We believe that the full participation of young people in the political process is essential to a truly representative, vibrant democracy. 

But for too long, young people have not been full participants. Low participation rates are a concern for two reasons. First, the absence of youth from political discourse is skewing the nation’s agenda toward the needs and concerns of older voters and away from issues traditionally of interest to those under 30.  Second, studies have shown that voting habits are formed early, so the long-term strength of our democracy depends on strong voting participation among young people.

The 2018 midterm elections saw an incredible increase in youth voter turnout. But despite this increased turnout, younger generations still voted in lower numbers than older generations.  

So we’re continuing the effort to educate and empower young people around the country to register and vote.

As we prepare for Election Day, we’re working with college campuses, cities, and states to make it easier, safer, and more accessible for students to vote. We’re building support for statewide reforms including automatic voter registration and vote by mail. We’re working with campuses to be ready to run a virtual civic engagement program in the fall. And we’re working with college campus administrators to make voting and civic engagement more institutionalized in residence halls, class registration, and other aspects of student life.

If you or someone you know is interested in resources to help campuses run virtual civic engagement programs, please check out: