Trend reversal: more WA men voted this election

The Washington secretary of state’s office compiled statistics showing voter participation by voting age population (which is not the same as registered voters, it includes people who are eligible to vote – many don’t register) in the 2014 general election.

To me, the first thing that always stands out is the low voter turnout: Only 12.8 percent of eligible voters ages 18 to 24 voted!

But when you compare the 2010-2013 election breakdown to this year’s general election, there’s another interesting tidbit hidden in the numbers; A higher percentage of the male voting population in every single age group voted this election compared to their female counterparts.

Bryan Zylstra, the deputy communications director with the secretary of state’s office, pointed out that in 2010-2013 elections, when comparing the voting population, it was the opposite (with more females voting) except for one category: the 65 and over group.

“Why was there a higher percentage of the male voting age population voting this year? I haven’t seen any analysis on this, but one possible reason is the two gun initiatives on the ballot,” Zylstra wrote in an email.

Take a look:

Votes Cast vs. Voting Age Population 2014

Age Gender Number of Votes Cast Est. Population Percentage Voted
18 – 24 years Female 40,629 320,123 12.69%
18 – 24 years Male 43,732 338,376 12.92%
18 – 24 years UnKnown 101
18 – 24 years Total 84,462 658,499 12.83%
25 – 34 years Female 94,082 472,708 19.90%
25 – 34 years Male 104,525 494,305 21.15%
25 – 34 years UnKnown 119
25 – 34 years Total 198,726 967,013 20.55%
35 – 44 years Female 128,612 450,016 28.58%
35 – 44 years Male 138,502 459,666 30.13%
35 – 44 years UnKnown 138
35 – 44 years Total 267,252 909,682 29.38%
45 – 54 years Female 186,962 475,074 39.35%
45 – 54 years Male 195,952 476,513 41.12%
45 – 54 years UnKnown 156
45 – 54 years Total 383,070 951,587 40.26%
55 – 64 years Female 246,857 466,547 52.91%
55 – 64 years Male 264,952 445,572 59.46%
55 – 64 years UnKnown 218
55 – 64 years Total 512,027 912,119 56.14%
65 and over Female 319,052 534,539 59.69%
65 and over Male 353,748 443,547 79.75%
65 and over UnKnown 306
65 and over Total 673,105 978,086 68.82%
Grand Total 2,118,642 5,376,986 39.40%

 

Votes Cast vs. Voting Age Population, 2013 information

 

Age Gender Number of Votes Cast Est. Population Percentage Voted
18 – 24 years Female  33,534  317,705 10.56%
18 – 24 years Male  30,169  337,152 8.95%
18 – 24 years UnKnown  49
18 – 24 years Total  63,752  654,857 9.74%
25 – 34 years Female  79,804  466,623 17.10%
25 – 34 years Male  68,732  486,728 14.12%
25 – 34 years UnKnown  99
25 – 34 years Total  148,635  953,351 15.59%
35 – 44 years Female  110,421  448,952 24.60%
35 – 44 years Male  99,049  458,725 21.59%
35 – 44 years UnKnown  144
35 – 44 years Total  209,614  907,677 23.09%
45 – 54 years Female  165,720  477,874 34.68%
45 – 54 years Male  152,047  477,811 31.82%
45 – 54 years UnKnown  153
45 – 54 years Total  317,920  955,685 33.27%
55 – 64 years Female  232,881  458,024 50.84%
55 – 64 years Male  210,837  437,604 48.18%
55 – 64 years UnKnown  224
55 – 64 years Total  443,942  895,628 49.57%
Lauren Dake

Lauren Dake

Lauren Dake covers politics for The Columbian. You can reach her at 360-735-4534 or lauren.dake@columbian.com. Follow her on Twitter .

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