Despite significant gains in voter turnout over the last decade, young people still lag behind in terms of representation within the American electorate, and are among the populations most vulnerable to voting rights rollbacks.
The fundamental fact of our electoral process is that one cannot vote if one is not registered. The first step in ensuring that young people cease to be underrepresented in the electorate is to institutionalize access to voter registration.
With an estimated 23 million 18-29 year old citizens turning out to vote in the 2008 presidential election, it is easy to assume that young people today have overcome the stereotypical image of "apathetic youth." Yet, while the last few election cycles show an ever-growing interest in political engagement, young people are still underrepresented in the U.S. electorate--a problem that seems to have more to do with lack of access than lack of interest. Read more
We need to be recognized, there needs to be a change, said 18 year old, Kory Rainville, a newly registered voter. The idea of change is what brought a group of students from Springfield's High School of Commerce together, and those that were eligible registered to vote. Read more
A national effort to increase Election Day participation among young voters was a success in Springfield, Mass. this week, according to an abc40 report. Read more
To monitor proposed election legislation related to this issue—good and bad—that is moving through state legislatures across the country, use Project Vote's comprehensive Bill Tracking tool here.
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