Community Life
Voter Participation Rate

Increasing


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 68% in the 2020 presidential elections and 52% in the 2018 midterm elections. Both rates were slightly higher than Massachusetts (66% and 50%, respectively), and the region's 2020 rate was substantially higher than the nation's (62%). The region's 2020 presidential election participation rate was slightly higher than the rates in all presidential elections since 2000.

Within the region, voter turnout was highest in the 2020 presidential election in Norfolk County (73%), followed by Middlesex (67%) and Worcester (66%). Similarly, turnout in 2018 was highest in Norfolk (56%), compared to Middlesex (53%) and Worcester (48%).

Among individual communities, turnout in 2020 was highest in the Middlesex County towns of Carlisle, Sherborn and Sudbury (all at 97%), Stow (95%), and Wayland (93%). In Norfolk County, turnout also was high in the towns of Dover (100%), Medfield (97%) and Westwood (92%). The Town of Southborough had the highest turnout of any Worcester County community (93%). Turnout was lowest in 2020 in the City of Framingham (56%) and the Town of Milford (63%).

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
20002002200420062008201020122014201620182020
United States50%56%57%54%55%62%
Massachusetts56%45%59%45%62%45%61%41%62%50%66%
Region59%48%62%48%64%48%63%43%64%52%68%
Middlesex County58%48%61%47%63%47%62%42%63%53%67%
Norfolk County64%53%67%52%68%53%67%47%68%56%73%
Worcester County56%45%59%44%61%45%59%40%62%48%66%
Acton town, Middlesex County72%61%73%59%76%59%74%53%77%66%82%
Ashland town, Middlesex County65%57%69%52%70%53%67%44%71%58%75%
Bedford town, Middlesex County70%55%71%58%74%58%73%53%74%64%81%
Bellingham town, Norfolk County60%49%66%49%69%51%68%44%69%55%77%
Boxborough town, Middlesex County68%58%72%59%79%62%78%55%80%64%85%
Carlisle town, Middlesex County85%75%92%77%94%77%93%69%90%79%97%
Concord town, Middlesex County74%64%77%64%79%64%75%55%77%70%87%
Dedham town, Norfolk County65%56%66%53%67%53%69%49%73%62%80%
Dover town, Norfolk County87%75%89%73%90%76%91%67%89%75%100%
Framingham city, Middlesex County50%40%50%39%51%37%51%34%53%42%56%
Groton town, Middlesex County76%66%83%64%83%64%81%56%85%72%91%
Harvard town, Worcester County66%56%71%58%70%57%72%54%75%66%79%
Holliston town, Middlesex County73%61%78%66%84%67%81%58%82%70%88%
Hopkinton town, Middlesex County75%65%81%63%85%64%83%57%81%65%81%
Hudson town, Middlesex County60%48%64%50%68%52%67%47%71%58%75%
Lexington town, Middlesex County75%65%78%63%79%63%77%54%75%65%79%
Lincoln town, Middlesex County60%54%67%57%74%63%80%59%81%73%85%
Littleton town, Middlesex County74%61%79%62%81%64%81%59%81%70%90%
Maynard town, Middlesex County65%55%70%58%73%58%73%53%74%66%82%
Medfield town, Norfolk County79%67%84%69%89%71%89%65%88%75%97%
Medway town, Norfolk County68%57%76%58%78%61%79%56%82%67%90%
Milford town, Worcester County56%41%56%42%58%42%60%42%62%47%63%
Millis town, Norfolk County70%58%75%61%78%63%79%58%82%70%89%
Natick town, Middlesex County71%57%71%56%74%56%73%50%73%63%78%
Needham town, Norfolk County78%70%82%68%84%68%82%62%84%73%88%
Sherborn town, Middlesex County88%78%93%78%95%80%91%68%91%80%97%
Southborough town, Worcester County80%69%85%67%86%67%86%62%87%74%93%
Stow town, Middlesex County78%67%84%69%86%70%85%62%87%77%95%
Sudbury town, Middlesex County81%69%86%68%88%69%87%60%85%73%97%
Walpole town, Norfolk County70%58%74%59%77%61%77%58%79%65%83%
Wayland town, Middlesex County80%70%84%70%87%68%86%60%86%75%93%
Wellesley town, Norfolk County72%61%72%58%72%59%73%54%72%63%76%
Westborough town, Worcester County61%49%64%49%67%50%68%46%69%56%67%
Westford town, Middlesex County74%61%79%63%83%63%79%55%83%70%89%
Weston town, Middlesex County74%64%79%64%81%65%80%55%77%64%84%
Westwood town, Norfolk County81%71%83%69%86%71%87%65%84%73%92%





Number of People Who Voted
20002002200420062008201020122014201620182020
United States105,405,100122,295,345131,257,328129,067,662136,669,237158,383,403
Massachusetts2,734,0062,220,3012,927,4552,243,8353,102,9952,319,9633,184,1962,186,7893,378,8012,752,6653,658,005
Region1,296,9281,069,6551,367,5901,062,9311,443,8921,105,8601,486,5111,042,9101,579,2681,306,9891,715,310
Middlesex County663,624547,665692,287538,444730,490557,974757,380531,679808,630678,178869,347
Norfolk County319,997265,329332,828261,646347,354273,538358,263254,227374,542312,152411,042
Worcester County313,307256,661342,475262,841366,048274,348370,868257,004396,096316,659434,921
Acton town, Middlesex County10,4688,94910,7998,71111,6359,29812,0228,73612,96711,18414,018
Ashland town, Middlesex County7,1666,4257,8796,0808,4806,5548,5755,7369,3267,81910,564
Bedford town, Middlesex County6,8195,3956,9145,7107,4355,9157,7195,6648,0666,9268,902
Bellingham town, Norfolk County7,0045,7787,8825,9248,4136,4498,5845,6628,9827,2369,933
Boxborough town, Middlesex County2,4572,0772,5892,0912,8662,3072,9652,1023,0692,7513,440
Carlisle town, Middlesex County2,9052,5613,1442,6293,2462,6963,3742,5413,3912,9893,670
Concord town, Middlesex County9,7428,44510,2058,47310,5828,76511,0558,27411,44710,19112,391
Dedham town, Norfolk County12,05210,46912,47510,04412,85710,41613,7669,89514,62612,43915,981
Dover town, Norfolk County3,3272,8853,3632,7493,4282,9063,5932,7183,6723,1334,064
Framingham city, Middlesex County26,61521,39826,19420,31427,08520,14928,06319,00930,02824,39032,235
Groton town, Middlesex County5,1344,5925,8514,5826,1374,8766,3624,5126,8125,8377,356
Harvard town, Worcester County3,0662,6273,4052,8503,4892,8783,6422,7153,7763,3724,157
Holliston town, Middlesex County7,4116,0987,7746,4788,2706,6428,3366,1378,7677,5959,667
Hopkinton town, Middlesex County6,7896,0207,6436,0208,3946,4588,7036,2759,3368,01110,354
Hudson town, Middlesex County8,3976,7618,9326,9739,8267,65910,0807,16410,8658,94211,653
Lexington town, Middlesex County16,83414,71017,46714,14617,96214,50318,43913,30118,59116,09420,168
Lincoln town, Middlesex County3,3832,8853,4252,7643,4962,8653,7502,7893,9573,5564,300
Littleton town, Middlesex County4,4533,7184,8883,8825,1964,2175,4414,0966,0015,2726,722
Maynard town, Middlesex County5,2704,4365,5304,4935,6744,5415,8174,3156,0905,4756,803
Medfield town, Norfolk County6,6345,6356,9645,6417,2935,8987,4705,5227,7996,6608,486
Medway town, Norfolk County6,0765,1026,8065,2167,0265,5497,2955,2337,8006,4248,475
Milford town, Worcester County11,4828,58611,9628,97712,3949,04512,9519,26513,82610,60014,676
Millis town, Norfolk County4,1673,4244,4403,5714,6083,7324,7753,5285,0504,3475,677
Natick town, Middlesex County17,28813,94217,32313,70118,15514,01018,86413,68020,09717,34921,942
Needham town, Norfolk County16,27114,53416,90513,88317,33614,25417,42613,41118,47216,44520,263
Sherborn town, Middlesex County2,5682,2762,6642,2222,7052,2922,6892,0292,7232,4122,991
Southborough town, Worcester County4,8494,3595,4634,3655,7324,5345,8674,2446,0835,1796,717
Stow town, Middlesex County3,3692,9553,7543,1174,0243,3854,2883,2194,4874,0694,997
Sudbury town, Middlesex County9,2507,9899,8947,83010,3278,32810,6797,57110,9409,64612,487
Walpole town, Norfolk County12,03510,04112,78110,22313,65510,92314,10310,77214,82812,31616,295
Wayland town, Middlesex County7,6636,6377,9016,4498,1686,3848,3105,9018,6087,5509,390
Wellesley town, Norfolk County13,90411,94414,22111,44114,56011,96815,18111,23115,26613,18216,494
Westborough town, Worcester County8,2156,6498,7326,6909,0636,8299,2576,4639,7767,96610,698
Westford town, Middlesex County10,8108,97811,6489,32712,5829,77212,9769,30314,07111,86415,383
Weston town, Middlesex County6,1585,2916,3485,1276,5035,2486,7204,7316,6965,5687,140
Westwood town, Norfolk County8,1267,1448,3676,8968,7757,3289,1296,8929,4948,29110,639

Notes: National data only available for presidential years.




INDICATORS REGIONAL TREND
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children Living in Poverty Maintaining
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 Increasing
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments Increasing
Households Without Vehicles Maintaining
Means of Transportation to Work Not Applicable
Households With Internet Access Increasing
Voter Participation Rate Increasing
Average Charitable Contribution Maintaining
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
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
Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate Maintaining
Share of Workers who are Professionals, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
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 Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Group Not Applicable
School Spending Per Student Maintaining
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
Chronically Absent Students Increasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults Not Applicable
College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Maintaining
People Living in Poverty, by Education Level Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households 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 Maintaining
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
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
Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Share of Workers who are Professionals, 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 Not Applicable
College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
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
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable


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