Scientists Discover a Surprising Link Between Voting and Longevity

A study of older Wisconsin adults found that voting was linked to lower mortality and longer survival over 5 to 15 years.

Researchers compared Wisconsin Longitudinal Study participants with official voting records and death data to examine outcomes.

The association held after adjusting for prior health, income, marital status, gender, volunteering, and other factors.

The effect did not depend on how people voted or whether their preferred candidate won, and it was stronger for more recent elections.

The findings suggest civic engagement may be connected to better long-term health in older adults.