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Scott Rasmussen's Number of the Day for August 10, 2017

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By Scott Rasmussen

The Number of the Day columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.

August 10, 2017: 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% of all votes. Generation X provided 26%, millennials 25%, and the Silent Generation 14%. 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%) of eligible voters in the silent generation voted, as did 69% of boomers. For Generation X, the figure was 63%. Only 49% of eligible millennials showed up.


Each weekday, Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day explores interesting and newsworthy topics at the intersection of culture, politics, and technology.


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