Voting, Campaigns, and the 2022 Election
In 2018, voter turnout was 50% of eligible voters, the highest voter turnout in a midterm election since 1914. One question going into the 2022 election was whether voter turnout would remain in 2022. Although voter turnout was down in 2022, it was still higher than normal. Initial estimates find 46.8% of eligible voters voted in 2022, the highest voter turnout for a midterm election since 1970 (excluding 2018). However, it was not just that overall turnout was high. Young voters also turned out to vote in near record numbers. 2022 also saw a record percentage of voters vote before election day in a midterm election. This was despite several states adopting laws that limited early voting. However, there was a partisan divide in how people voted. Democrats were more likely to vote before election day, while Republicans preferred voting on election day. The 2022 election suggests that people, especially young voters, are more interested in voting than before 2016. It also suggests how people vote has changed.
Instructors: click the link below to download this week’s lecture for use in your classroom. The deck contains a writing prompt and a debate question as well as other assessment questions.
Download: Voting and the 2022 Elections
Videos
News Articles
Turnout Among Young Voters Was the Second Highest For A Midterm in the Past 30 Years
NPR
11/10/2022
Higher Young Voter Turnout Changes Approach to Major Political Issues
PBS
11/24/2022
College Voters Held Back By Texas Election Law, Lack of On-Campus Polling Sites
Texas Tribune
10/28/2022
https://www.texastribune.org/2022/10/28/texas-young-voter-turnout-access/
Early Vote Count Surpasses Ordinary Midterm Turnout
ABC News
10/29/2022
Voter Turnout Was High Again. Is This the New Normal?
538
11/15/2022
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/turnout-was-high-again-is-this-the-new-normal/
Where Voter Turnout Exceed 2018 Highs
Washington Post
11/19/2022
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2022/voter-turnout-2022-by-state/
Young Voters Helped Democrats. But Experts Differ on Just How Much
New York Times
11/12/2022
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/12/us/young-voter-turnout-election-democrats.html
Assessment
Debate: If turnout among young voters remains elevated, how will this affect public policy?
Why was turnout among young voters high in 2022?
Poll: Do you plan to vote early in 2024?
Do you prefer voting in-person or voting by mail?
Short Answer: Which voters are more likely to use early voting?
