Republicans may have edge with these voters, study shows
As the contentions 2018 U.S. midterm elections approach, Republicans and Democrats can count on more homeowners to head to the polls than Americans who rent their residences – and that could be good news for Republicans.
According to a report from ApartmentList.com, 49 percent of eligible renters voted in the 2016 election, compared with 67 percent of eligible homeowners. Renters comprise about 30 percent of the eligible voting population.
Renters were more likely to lean left – voting for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election by a margin of 30 percentage points – compared with homeowners, who favored President Trump by a margin of 6 percentage points. Those trends carried through at all levels of the federal government, transcending traditional state-specific voting trends.
Part of the political divergence could be explained by income levels. The median net worth of the average renter, according to the study, is $5,200, compared with the median homeowner, whose net worth is about $231,400. Homeowners may also be more concerned with issues like property taxes. Overall, renters are a more diverse demographic, comprised of 45 percent minorities.
Lower voter turnout among renters can partially be explained by the fact that these households are likely to include children under the age of 18, and non-citizen immigrants – therefore a larger share of these households is simply ineligible to vote. The survey also notes that renters tend to move more frequently, meaning they may be faced with having to re-register in new cities.
There are 35 Senate seats up for grabs this November – Democrats need to gain two more than their current total to take control of the chamber. Democrats need to flip 23 Republican-held seats in the House of Representatives to gain a majority in that chamber – there are more than 70 races considered to be competitive, according to experts.