Nativity and Voter Participation 2010 - 2024: Exploring the Electoral Participation Gap Between Foreign-Born and Native-Born Citizen in the United States of America

Over the past two decades, the population of naturalized citizens in the United States has grown at a faster rate than that of native-born citizens, resulting in foreign-born voters composing a substantial share of the national electorate. By 2024, naturalized citizens constituted at least 13% of the electorate despite many long-term eligible residents not pursuing attainment of citizenship. This demographic transformation, coupled with the rising prominence of immigration-related issues, has heightened the importance of understanding the political behavior of naturalized citizens. Previous scholarship has identified a significant gap in voter registration and turnout between naturalized and native-born citizens. However, limited longitudinal studies have been conducted to address questions about the durability of this divide over time. This paper investigates the extent to which nativity and other socio-economic and demographic characteristics shape electoral participation in the United States from 2010 to 2024. Using microdata from the U.S. Census Bureau’s biannual Current Population Survey Voting and Registration Supplement, we employ logistic regression models to evaluate the predictive power of nativity, income, education, race/ethnicity, gender, and age on both registration and turnout. Our analysis directly compares findings from this period with earlier studies covering 1996-2010, allowing us to assess whether participation gaps have narrowed, widened, or persisted. Results show that, while the foreign-born electorate has expanded in both absolute and relative terms, naturalized citizens continue to register and vote at lower rates than their native-born counterparts, even after controlling for socio-economic variables. We further highlight important demographic differences between naturalized and native-born voters, particularly in age distribution, educational attainment, and racial/ethnic composition. These findings confirm the persistence of an electoral participation gap, suggesting structural and institutional factors may continue to limit the full incorporation of naturalized citizens into the U.S. political system. Furthermore, while the salience of immigration policy may influence naturalization rates, this has not translated into an increase likelihood of registering to vote and/or subsequently turning out to vote.