‘A High Water Mark for Midterm Turnout.’ 2018 Could Be a Historic Election for Voter Participation

The 2018 election is shaping up to be a historic year for midterm voter turnout, with many states recording levels of voter participation not seen for a non-presidential election in decades.

"Certainly in states like Florida and Virginia we're seeing turnout rates that are at least at 20-year highs," says Corwin Smidt, an associate professor of political science at Michigan State University. "This is a high water mark for midterm turnout."

Approximately 114 million votes were cast in U.S.