THE CHALLENGE

Across the country, about 20% of eligible voters between 18 and 29 vote in midterm elections, which rises to just under 40% on average in Presidential election years. These numbers are 10 percentage points lower than the next age category, and a full 30 points lower than the highest-frequency voting group.

 

We know that young voters are also typically first-time voters, “meaning that they have greater difficulty navigating the bureaucracy when it comes to registering to vote.” These problems are exacerbated by overlapping difficulties for voters of color, voters with disabilities, and poor voters. 

 

There are several gaps in the civic engagement space, in which we are well-positioned to stand. There is no sustained and sustainable effort to engage students in high school and college campuses, especially rural campuses and those serving minority student populations. There are few youth-focused efforts, particularly towards Generation Z voters as they come of voting age. There are also few to no major voter registration efforts that prioritize digital-first solutions, which are especially crucial in the midst of a crisis in which voters still need to be registered. Importantly, there is no organization doing all of this work with a commitment to stay and invest in these communities beyond the nearest election.