Eligible Voters by State 2026

It is a question that many people ask. It is also a question that tells a story. That question is, what is the number of eligible voters in the US? Politicians ask these questions to help plan strategies and to get a pulse on the country. And many Americans ask out of curiosity or concern about things like voter turnout.

Based on statistics for 2020, the number of eligible voters in the US was over 231 million people. Of these, approximately 168 million registered to vote, and 154 million actually cast a vote in the 2020 presidential election. This shows that many more people could be registered to vote and cast their vote in the future.

The Story Behind the Numbers

Those 231 million-plus eligible American voters also tell a story. Perhaps one of the most eye-opening revelations about these numbers is the significant increase. During the previous US Presidential election, the number of eligible voters was 224 million people. This was the highest number of eligible voters until the 2020 numbers set another record.

These numbers also show a historic rise of eligible voters in the country over the past 15 years. In 1996, for example, the eligible number of voters was 179 million with only 105 million people actually casting votes. Voter numbers have taken a couple of considerable jumps since then.

In 2004 the number of US voters casting ballots in presidential elections was 110 million. Those numbers remained reasonably even until another spike in voter numbers in 2012. The number of eligible voters voting in the US in 2012 was 132 million. And most recently, those 154 million eligible voters from the 2020 data figures.

The Future of Eligible Voters in the US

If history is any indicator then America can expect to see continued overall rises in the number of eligible voters and voter turnout in the US. While history also shows definitive peaks and drops in the number of eligible US voters, it also shows a bigger picture.

According to the number of eligible voters throughout history, it is apparent that the overall numbers will continue to grow. And while the US voting system has managed to handle these growing numbers, adjustments have been made accordingly.

These numbers and in particular the recent growth of voters are also evidence of an America and a government that is working. Although most of us (if any of us) won’t likely see anything close to 200 million voters at the polls, history and data say that day is coming.

This continual growth in the number of eligible voters in the US is also reflective of the growth in many of the smaller voting factions. These include both African-American and Hispanic voters showing increasing numbers of eligible voters in the US. It also shows the increased participation by voters at younger ages. Many more people are voting as soon as they turn 18 in comparison to past generations.