The Best Data in Politics Is now even better
Today, TargetSmart released the largest update in the history of its VoterBase national data file, dramatically expanding demographic coverage across the Democratic coalition. The strongest gains landed among younger voters, voters of color, and registered Democrats. Campaigns can use that data for sharper targeting and stronger predictive models, enabling more effective voter outreach heading into the 2026 general election and beyond.
A Massive Coverage Increase
In time for the 2026 midterms, TargetSmart has released the largest-ever update to its VoterBase national data file, improving demographic coverage for a significant percentage of all American registered voters. Previously, 171.9 million registered voter records carried demographic data coverage, representing 73.9% of the 232.6 million registered voters in VoterBase. The updated file now covers 210.3 million records, pushing nationwide coverage to 90.4%.
Data Designed for Winning
The product of a multi-million-dollar, multi-year investment in new platform and data build infrastructure, the VoterBase update enriched 38.4 million voter records with new demographic data while re-verifying 232.7 million registered voters nationwide. The result is a voter file with expanded demographic data coverage across +16.5% of the national voter file. The new data is now available to all TargetSmart platforms and analytics install clients.
Reaching Voters
Black
Voters
+22.7%
coverage
HISPANIC/LATINO
VOTERS
+19.4%
coverage
Young
Voters
+21.0%
coverage
City
dwellers
+19.7%
coverage
Registered
DEMOCRATS
+18.9%
coverage
Young voters, people of color, and highly mobile urban populations have historically been the hardest to model accurately because demographic data coverage has lagged behind the average. The VoterBase update significantly closes that gap, unlocking new ways to communicate with the people campaigns need to reach.
Coverage increased +22.7% for Black voters and +19.4% for Hispanic and Latino voters, well above the +14.5% update rate for White voters. Other coalition groups saw strong gains too: +21% for young voters, +19.7% for city dwellers, and +18.9% for registered Democrats overall.
Young Voters Saw the Biggest Gains
Both Gen Z and Millennial registrants (ages 18–39) updated well above the national baseline, while older, historically higher-turnout cohorts updated below it. Voters ages 18–29 updated at +19.2%, and those ages 30–39 updated at +22.7%, compared with +16.8% for ages 40–49, +14.5% for ages 50–64, and +12.4% for voters 65 and older.
Democrats Updated at Higher Rates Than Republicans in Every Age Group
Democratic registrants updated at higher rates than Republican registrants across every single age band, and the gap was widest among voters under 40, a 5-to-6 point edge in update rate on the cohort with the most electoral upside for turnout and persuasion programs. Among voters 18–29, Democrats updated at +21.5% versus +15.6% for Republicans. Among voters 30–39, it was +25.4% versus +18.7%.
Enhancement Across the U.S.
Coverage improved across every type of geography, though the gains were not evenly distributed. In the least densely populated rural precincts, coverage rose +14%, compared with +22.5% in the most densely populated urban precincts. Suburban areas landed in between, with lift ranging from +14.9% in less densely populated suburbs to +15.8% in more densely populated ones. Urban precincts posted the strongest results overall, but the update strengthened the file across the full spectrum of geographies, not just in cities.
The Best Data in Politics Is now even better
Today, TargetSmart released the largest update in the history of its VoterBase national data file, dramatically expanding demographic coverage across the Democratic coalition. The strongest gains landed among younger voters, voters of color, and registered Democrats. Campaigns can use that data for sharper targeting and stronger predictive models, enabling more effective voter outreach heading into the 2026 general election and beyond.
A Massive Coverage Increase
In time for the 2026 midterms, TargetSmart has released the largest-ever update to its VoterBase national data file, improving demographic coverage for a significant percentage of all American registered voters. Previously, 171.9 million registered voter records carried demographic data coverage, representing 73.9% of the 232.6 million registered voters in VoterBase. The updated file now covers 210.3 million records, pushing nationwide coverage to 90.4%.
Data Designed for Winning
The product of a multi-million-dollar, multi-year investment in new platform and data build infrastructure, the VoterBase update enriched 38.4 million voter records with new demographic data while re-verifying 232.7 million registered voters nationwide. The result is a voter file with expanded demographic data coverage across +16.5% of the national voter file. The new data is now available to all TargetSmart platforms and analytics install clients.
Reaching Voters
Black
Voters
+22.7%
coverage
HISPANIC/LATINO
VOTERS
+19.4%
coverage
Young
Voters
+21.0%
coverage
City
dwellers
+19.7%
coverage
Registered
DEMOCRATS
+18.9%
coverage
Young voters, people of color, and highly mobile urban populations have historically been the hardest to model accurately because demographic data coverage has lagged behind the average. The VoterBase update significantly closes that gap, unlocking new ways to communicate with the people campaigns need to reach.
Coverage increased +22.7% for Black voters and +19.4% for Hispanic and Latino voters, well above the +14.5% update rate for White voters. Other coalition groups saw strong gains too: +21% for young voters, +19.7% for city dwellers, and +18.9% for registered Democrats overall.
Young Voters Saw the Biggest Gains
Both Gen Z and Millennial registrants (ages 18–39) updated well above the national baseline, while older, historically higher-turnout cohorts updated below it. Voters ages 18–29 updated at +19.2%, and those ages 30–39 updated at +22.7%, compared with +16.8% for ages 40–49, +14.5% for ages 50–64, and +12.4% for voters 65 and older.
Democrats Updated at Higher Rates Than Republicans in Every Age Group
Democratic registrants updated at higher rates than Republican registrants across every single age band, and the gap was widest among voters under 40, a 5-to-6 point edge in update rate on the cohort with the most electoral upside for turnout and persuasion programs. Among voters 18–29, Democrats updated at +21.5% versus +15.6% for Republicans. Among voters 30–39, it was +25.4% versus +18.7%.
Enhancement Across the U.S.
Coverage improved across every type of geography, though the gains were not evenly distributed. In the least densely populated rural precincts, coverage rose +14%, compared with +22.5% in the most densely populated urban precincts. Suburban areas landed in between, with lift ranging from +14.9% in less densely populated suburbs to +15.8% in more densely populated ones. Urban precincts posted the strongest results overall, but the update strengthened the file across the full spectrum of geographies, not just in cities.
