Echoes Sentinel: Majority of NJ voters in non-presidential election years are 50 and older, report shows

Residents age 50 and older make up roughly 65 percent of all general election votes cast during non-presidential election years in Morris and Somerset counties, according to an AARP New Jersey report released Wednesday, April 9.

The report, “The Power of the Older Voter,” was prepared with Gotham Polling and Analytics.

According to this report, regardless of political affiliation, older voters throughout the state exercise their right to vote significantly more than their younger counterparts, specifically during non-presidential election years.

“The trend is very consistent, regardless of your party affiliation,” AARP New Jersey State Director Chris Widelo said in an interview on Friday, April 11. “Democrat, Republican or Independent, older voters simply show up in a more reliable way than any other age group.”

The report provides a breakdown of general election data for each county in New Jersey, as well as each legislative district, from 2020 to 2024, and nearly every county and district reflects the same thing: older voters are more consistent every year, while younger voters’ numbers drop drastically in non-presidential election years.

The report also showed that, across party lines, women over 50 vote more than their male counterparts.

“We hope this report encourages policymakers and candidates to address the issues that matter most to older voters, including property tax relief, retirement security, long-term care reform and support for family caregivers,” Widelo said in a public statement Wednesday, April 9.

Statistics

In the 21st legislative district, voters under 50 actually surpassed older voters in 2024, casting just over 51.5 percent of general election votes. In contrast, these younger voters made up only 38 percent of the votes in 2023.

In 2023, voters under 50 accounted for less than 33.5 percent of the votes in Morris County and just over 34 percent in Somerset County.

In Somerset County, Democrats and Independents lead in registration, with both parties having a majority of registrants under 50. The county has less registered Republicans, but most are in the 50 and older group.

“While the advantage in registration would seem to favor Democrats, nearly equal turnout by Republican 50+ voters and strong Independent participation make Somerset a potential battleground,” the report reads.

In Morris County, roughly 59 percent of the 125,030 registered Republicans were over 50 in 2024.

There are almost as many registered Independents in the county, totaling 122,931, according to the report, with the majority being under 50.

“If you want to be the next governor of New Jersey, then candidates are going to need to understand and address the concerns of older voters across the garden state because more than two-thirds of the electorate in 2025 will be comprised of voters 50 years and older,” Widelo said.

Some counties have even higher differences in voter turnout between age categories. For example, residents 50 and older cast more than 79 percent of general election votes in Cape May in 2023.