Texas had second lowest 2024 voter turnout in nation
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Texas saw the country's second lowest turnout in the 2024 presidential election, per new Census Bureau estimates.
Why it matters: Texas' consistently low turnout could mean voters don't think it's competitive to cast a ballot in the state, University of Houston political science professor Brandon Rottinghaus tells Axios.
What they're saying: "We wanna think that Texas is the best at everything — in barbecue, in football — but the reality is that we fall significantly behind when it comes to voter turnout," Rottinghaus says.
Flashback: GOP turnout last year far outstripped Democratic turnout in Texas.
The big picture: About 65% of voting-age Americans cast a ballot in last November's elections, down from nearly 67% in 2020, per the Census Bureau.
- Arkansas (52.8%), Texas (57.9%) and Louisiana (58%) had the lowest shares of voting-age citizens participating.
By the numbers: A higher percentage of Texas women (59.9%) voted than men (55.9%), mirroring national trends.
- Turnout was highest among white non-Hispanic voters (66.6%) in Texas and lower among Black (57.7%), Asian (52.3%) and Hispanic (44.5%) voters.
Reality check: Texas is one of the youngest states in the U.S. by median age, and data shows that older people are often more likely to vote than younger people.
- Plus, Hispanic Texans make up the highest share of the state's population. They are historically less likely to vote than other groups, per Rottinghaus.
Between the lines: Lack of participation doesn't necessarily imply voter apathy. Some want to vote but are unable to.
- Several states allow same-day registration to vote. Texas does not.
- Only those who are over 65, sick or disabled, close to giving birth, in jail or out of the county on Election Day are allowed to vote by mail in Texas.
What's next: "The upside to this is there are a lot of ways to encourage people to vote that we know can potentially improve our bottom line," Rottinghaus says.