State by State: Youth Vote Key to Blue Wave in the 2026 Midterms

Young people had a major impact on the 2026 midterm elections with overwhelming support for Democratic candidates across the country. That strong youth preference for Democrats helped power the party’s strong performances in major House and Senate races that helped shift the balance of power in Congress and major Democratic wins in gubernatorial contests.

This analysis is based on data from the NORC Civic Health & Elections Project. Explore the youth vote choice in Senate and Governor races here:

Youth Key to Wins in Texas, Georgia, and More

In several major battleground states, the youth vote may have played an outsized role in Democratic victories. In the Georgia gubernatorial race, where Keisha Lance Bottoms won a closely contested election, 70% of young voters backed Bottoms. In that state’s Senate race, 71% of youth supported Democrat Jon Ossoff. More than 70% of youth also supported Democrats in the Minnesota Senate and Governor races, where both candidates won.

In Mississippi, where Democratic Senate candidate Scott Colom is locked in a surprising dead heat to unseat Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith, 76% of youth voted for Colom. In South Carolina, where Democrat Annie Andrews upset Republican Darline Graham in their race for the U.S. Senate, 66% of youth voted for Andrews.

CIRCLE will continue to analyze and release data on young voters throughout election week and beyond, including their impact on key races as more elections are called. Find all our 2026 youth vote data here.