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Delaware Value:
Percentage of U.S. citizens age 18 and older who voted in the last midterm national election
Delaware Rank:
Percentage of U.S. citizens age 18 and older who voted in the last midterm national election
No Data
US Value: 52.2 %
Top State(s): Oregon: 70.0 %
Bottom State(s): West Virginia: 38.4 %
Definition: Percentage of U.S. citizens age 18 and older who voted in the last midterm national election
Data Source and Years(s): U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Voting and Registration Supplement, 2022
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Voting and Registration Supplement, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2026.
Voting is a form of active civic engagement, which is associated with better health. Civic participation during adolescence and early adulthood is associated with higher educational attainment and income in adulthood. Voting, in particular, as a form of civic participation was found to be associated with fewer depressive symptoms and fewer risky health behaviors. While the exact mechanisms behind in these relationships are unclear, research suggests that active civic participation improves mental health by providing a greater sense of belonging and decreased social isolation.
The act of participating in one’s community by means of voting plays an important role in expressing one’s voice in the political process. Further, how people vote affects various aspects of life including individual wealth, rights, health care access and quality, education and social services programs.
Voter participation percentages during the last national midterm election were higher among:
Strategies at multiple levels are necessary to increase voter participation in the United States. The Center for American Progress recommends the following actions:
Healthy People 2030 identifies civic participation as a key issue in the Social and Community Context domain of the social determinants of health.
Ballard, Parissa J., et al. “Impacts of Adolescent and Young Adult Civic Engagement on Health and Socioeconomic Status in Adulthood.” Child Development, vol. 90, no. 4, 2019, pp. 1138–54. Wiley Online Library, doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12998.
Kim, Saerom, et al. “Civic Participation and Self-Rated Health: A Cross-National Multi-Level Analysis Using the World Value Survey.” Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, vol. 48, no. 1, Korean Society for Preventive Medicine, Jan. 2015, pp. 18–27. www.jpmph.org, doi:10.3961/jpmph.14.031.
America’s Health Rankings builds on the work of the United Health Foundation to draw attention to public health and better understand the health of various populations. Our platform provides relevant information that policymakers, public health officials, advocates and leaders can use to effect change in their communities.
We have developed detailed analyses on the health of key populations in the country, including women and children, seniors and those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to a deep dive into health disparities across the country.
