Maverick County Middle-Age Voters participated the greatest in March 1st Primary Election, Young Voters had lowest participation rate
By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2016
The Eagle Pass Business Journal did an exclusive investigation of the voting participation rates among Maverick County registered voters during the March 1, 2016 Democratic Party Primary Election, finding that Middle-Age voters between the ages of 41-65 years old had the highest participation rate while the Young voters between the ages of 18-40 years old had the lowest participation rate.
According to the Maverick County Elections Department, a total of 7,222 registered voters in Maverick County exercised their right to vote in the just held March 1, 2016 Democratic Party Primary Election, an increase of 1,924 voters than the 2014 Election which only had a total of 5,298 voters cast a ballot.
The 7,222 total votes in the March 1, 2016 Texas Democratic Primary Election in Maverick County is only a 24.23% participation rate among registered voters in Maverick County as there are a total of 29,800 registered voters. Thus, only 24.23% of Maverick County registered voters decided many local contested elections such as County Sheriff, County Commissioners of Precinct 1 and 3, and other races such as Constable.
A democracy allows its citizens the power to elect and choose its public government officials through the free exercise of each person’s vote in every election. Many American men and women have sacrificed their lives in foreign and domestic wars over time to preserve the liberty and democracy we enjoy in the United States. Sadly, only a small percentage of Americans exercise their right to vote, allowing a minority of voters to elect and choose our publicly elected officials. Maverick County is no exception to this national dilemma.
The Eagle Pass Business Journal conducted an exclusive review of three voters age groups participation in the March 1, 2016 Democratic Party Primary Election: the Young Voters from ages 18 year old through 40 years old, the Middle-Age Voters from 41 year old though 65 year old, and the Elderly Voters from ages 66 years old through 103 year old.
The Eagle Pass Business Journal found that the Middle-Age voters between the ages of 41 to 65 years old are more likely to go and vote than any other age group in Maverick County, according to data from the 2016 voters who voted list for the March 1, 2016 Maverick County Democratic primary election.
During the March 1, 2016 election, the Middle-Age voters group cast a total of 3,299 votes cast (45.6 % ) of all the 7,222 total votes cast in the election.
According to the Maverick County Elections Department there is 11,363 people registered in the voter registration list between the ages of 41 to 65 years old which would mean that 29% (3,299 votes) of those registered under this age group came out to vote and participated during the March, 1, 2016 election.
A breakdown of the Middle-age group of voters who voted show that 64 year olds cast more votes than any other age group between the ages of 41 to 65 years old.
A total of 150 64 year old voters cast a ballot in the March 1, 2016 Democratic Party Primary Election, followed by 149 votes among 54 year old voters, 142 votes among 63 year old voters, 142 votes among 48 year old voters, 140 votes among 56 year old voters, 140 votes cast by 45 year old voters, 139 votes cast by 44 year old voters, 138 votes cast by 50 year old voters, 137 votes cast by 47 year old voters, 134 votes cast by 65 year old voters, 134 votes cast by 62 year old voters, 133 votes cast by 42 year old voters, 133 votes cast by 43 year old voters, 131 votes cast by 61 year old voters, 131 votes cast by 52 year old voters, 131 votes cast by 53 year old voters, 129 votes cast by 41 year old voters, 129 votes cast by 51 year old voters, 126 votes cast by 60 year old voters, 125 votes cast by 58 year old voters, 120 votes cast by 57 year old voters, 117 votes cast by 55 year old voters, 116 votes cast by 59 year old voters, and 108 votes cast by 49 year old voters.
Elderly Voters between the ages of 66 to 103 year’s old accounted for 28.5 % of the 7,222 votes cast during the March, 1, 2016 election, that is, a total of 2,060 votes.
Elderly Voters between the age group of 66 to 103 yrs old voted 2,060 times, led by 67 yr old voters who had a total of 152 votes. This 67 year old age voter group voted more than any other age group in the Young Voters group between 18 year old to 40 year old.
There are 4,683 people registered to vote between the ages of 66 to 103 years old in Maverick County. This means that voters between the age of 66 to 103 years old had a 44% voter participation rate in the March 1, Primary Election, the highest among the three overall voter age groups.
A total of 144 66 year old voted in the March 1, Primary Election, followed by 69 year old with 127 votes cast, 71 year old voted 115 ballots, 70 year old voted 111 ballots, 68 year old voted 109 ballots, 72 year old voted 108 ballots, 74 year old voted 101 ballots, 73 year old voted 97 ballots, 76 year old voted 97 ballots, 75 year old voted 84 ballots, 79 year old voted 83 ballots, 77 year old voted 70 ballots, 78 year old voted 65 ballots, 80 year old voted 65 ballots, 82 year old voted 57 ballots, 81 year old voted 46 ballots, 83 yr old voted 41 ballots, 86 year old voted 40 ballots, 85 yr old voted 38 ballots, 88 yr old voted 35 ballots, 84 yr old voted 31 ballots, 87 year old voted 30 ballots, 89 year old’s voted 22 ballots, 91 year old’s voted 10 ballots, 92 year old’s voted 10 ballots, 93 yr old’s voted 9 ballots, 94 year old’s voted 4 ballots, 95 year old’s voted 3 ballots, 96 year old’s voted 3 ballots, 99 year old’s voted 2 ballots, 101 year old’s voted 2 ballots, and 1 vote from a 103 year old voter.
The Eagle Pass Business Journal exclusive research found that the Young Voters age group between the ages of 18-40 year olds had the lowest total number of voter participation rates (27%) with only 1,927 votes cast out of the total 7,222 votes cast during the March 1, 2016 Democratic primary election.
There are 13,542 voters registered between the ages of 18 to 40 years old, but only 1,927 people from this age group voted and participated in the March 1, 2016 Primary Election, accounting for only 14% of all voters registered in Maverick County under those age brackets (18 to 40).
A breakdown by age among the Young Voters age group (18 to 40 years old) shows that of this age group, the 36 year old’s cast more votes (124) than any other group between the ages of 18 to 40 years old.
A total of 117 40 year old’s cast their ballot in the March 1, 2016 Primary Election, followed by 33 year old’s voted 109 times, 39 year old’s voted 107 times, 34 years old voted 101 times, 38 yrs old voted 100 times, 24 yrs old voted 96 times, 27 yrs old voted 94 times, 30 yrs old voted 93 times, 37 yrs old voted 90 times, 26 yrs old voted 88 times, 23 yrs old voted 86 times, 85 31 year old’s , 29 yrs old voted 85 times, 28 yrs old voted 84 times, 21 yr old’s voted 82 times, 19 yr old’s voted 82 times, 32 yr old’s voted 80 times, 22 yr old’s voted 77 times, 25 yr old’s voted 76 times, 20 yr old’s voted 71 times and 18 yr old’s voted 65 times.
What can truly be seen is a lackluster interest of voters between the age of 18 to 40 year old’s who have more people registered (13,542) than any other age group but yet fall last in actual voter participation seen in this last election with only 1,927 votes cast or 27 % of the actual voter turnout in the March 1,2016 Primary election.
In summary, the Middle-Age Voter group between 41 to 65 year old voters accounted for the highest voter participation at 45.6% of all the ballots cast (3,299) during the March,1.2016 Primary election but fall behind in actual registered voter participation with only 29% (3,299 votes) of all those registered (11.363) coming out to vote.
Meanwhile, the Elderly Voters age group between the ages of 66 to 103 years old had a greater percentage participation in voting numbers as compared to voters registered in that age group participating at a 44% rate participation in actual voters registered in Maverick County while the Young Voters age group between 18 to 40 year olds had the lowest participation rate of 27%.
