How Many People Vote and How Do They Vote?

2018 General Election:

2018: 120,314,461 Americans voted in the 2018 general elections. As a percentage of the Citizen Voting Age Population (CVAP), this represents a national turnout rate of 52%. 

On the state level, turnout ranged from 35.8% to 64.2%.

Six states—Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, Oregon, and Wisconsin—had turnout levels exceeding 60%.

2018: 67,133,886 people voted at a physical polling place on Election Day, which represents 55.8% of those who participated in the 2018 elections.

2018: 52,013,328 voters—43.2% of total participants—cast their ballots outside of the context of Election Day in-person voting. This includes using a domestic civilian by-mail ballot, voting in person before Election Day, casting a UOCAVA ballot, or using another mode of voting.

2018: Seven states voted by mail at a rate higher than 50%: Oregon (100%), Washinton (99%), Colorado (95%), Utah (92%), Arizona (77%), Montana (73%), California (69%).

2016 General Election:

2016: 140,114,502 citizens voted in the 2016 General Election. As a percentage of the Citizen Voting Age Population (CVAP), this represents a national turnout rate of 63%.

On the state level, turnout ranged from 43.69% to 76.89%.

Five states—Oregon, Maine, New Hampshire, Minnesota, and Colorado— had turnout levels exceeding 70%.

2016: 41.3% of all ballots were cast before Election Day. Of the total turnout, 17.2% of ballots were cast using in-person early voting and 23.7% were cast using by mail absentee voting.

2016: Three states voted by mail at a rate higher than 50%: Oregon (99.62%), Washington (97.74%), Colorado (92.05%)

[Source: U.S. ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION, Election Administration and Voting Survey, 2018 Comprehensive Report]

[Source: U.S. ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION, The Election Administration and Voting Survey, 2016 Comprehensive Report]