Analysis: Midterm voting highest in 104 years

Voting in the latest midterm elections reached its highest level in 104 years, with 49.2 percent of eligible voters casting ballots, according to a new analysis. 

Lobbyist Bruce Mehlman noted in the analysis, which obtained by Axios, that the last time more citizens came out during midterms was in 1914, when 50.4 percent of those eligible voted.

{mosads}He added that turnout came close was in 1966, when 48.7 percent voted. That year was the first midterm election since 1964, when a series of domestic and world events shocked and energized the U.S. electorate, he noted. 

Political analysts before last Tuesdays elections predicted that voters would be energized by President Trump, whether to cast votes in opposition or in favor of him. Ultimately, it appears the Democrats won back the House in part due to suburban voters frustrated with Trump while the GOP kept the Senate in part thanks to Republicans voting to support him. 

The voter turnout in 2018 was a far cry from 2014, when only 36.7 percent of eligible voters cast ballots. 

According to Mehlman’s analysis, the U.S. still ranks toward the lower end in voter turnout among developed nations. Sweden, South Korea, Israel, New Zealand, Germany, Canada and others still top U.S. voter turnout by wide margins.

The analysis also found Latinos made up a far greater share of midterm voters in 2018 than in previous years, at 11 percent. In 2014, Latinos made up 7 percent of voters. The percentage of Latino voters has been steadily increasing since 1990, but 2018 saw the steepest increase yet.