLE's post-election survey of non-voters:

• 62% of non-voting youth reported sometimes or often finding it difficult to make ends meet
• 59% of non-voting youth said they were never contacted by any organization or campaign
• 48% of youth without college experience were never contacted, vs 29% of college-attending youth
• 31% of unregistered youth cited being "too busy" or missing registration deadlines

The picture that emerges is that the turnout gap is not primarily about apathy — it's about contact, information, and economic stability. Young voters of color, particularly young Black and Latino men, face the steepest combination of these barriers.