(CNN) The 2018 midterm elections saw more than half of US citizens older than 18 vote, up 12 percentage points from the last midterm election to a historic 53% turnout, according to the US Census Bureau's Current Population Survey released Tuesday

That was the highest number since the census began tracking midterm turnout in 1978, according to the new data, released as part of a voting and registration supplement to the Current Population Study.

Between exit poll results and official vote counts, the increase in turnout in 2018 has been apparent since election night. But the Current Population Survey data provide further details on what types of voters drove that increased turnout, and it could have a big influence on the way candidates and researchers approach 2020.

Driving the historic increase in turnout were those ages 18 to 29, who went from 20% participation in 2014 to 36% in 2018 -- a 16 percentage point increase, the largest among the demographic breakdowns.

It's generally decided now that the 2018 midterm elections did, in fact, bring a "blue wave" of Democratic victories as the party seized back control of the House. Part of that victory can be chalked up to the increased participation of young voters, who are continually among the demographics with the lowest voter turnout but tend to vote for Democrats when they do show up to the polls.

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