Young voter turnout increased by 79 percent in 2018 midterms

Turnout among 18- to 29-year-old voters surged between 2014 and 2018, according to data released Tuesday. 

In 2014, just 20 percent of people in that age group voted, compared to 36 percent in 2018, an increase of 79 percent, the Census Bureau reported, citing data from the Voting and Registration Supplement. 

Overall turnout was the highest it had been in decades, increasing from 41.9 percent in 2014 to 53.4 percent in 2018. According to The Washington Post, the 2018 turnout represented a 100-year high. 

The bureau also noted dramatic increases in turnout among Hispanic and Asian voters. The turnout for both Hispanic voters and non-Hispanic Asian voters increased by 13 percentage points, a 50 and 49 percent increase, respectively. 

Voting and Registration Supplement data also showed that the most popular reason for not voting was a conflicting schedule or being too busy, which was cited by 26.9 percent of nonvoters surveyed.