Midterm Voter Turnout 2022

Critical Analysis

1. Based on the amazingly stunning visual above what percentage of eligible voters cast votes in the 2022 midterm elections?

2. Based on the life-alteringly wonderful visual above what percentage of eligible voters cast votes in the 2020 presidential elections?

3. Based on the visual above describe the difference between midterm and presidential election turnout for eligible voters over the past decade.

4. Why do you think that is?

5. Based on the visual below*, how did 2022 midterm election turnout compare to all other midterm elections over the past century?

6. Nationwide, nearly 107.7 million valid votes were cast in the 2022 House elections, representing about 45.1% of the estimated voting-eligible population, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of official returns from all 50 states. That was down from 48.1% turnout in 2018 – when midterm voting reached levels not seen in more than a century – but still higher than the 34.4% turnout rate for House elections in the 2014 midterms. Voter turnout was relatively high this last midterm, however, half of eligible voters did not bother to cast a vote. What would you say to these non-voters (use your inside voice)?

7. In 2022, 35 House seats, or 8% of the total, were noncompetitive or, at best, lightly competitive between parties, meaning that only one major party was represented on the ballot. (Republicans won 23 of those seats and Democrats won 12.) In 16 of these districts only one candidate was listed on the ballot, with opposition – if any – limited to write-in candidates. In 13 additional districts, a single major-party candidate faced only minor-party or independent opposition. And in six California districts, the November election was between two Democrats, due to that state’s “top two” primary system. List two other reasons for low voter turnout.

8. How could we increase voter turnout in the U.S.?

9. In the highest U.S. midterm election turnout of the whole entire century, less than half of the people who could have voted (Voting Eligible Population or VEP), did. How do you think that compares to other countries?*

10. Based on the lame map below what states had the highest voter turnout in the 2022 midterm election?*

Learning Extension

Browse this list of 11 ways to increase voter turnout.

Action Extension

Register to vote!!!! In many states, you don't even have to be 18 to register, you just have to be 18 by election day: Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

Visual Extension*

AP U.S. Government and Politics