NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Voter turnout in the 2022 midterm elections in Tennessee was one of the lowest in nearly a decade.
Fewer than half of the more than 4.5 million registered voters in Tennessee cast their ballots, falling below 40% for the first time since 2014, according to the Secretary of State’s office.
The unofficial turnout for the midterms was 1,755,218, the secretary’s office told News 2, or 38.57% of the 4,550,026 registered voters.
The turnout is far below that of the 2020 election, which saw 3,074,691 of the 4,436,727 registered voters (69.3%) of the electorate cast a ballot, as well as 2018, where 2,267,428 of 4,163,359 voters (54.46%) cast their ballots.
The figure is the lowest turnout in a general election since the 2014 midterms, which saw just 35.97% of registered voters cast their ballots. At that time, there were only 3,975,587 registered voters in Tennessee, and only 1,430,117 of them made their voices heard in that election.
The last time voter turnout was below 40% for a general election was 1998, which saw just 32.53% of registered voters—1,026,017 of 3,154,487—cast a ballot.
| YEAR | REGISTERED VOTERS | BALLOTS CAST | VOTER TURNOUT (%) |
| 2022 | 4,550,026* | 1,755,218* | 38.57% |
| 2020 | 4,436,727 | 3,074,691 | 69.3% |
| 2018 | 4,163,359 | 2267428 | 54.46% |
| 2016 | 4,110,318 | 2,545,271 | 61.92% |
| 2014 | 3,975,587 | 1,430,117 | 35.97% |
| 2012 | 4,008,654 | 2,479,733 | 61.86% |
| 2010 | 3,921,517 | 1,620,541 | 41.32% |
| 2008 | 3,946,481 | 2,618,238 | 66.34% |
| 2006 | 3,738,703 | 1,868,363 | 49.97% |
| 2004 | 3,704,040 | 2,456,610 | 66.32% |
| 2002 | 3,347,979 | 1,687,543 | 50.4% |
| 2000 | 3,331,971 | 2,100,241 | 63.03% |
| 1998 | 3,154,487 | 1,026,017 | 32.53% |
| 1996 | 3,055,962 | 1,918,156 | 62.77% |
| 1994 | 2,683,422 | 1,519,378 | 56.62% |
All estimates of voter turnout remain unofficial until election results are certified by the Secretary of State. County election commissions have 45 days after the election to provide the secretary of state’s office with official voter turnout numbers, according to Julia Bruck, Director of Communications for the Tennessee Secretary of State.
