This election is in the hands of the Youth.
- Youth voters have traditionally low turnout -- the 48.4% of 18-29 year olds who turned out in 2008 marked the highest percentage since 1984 -- but numbers have seen little change since: 45% of 18-29 year olds voted in 2012, 20% in 2014, 46.1% in 2016, and 36% in 2018. (Harvard)
- Young people could wield significant political power. Millennials and some members of Gen Z comprise 37% of eligible voters -- roughly the same share of the electorate that baby boomers and pre-boomers make up, according to census data analyzed by the Brookings Institution. (NPR)
Voter Registration & Turnout in 2016, 2018, and 2020
(Ages 18-29)
2016
-
Registration Rate: 62%
-
Voter Turnout 38%
2018
-
Registration Rate: 61.5%
-
Voter Turnout 28.2%
2020 (as of Sept.)
-
Registration Rate: Up from 2018 in KS, NJ, CA
-
Down from 2018 in OH, AR, SD
- Voter Turnout: It’s up to you!
- (Tufts/Circle)
How Is the Youth Vote Suppressed?
- Voting barriers: no ride to the polls, don’t know where to vote, cannot decipher fake v. real news, inability to leave job midday.
- Lack of voter education.
- Limited campaign outreach.
How Many Youth Plan on Voting in 2020?
- A Tufts/Circle poll found 63% of respondents indicated they will “definitely be voting,” compared to 47% during this same time before the 2016 presidential election.
