Ahead of Monday’s registration deadline for the 2024 election cycle, 190,000 new voters have registered in Tennessee. This surge in new registrants reflects a continued trend of heightened voter engagement in major election years, with a notable increase in youth participation. Data analyzed from January 2024 through mid-September 2024 highlights a bright spot for Tennessee’s voter registration numbers. However, the ongoing challenges of low voter turnout and engagement remain, as the state continues to rank among the lowest in the nation when it comes to overall voter participation and registration.
A Look Back: Comparing New Voter Registrations Since 2018
Tennessee’s voter registration efforts have seen fluctuations in recent years. The number of new registrants by mid-September in each election cycle tells the story of growing civic participation:
- 2024: 190,000
- 2022: 120,000
- 2020: 230,000 (a record-breaking year for registrations)
- 2018: 130,000
While the 2020 election cycle remains a high-point for voter registration (driven by a nationwide increase in voter engagement and registration), 2024’s 190,000 new registrants surpasses the numbers from both 2022 and 2018. This marks a 58% increase from 2022 and a 46% increase from the last midterm cycle in 2018.
In 2022, Tennessee’s voter registration rate was 67.4%, below the national average of 69.1%, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau, ranking 43rd out of 50 states plus the District of Columbia. (United States Census Bureau)
Youth Surge: A 10% Increase in 2024 vs 2020
One of the most exciting findings this year is the 10% increase in youth registration. In 2020, only 50% of new registrants were aged 18-34. This year, that number has jumped to 60%, adding nearly 90,000 new young voters to the electorate. This significant increase makes the state’s overall voter pool 1% more youth-leaning than it was at the start of the year.
“CivicTN and its coalition partners have made outreach to younger voters a priority in 2024. While Tennessee ranked last in youth voter turnout in 2022, the registration numbers for this demographic in 2024 are promising. We’re hopeful that this registration increase will translate into a higher turnout for youth in the upcoming election,” says Matia Powell, Executive Director of CivicTN.
New Voter Registration by County
The top counties leading the surge in voter registration are:
- Davidson County – 17,000
- Shelby County – 15,000
- Knox County – 13,000
- Hamilton County – 11,000
- Rutherford County – 11,000
- Williamson County – 10,000
- Montgomery County – 8,000
- Sumner County – 7,000
- Wilson County – 5,000
- Sullivan County – 5,000
Davidson and Shelby Counties lead the state in new voter registrations, but many of Tennessee’s fastest-growing counties, such as Montgomery and Rutherford, are also seeing major increases. This reflects the state’s shifting population dynamics and highlights CivicTN’s commitment to ensuring voter engagement efforts meet the changing needs of these areas.
Next Steps: Mobilizing New Voters
This new report on voter registration numbers comes at a critical moment, as today, October 7, is the final day to register to vote in order to participate in the upcoming November election. With nearly 200,000 new registrants already added to the voter rolls this year, it’s essential that Tennesseans take immediate action if they have not yet registered.
In the remaining weeks before the election, CivicTN and our coalition members will focus on ensuring these new registrants turn out to vote in November. This includes continued voter education efforts, get-out-the-vote campaigns, and expanding outreach in underrepresented areas.
