Understanding Bihar’s Electorate: State’s Fate In Young Hands As One In Two Voters Are Under 40

The fate of political parties in Bihar lies with the youth, as more than half of the state’s 7.45 crore voters are between 20 and 40 years of age.

According to Election Commission (ECI) data from both phases of the Bihar assembly Election 2025, 3.78 crore voters—nearly 53 per cent of the electorate—fall in the 20-40 years age group, making them the most decisive bloc in this election. In both phases, this age category alone accounts for more than half of the total voters, making youth turnout and participation a decisive factor in the 2025 assembly polls.

Within the under-40 segment, 2.13 crore voters belong to the 30-40 years bracket, while 1.65 crore are in the 20-29 years group. The 18-19 years category, representing first-time voters, forms

a small but symbolic segment with around 15 lakh electors, or just 2 per cent of the total.

The age group of those aged 41 to 60 years, accounts for nearly 35 per cent of the electorate with 2.52 crore voters. Combined, the 20-60 years range covers almost 87 per cent of all voters, showing that Bihar’s electorate is overwhelmingly composed of working-age individuals rather than first-time or elderly voters.

With more than 55 per cent voters under 40 years, the challenge before the Election Commission is tackling youth apathy. As per its National SVEEP Strategy (2022-2025), youth apathy, despite awareness of electoral participation, is an issue that needs to be countered through peer education and creative campaigns. The remaining 45 per cent of voters are aged 40 and above.

The High-Turnout Group: Seniors 60+

Voters aged above 60 years account for about 98.5 lakh people—13 per cent of Bihar’s 7.45 crore electorate. This segment, though smaller, remains a politically consistent and high-turnout group. In both phases, the share of voters above 60 was similar—13.34 per cent in Phase I and 13.09 per cent in Phase II—showing demographic uniformity across the state.

Across both phases, Bihar has a combined 10.1 lakh voters aged 80 years and above, including around 13,000 centenarian (100+) voters.

In the first phase, there are 5.24 lakh voters aged 80+, and 6,736 voters aged 100+. In the second phase, there are 4.87 lakh voters aged 80+, and 6,255 voters aged 100+. The 80+ and 100+ age group, even though small in number, represent the growth in democratic participation. These voters have seen seven decades of change in Bihar and India, from the first ballot boxes to today’s EVMs.

Bihar also has about 7.26 lakh voters with disabilities—3.22 lakh in Phase I and 4.04 lakh in Phase II. Even as the state has a huge migrant population, the number of NRI voters remains minuscule at 144—101 in the first phase and 43 in the second phase.

From the centenarian voters who once queued at wooden ballot boxes to first-time voters who will cast their votes on EVMs, Bihar’s 2025 electorate spans the full arc of India’s democratic journey. Yet, the state’s political future will depend on whether its young majority—the same generation driving migration, mobility, and aspiration—transforms its numerical strength into real electoral participation.