Voting Facts & Resources
Youth voter turnout is lower than any other age group's turnout. Half of Americans ages 18-29 voted in the 2020 presidential election, which is a significant improvement from the 2016 election (39% youth voter turnout); however, this also means that half of young voters did not vote in the election. This can change. This page aims to provide voting information and resources to encourage young voters to vote.
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(PRE-)REGISTER TO VOTE / CHECK YOUR REGISTRATION STATUS
* It takes an average of two minutes to register to vote.
Why is youth voter turnout so low?
While it's true that low youth voter turnout can be caused by disillusionment, indifference, or a sense of futility (the perception that one's vote won't make any difference), a major reason why young people are not voting is because they aren't registered to vote. Oftentimes they aren't registered because they aren't being ASKED to register. Initiatives to register young people to vote are now more important than ever in order to ensure the sustainment of a democracy that relies on its citizens to be informed and ready to act.
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The lack of youth voter registration also stems from a lack of awareness of PRE-registering to vote. 16 and 17 year olds (high school juniors and seniors) can pre-register to vote, and they will automatically be registered to vote when they turn 18.
Why is it so important for young people to vote?
As one of the nation's largest voting-eligible groups, young voters have the power to sway elections. The youth vote truly matters; the 2008 US presidential election exemplifies this fact, as President Barack Obama won the election because of his popularity with young voters in key states. Every vote counts, and voting is how citizens are able to have a voice in issues that affect their lives and in electing leaders that will represent them. Additionally, voters can easily educate themselves on their candidates by researching them on the Internet and staying up to date with them on social media (Twitter, Instagram, etc).​
Why is spreading voting awareness so crucial?
As young people (ages 18-29) are the newest eligible voters, their electoral participation, or lack thereof can provide a clue to how well youth are being prepared to participate in democracy. Additionally, voting is a habit that, when formed and practiced early, is likely to persist later in life, and so it's crucial for young citizens to start practicing their rights and responsibilities early on in life. According to Tufts University CIRCLE surveys,
"Students who had been both encouraged to vote and taught how to register to vote in high school were the best prepared to navigate modern election procedures."
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For students to be motivated to vote, they need to know how government policies and laws directly affect them. Here is a list of ways that the government affects everyone in the US.
Voting Resources
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Ballotpedia: the digital encyclopedia of American politics and elections
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Rock The Vote: uses pop culture and technology to elevate youth political power
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The Civics Center: supports student-led, peer-to-peer voter registration and pre-registration efforts in high school communities
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Vote411: provides nonpartisan election information to the public. Register to vote, check your registration status, and find what's on your ballot.
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TIPS ON HOSTING YOUR OWN VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE
More resources coming soon (including an EYC youth voters handbook)!