Introducing Future Voter Scorecards: OC Edition
The Civics Center is introducing Future Voter Scorecards, which measure the percentage of registered voters among new 18-year-olds by school district. We are starting in Orange County, California, where approximately 35,000 young people will have turned 18 between last November’s election day and September 14 of this year, the final date to vote in California’s gubernatorial recall election.
Statement on the For the People Act to 16 million Future Voters now in US high schools
Laura W. Brill, Executive Director of The Civics Center, issued the following statement to the 16 million future voters now in US high schools regarding their role in strengthening our democracy following Joe Manchin’s assertion that he will not vote for the For the People Act.
“Let’s Get To Work” To Support Youth Voting
Last week Barack Obama challenged young Americans to “get to work.” He asked youth activists to create momentum, to effect real change, to sustain that change. He asked them to raise awareness, which thousands of young people are already doing through peaceful protest. And he asked young people to vote.
California's latest preregistration numbers: On the rise, but still very low.
California’s voter preregistration numbers are out. They are on the rise, but we still have a long way to go. Read our commentary in Cal Matters, and check out our county-by-county breakdown, below.
4,000 Youth Registrations during High School Voter Registration Week
The first-ever nationwide High School Voter Registration Week was a big success! The week of action improved low youth voter registration rates by encouraging and supporting students to register and pre-register eligible 16, 17, and 18 year-olds to vote.
35% of Maryland Teens are Pre-registered to Vote
As of 2018, Maryland became the 18th state to adopt Election Day Registration, allowing eligible citizens to register to vote and cast their ballots at the same time during the early voting period through election day. Despite the state’s efforts to engage its citizens in the electoral process, more than half of the counties in Maryland have a pre-registration rate lower than 40%.
In D.C., the Doors are Open
According to The Civics Center’s new analysis, as of August 2019, only 19% of 16- and 17-year-olds in D.C. are pre-registered to vote. Despite D.C.’s success in passing reforms aimed at removing obstacles to voter participation, there is still room for improvement, especially in fully engaging youth in the electoral process. An estimated 4% of D.C.’s 16 year-olds are pre-registered to vote, while there is a significant increase of pre-registered 17 year-olds at 35%.
Introducing High School Voter Registration Week
Too often in the past, people have dismissed concerns about low levels of youth involvement as being based on the stereotype that young people are apathetic and self-centered. That’s not what we see at The Civics Center.
Massachusetts Pre-registration Rate Rises to 25%
In 2018, the pre-registration rate in Massachusetts reached 25%, as more than 42,378 eligible 16- and 17-year-olds pre-registered to vote in the state. Between 2016 and 2018, Massachusetts pre-registered more than 62,183 young people.
New Study Reveals 14% of Utah 16- and 17-year-olds Are Pre-registered to Vote
The 2018 primary elections made Utah history as they were the first to allow pre-registered 17-year-olds to cast a ballot in the state. Despite the promise of this new law, more than two-thirds of the counties in Utah had fewer than 20% of 16- and 17-year-olds pre-registered.
Takeaways from Maricopa County: Sometimes you just have to ask
Arizona’s Maricopa County, home to Phoenix, has a population of over 4 million people, and approximately 119,000 of those residents are 16 and 17 years old. If they don’t already know it, we have some good news for them.
The Future Voters Club
In under a month, a motivated group of juniors from Centennial High School in Compton, California showed me just how quickly students can affect change in their communities. I first met these students and their incredible teacher at a workshop The Civics Center led at USC in early March.
One week too young
I love it when high school students reach out with their thoughts on civic engagement. Last week was this: “I’m one week too young for Election Day. R.i.p. me.” Translation: “I want to have a voice. I feel powerless because I can’t vote yet. What can I do?”
Grit, love, and sunscreen: An open letter to high school seniors
I want to talk to you about something else that may well be the most important thing you do in your time in high school. I want to talk to you about voter registration. I want all of you to make sure that you and your friends will all be able to vote in 2020.
Happy Belated Temperance and Good Citizenship Day!
In Washington state, the long road toward establishing pre-registration -- which will be available to all state 16- and 17-year-olds on July 1st this year -- was in large part paved by the tenacity of a social studies teacher-turned-legislator.