El Paso primary election voters were older this year than in the last presidential primaries four years ago, an El Paso Matters analysis of county voting records shows.

The median age of El Paso voters this year (meaning half were older and half were younger) was 58 years old, up from 56 years old in the 2016 primaries. The median age of Republican voters rose to 59.75 compared to 56 four years ago; the median age for Democrats this year was 57.5, up from 56 in 2016.

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People over age 60 made up more than 45 percent of primary voters this year, compared to 41 percent in 2016.

Voters under age 30 made up 12.3 percent of this year’s primary electorate, similar to the 12.7 percent in 2016.

Younger registered voters were far less likely to go to the polls during the primaries than older El Pasoans. Fewer than one in 10 registered voters under 30 cast ballots, compared to one in three among registered voters over age 60.

Women made up 53.9 percent of primary voters this year, essentially unchanged from 54 percent four years ago.


Registered women voters were slightly more likely to vote in the primary than men. 19.5 percent of registered women cast ballots, compared to 18.2 percent of registered men.

Robert Moore is the founder and CEO of El Paso Matters. He has been a journalist in the Texas Borderlands since 1986.