About 40% of eligible voters in Harris County did not participate in the 2024 general election. Drawing on survey responses from U.S.-born Harris County residents in late 2024 and September and October 2026, this snapshot explores why local residents opted out of voting in 2024, whether they are registered for the 2026 midterms and how likely they are to vote this election cycle.
Key findings
- Young adults, lower-income earners, residents with less than a bachelor’s degree and Asian and Hispanic residents were more likely to not vote in 2024.
- The most common barriers to voting were attitudinal, as many nonvoting eligible voters reported feeling disengaged or dissatisfied with the electoral process.
- Many eligible voters who did not vote in the 2024 election are still not registered to vote for the 2026 election. Many of those who are registered do not plan to vote.
