2024 will probably be shaped by nonvoters as much as voters

Since citizens who do not participate in elections often have lower incomes, educational attainments, and have less exposure to news media and political campaigns, nonvoters tend to have a large influence on the national decision-making process. In the 21st century, the impact of nonvoters has grown exponentially, as shown by the fact that the proportion of nonvoters in the U.S. has steadily risen from 40 percent in 2008 to an estimated 65 percent in the 2016 election. As a result, it is quite likely that issues such as economic inequality, educational reform, and immigration reform will continue to gain prominence in the upcoming elections. Nonvoters, with their greater heterogeneity, also have the potential to influence the outcome of these debates, by exerting their influence in the form of support for or opposition to key policy issues. Thus, it is likely that nonvoters will continue to have a major impact on the shape of U.S. politics in 2024.