Keep Factually independent
Whether you agree or disagree with our analysis, these conversations matter for democracy. We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way.
What percentage of the US adult population is registered to vote in 2024?
Executive summary
Census Bureau survey data show 73.6% of the voting‑age population (citizen adults) were registered for the November 2024 presidential election, with 65.3% reporting they voted (CPS Voting and Registration Supplement) [1][2]. A different administrative tally from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission counts “more than 211 million” active registered voters — reported as 86.6% of the citizen voting‑age population — producing a notably higher registration share [3]. Both figures are in circulation; they reflect different data sources, definitions and collection methods [1][3].
1. Why two different registration percentages appear: survey vs. administrative totals
The 73.6% figure comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey (CPS) Voting and Registration Supplement, a household survey that reports registration and turnout rates among the citizen voting‑age population (CVAP) and produced the 73.6% registration and 65.3% turnout numbers for 2024 [1][2]. By contrast, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) report compiles administrative data submitted by states and reports “more than 211 million” active registered voters equaling 86.6% of the citizen voting‑age population — a substantially higher percentage than the CPS estimate [3]. The disparity stems from methodological differences between a national household survey and state‑reported registration lists; both are cited in the record [1][3].
2. What the CPS number (73.6%) actually measures
The Census CPS number measures the share of the citizen voting‑age population who reported being registered when surveyed for the 2024 presidential election; the same CPS product reports turnout at 65.3% [1][2]. The CPS is a long‑standing, consistent time series used for historical comparisons — the Census has collected comparable voting and registration data every two years since 1964, and it publishes detailed tables and historical series for 2024 [4][5]. Use of the CPS is common when analysts want demographic breakdowns (age, race, education) because it links registration and turnout to those characteristics [1][2].
3. What the EAC number (211 million; 86.6%) reflects and its strengths
The EAC’s 86.6% estimate is based on state‑level administrative rolls — the count of “active registered voters” reported by election officials — and the agency frames its report as “the nation’s most comprehensive report on election administration,” covering registration methods and list maintenance [3]. Administrative data capture everyone on state rolls at a point in time and can show raw counts (e.g., 211+ million registered), which is useful for operational planning and assessing the coverage of registration systems [3].
4. Why the two approaches diverge — practical issues that matter
Survey estimates and administrative totals often diverge for predictable reasons: surveys can undercount certain populations or reflect respondents’ self‑reporting errors, while administrative rolls can include people who have moved, died, or are otherwise ineligible but not yet removed — or they may treat “active” and “inactive” registrations differently across states [3][1]. The sources provided describe both measures without asserting one is definitively correct; they simply reflect different measurement strategies [1][3].
5. How journalists and analysts use both numbers — complementary perspectives
Analysts typically use the CPS/ Census numbers when they need demographic breakdowns and consistent historical trend lines [1][4]. They use administrative totals to quantify the size of registration rolls and to examine registration practices and list maintenance [3]. Reporting both contextualizes claims such as “percent of adults registered” because a reader interested in raw registry size (211M) sees a different picture from a reader focused on survey‑based CVAP shares (73.6%) [3][1].
6. Bottom line for your question: what percentage of U.S. adults were registered in 2024?
Available reporting provides two widely cited figures: 73.6% of the citizen voting‑age population were registered according to the Census Bureau’s CPS survey, with 65.3% reporting they voted [1][2]; and the EAC’s administrative report counts more than 211 million active registered voters, equal to 86.6% of the citizen voting‑age population by that agency’s calculation [3]. The choice between them depends on whether you prefer a survey estimate used for demographic trends (Census CPS) or an administrative tally reported by election officials (EAC) [1][3].
Limitations and caveats: the provided sources themselves highlight the methodological and definitional differences between CPS survey results and state administrative rolls; neither source in this set declares the other invalid, and neither reconciles the gap in a single unified estimate [1][3].