John I. Adams, Chairman, TSCL
Did you know that seniors who vote more often tend to be more satisfied with their lives in general than those who vote less often? That’s according to the 2025 Lifestyle Survey, a recent study of more than 1,200 American retirees over the age of 65 by TSCL.
The study finds that about 19 in 20 seniors say they regularly vote in at least some kinds of elections—federal, state, or local. This doesn’t mean they vote every time, but it does suggest they tend to vote more often than not.
Seniors are most likely to vote in Presidential elections, with 92 percent saying they typically vote. Next are the elections for the House of Representatives and the Senate, where about 72 percent say they typically vote. Between 64 percent and 69 percent typically vote in local elections, state legislative elections, and gubernatorial elections—like the one in Virginia last week. Meanwhile, about 56 percent say they regularly vote in party primaries.
What’s interesting is that it appears being more involved in the electoral process by voting in non-national elections is connected to higher life satisfaction among seniors. The survey also asked participants to rate their satisfaction with their current lives on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest. The happiest group, those who rated their lives a 9 or 10, tended to vote much more often than those who expressed less satisfaction with their lives.
Want some examples? Let’s start with local elections. Seniors who said they were the most satisfied with their lives are approximately 23 percent more likely to say they regularly vote in them than their less satisfied peers. If we make the same comparison for state legislative elections, that’s 15 percent. For gubernatorial elections, it’s 17 percent.
However, the most compelling difference is reserved for party primaries. In total, about 72 percent of seniors who expressed very high life satisfaction said they typically vote in party primaries, compared to 53 percent of other seniors. That means seniors who regularly vote in their party’s primary—regardless of which party we’re talking about—are about 36 percent more likely to say they’re very satisfied with their lives.
So, what’s the takeaway from this? Whenever you have the chance, get out there and vote. It’s especially important at the state and local level and in your party’s primaries. Not only is it a positive outlet that brings seniors closer to their communities, but it also lays the groundwork for national policy shifts that benefit seniors. It’s key to cultivating talent at the state and local level—some of whom will eventually move into national politics—who recognize and prioritize our needs.