Community Life
Voter Participation Rate

Decreasing


Voter Participation Rate

What does this measure?

The percentage of the voting-age population (18 and over) that voted in an election.

Why is this important?

Voting is a basic right and responsibility of all citizens and an indication of the citizenry's interest in and commitment to participating in our political process. It also may indicate the extent to which citizens feel that government is responsive to their needs and concerns.

How is our region doing?

In MetroWest, voter participation was 52% in the 2018 midterm elections and 64% in the 2016 presidential elections. Both rates were slightly higher than Massachusetts (50% and 62%, respectively), and the region's 2016 rate was substantially higher than the nation's (55%). The region's 2016 presidential election participation rate was similar to the rates in all presidential elections since 2000.

Within the region, voter turnout was highest in the 2018 midterms in Norfolk County (56%), followed by Middlesex (52%) and Worcester (48%). Similarly, turnout in 2016 was highest in Norfolk (68%), compared to Middlesex (63%) and Worcester (61%).

Among individual communities, turnout in 2018 was highest in the Middlesex County towns of Sherborn, Carlisle (both at 79%), Stow (77%), Medfield and Wayland (both at 75%). In Norfolk County, turnout also was high in the towns of Dover (75%), Needham and Westwood (both at 73%). The Town of Southborough had the highest turnout of any Worcester County community (74%). Turnout was lowest in 2018 in the City of Framingham (42%) and the Town of Milford (47%).

Notes about the data

Rates were calculated using Census estimates of the population 18 and over. National data only available for presidential years.

Voter Participation Rate
2000200220042006200820102012201420162018
United States50%56%57%54%55%
Massachusetts56%45%59%45%62%45%61%41%62%50%
Region59%48%62%48%64%48%63%43%64%52%
Middlesex58%48%61%47%63%47%62%42%63%52%
Norfolk64%53%67%52%68%53%67%47%68%56%
Worcester56%45%59%44%61%45%59%40%61%48%
Acton town, Middlesex County72%61%73%59%76%59%74%53%77%66%
Ashland town, Middlesex County65%57%69%52%70%53%67%44%71%59%
Bedford town, Middlesex County70%55%71%58%74%58%73%53%74%64%
Bellingham town, Norfolk County60%49%66%49%69%51%68%44%69%55%
Boxborough town, Middlesex County68%58%72%59%79%63%79%55%72%58%
Carlisle town, Middlesex County85%75%92%77%94%77%93%69%90%79%
Concord town, Middlesex County74%64%77%64%79%64%75%55%77%69%
Dedham town, Norfolk County65%56%66%53%67%53%69%49%73%62%
Dover town, Norfolk County87%75%89%73%90%76%91%67%89%75%
Framingham city, Middlesex County50%40%50%39%51%37%51%34%53%42%
Groton town, Middlesex County76%66%83%64%83%64%81%56%85%72%
Harvard town, Worcester County66%56%71%58%70%57%72%54%75%66%
Holliston town, Middlesex County73%61%78%66%84%67%81%58%82%69%
Hopkinton town, Middlesex County75%65%81%63%85%64%83%57%81%64%
Hudson town, Middlesex County60%48%64%50%68%52%67%47%71%58%
Lexington town, Middlesex County75%65%78%63%79%63%77%54%75%64%
Lincoln town, Middlesex County60%54%67%57%74%63%80%59%81%73%
Littleton town, Middlesex County74%61%79%62%81%64%81%59%81%70%
Maynard town, Middlesex County65%55%70%58%73%58%73%53%74%66%
Medfield town, Norfolk County79%67%84%69%89%71%89%65%88%75%
Medway town, Norfolk County68%57%76%58%78%61%79%56%82%67%
Milford town, Worcester County56%41%56%42%58%42%60%42%62%47%
Millis town, Norfolk County70%58%75%61%78%63%79%58%82%70%
Natick town, Middlesex County71%57%71%56%74%56%73%50%73%63%
Needham town, Norfolk County78%70%82%68%84%69%82%62%84%73%
Sherborn town, Middlesex County88%78%93%78%95%80%91%68%91%79%
Southborough town, Worcester County80%69%85%67%86%67%86%62%87%74%
Stow town, Middlesex County78%67%84%69%86%70%85%62%87%77%
Sudbury town, Middlesex County81%69%86%68%88%69%87%60%85%72%
Walpole town, Norfolk County70%58%74%59%77%61%77%58%79%65%
Wayland town, Middlesex County80%70%84%70%87%68%86%60%86%75%
Wellesley town, Norfolk County72%61%72%58%72%59%73%54%71%61%
Westborough town, Worcester County61%49%64%49%67%50%68%46%69%56%
Westford town, Middlesex County74%61%79%63%83%63%79%55%83%69%
Weston town, Middlesex County74%64%79%64%81%65%80%55%77%64%
Westwood town, Norfolk County81%71%83%69%86%71%87%65%84%73%





Number of People Who Voted
2000200220042006200820102012201420162018
United States105,405,100122,295,345131,257,328129,067,662136,669,237
Massachusetts2,734,0062,220,3012,927,4552,243,8353,102,9952,319,9633,184,1962,186,7893,378,8012,752,665
Region1,296,9281,069,6551,367,5901,062,9311,443,8921,105,8601,486,5111,042,9101,579,2681,306,989
Middlesex663,624547,665692,287538,444730,490557,974757,380531,679808,630678,178
Norfolk319,997265,329332,828261,646347,354273,538358,263254,227374,542312,152
Worcester313,307256,661342,475262,841366,048274,348370,868257,004396,096316,659
Acton town, Middlesex County10,4688,94910,7998,71111,6359,29812,0228,73612,96711,184
Ashland town, Middlesex County7,1666,4257,8796,0808,4806,5548,5755,7369,3267,819
Bedford town, Middlesex County6,8195,3956,9145,7107,4355,9157,7195,6648,0666,926
Bellingham town, Norfolk County7,0045,7787,8825,9248,4136,4498,5845,6628,9827,236
Boxborough town, Middlesex County2,4572,0772,5892,0912,8662,3072,9652,1023,0692,751
Carlisle town, Middlesex County2,9052,5613,1442,6293,2462,6963,3742,5413,3912,989
Concord town, Middlesex County9,7428,44510,2058,47310,5828,76511,0558,27411,44710,191
Dedham town, Norfolk County12,05210,46912,47510,04412,85710,41613,7669,89514,62612,439
Dover town, Norfolk County3,3272,8853,3632,7493,4282,9063,5932,7183,6723,133
Framingham city, Middlesex County26,61521,39826,19420,31427,08520,14928,06319,00930,02824,390
Groton town, Middlesex County5,1344,5925,8514,5826,1374,8766,3624,5126,8125,837
Harvard town, Worcester County3,0662,6273,4052,8503,4892,8783,6422,7153,7763,372
Holliston town, Middlesex County7,4116,0987,7746,4788,2706,6428,3366,1378,7677,595
Hopkinton town, Middlesex County6,7896,0207,6436,0208,3946,4588,7036,2759,3368,011
Hudson town, Middlesex County8,3976,7618,9326,9739,8267,65910,0807,16410,8658,942
Lexington town, Middlesex County16,83414,71017,46714,14617,96214,50318,43913,30118,59116,094
Lincoln town, Middlesex County3,3832,8853,4252,7643,4962,8653,7502,7893,9573,556
Littleton town, Middlesex County4,4533,7184,8883,8825,1964,2175,4414,0966,0015,272
Maynard town, Middlesex County5,2704,4365,5304,4935,6744,5415,8174,3156,0905,475
Medfield town, Norfolk County6,6345,6356,9645,6417,2935,8987,4705,5227,7996,660
Medway town, Norfolk County6,0765,1026,8065,2167,0265,5497,2955,2337,8006,424
Milford town, Worcester County11,4828,58611,9628,97712,3949,04512,9519,26513,82610,600
Millis town, Norfolk County4,1673,4244,4403,5714,6083,7324,7753,5285,0504,347
Natick town, Middlesex County17,28813,94217,32313,70118,15514,01018,86413,68020,09717,349
Needham town, Norfolk County16,27114,53416,90513,88317,33614,25417,42613,41118,47216,445
Sherborn town, Middlesex County2,5682,2762,6642,2222,7052,2922,6892,0292,7232,412
Southborough town, Worcester County4,8494,3595,4634,3655,7324,5345,8674,2446,0835,179
Stow town, Middlesex County3,3692,9553,7543,1174,0243,3854,2883,2194,4874,069
Sudbury town, Middlesex County9,2507,9899,8947,83010,3278,32810,6797,57110,9409,646
Walpole town, Norfolk County12,03510,04112,78110,22313,65510,92314,10310,77214,82812,316
Wayland town, Middlesex County7,6636,6377,9016,4498,1686,3848,3105,9018,6087,550
Wellesley town, Norfolk County13,90411,94414,22111,44114,56011,96815,18111,23115,26613,182
Westborough town, Worcester County8,2156,6498,7326,6909,0636,8299,2576,4639,7767,966
Westford town, Middlesex County10,8108,97811,6489,32712,5829,77212,9769,30314,07111,864
Weston town, Middlesex County6,1585,2916,3485,1276,5035,2486,7204,7316,6965,568
Westwood town, Norfolk County8,1267,1448,3676,8968,7757,3289,1296,8929,4948,291

Notes: National data only available for presidential years.
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INDICATORS TREND
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Infant Mortality by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children Living in Poverty Increasing
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families Increasing
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Disengaged Youth Decreasing
Reports of Domestic Violence Maintaining
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments Increasing
Households Without Vehicles Maintaining
Means of Transportation to Work Not Applicable
Average Travel Time to Work Increasing
Households With Internet Access Not Applicable
Voter Participation Rate Decreasing
Average Charitable Contribution Maintaining
Protected Land Not Applicable
Drug Poisoning Mortality Rate Increasing
Crimes Against People Decreasing
Incarceration Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Total Population Increasing
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Population by Age Not Applicable
Change in Population by Age/Gender Not Applicable
Seniors Living Alone Decreasing
People with Disabilities Maintaining
Change in Total Jobs by Sector Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate Maintaining
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
High-Tech Jobs Decreasing
Female to Male Earnings Ratio Maintaining
Prekindergarten Participation Increasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Group Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
Chronically Absent Students Decreasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Increasing
Education Levels of Adults Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Increasing
People Living in Poverty, by Education Level Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Household Receiving Temporary Assistance Maintaining
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Living Wage Not Applicable
80/20 Income Ratio Maintaining
Access to Financial Services, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates Increasing
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership Increasing
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Rent Not Applicable
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homelessness Increasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Infant Mortality by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Incarceration Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Group Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Increasing
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Access to Financial Services, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable


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