‘People are active, they are fed up’: young voters fueled the Democratic wave

Young voters turned decisively towards Democrats in the 2026 US midterms, helping the party secure a wave of victories. Their shift reversed much of the support Donald Trump won among younger voters in 2024 and suggests that youth turnout could be pivotal in competitive states.

Early estimates put youth turnout at the second-highest level in a midterm election in 30 years, behind 2018. Voters aged 18 to 29 backed congressional Democrats by 35 points, while young Latino voters shifted to Democratic margins of 10 to 15 points. The article also reports swings among young white men, white women and rural voters, and cites concerns about immigration enforcement, healthcare and the economy as important issues for some young voters.