This Group Of Voters In Essex County Wields Hefty Power On Election Day, Study Says

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Older voters wield some serious Election Day power in Essex County and other parts of New Jersey, a recent study found.

On Wednesday, the AARP New Jersey released a report prepared in collaboration with Gotham Polling and Analytics, which takes a look at the “outsized influence” of voters aged 50 and up.

This age group accounted for a whopping 46.47 percent of the total turnout in Essex County last year, researchers found.

Other recent turnout numbers in Essex County for voters aged 50 and up are equally hefty:

• 2020 – 50.5%
• 2021 – 62.49%
• 2022 – 59.65%
• 2023 – 64.81%

Read the full study and see its methodology here. See a breakdown by county here, and a breakdown by Legislative district here.

Older voters have put in good turnouts during years without a presidential race, which allows them to have a particularly large impact on state and local elections, researchers said.

Those numbers tend to remain the same in New Jersey regardless of party affiliation, the AARP New Jersey said:

“In presidential elections, voter turnout in the Garden State is widespread across all age groups. However, in non-presidential years, voters aged 50 and over – both Democrats and Republicans – dominate the electorate, often by a substantial margin. The report reveals that in every county reviewed, voters aged 50 and over represent the majority of turnout, with some counties, such as Hunterdon and Morris, seeing turnout rates exceeding 70% in off-year elections. This demographic's strong presence underscores their outsized influence, particularly in local and state elections.”

Additionally, the report found that registered women aged 50 and over surpass their male counterparts, highlighting the “pivotal role of older women in the electoral process.”

“We hope this report encourages policymakers and candidates to address the issues that matter most to older voters, including property tax relief, retirement security, long-term care reform, and support for family caregivers,” AARP New Jersey state director Chris Widelo said.

According to data from the Essex County Clerk’s Office, voters in Essex County cast 315,739 ballots in the 2024 general election. There were 590,268 registered voters – an overall turnout of 53.49 percent.

• See Related: NJ Sees Huge Spike In Number Of Workers Postponing Retirement
• See Related: Social Security Retirement Age To Change In 2025 (What It Means In NJ)

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.