40+% increase in Voter Registration for 18 year olds in Greater Philadelphia Area
With the midterm election just over two months away, new data analyzed by The Civics Center show that in Philadelphia and all of its surrounding suburbs, young people who will be 18-years-old on Election Day have been registering to vote in significantly increasing numbers.
In every county in the area, the registration rate for the youngest voters - those who will be 18 on Election Day – has increased by five percentage points or more in the past two months. The percentage point increases, which occurred since July 11, 2022 are as follows:
Berks County: 47% increase (5 percentage points)
Bucks County: 47% increase (8 percentage points)
Chester County: 40% increase (7 percentage points)
Delaware County: 48% increase (7 percentage points)
Montgomery County: 44% increase (8 percentage points)
Philadelphia County: 52% increase (5 percentage points)
Other key findings include the following:
Over the last two months, the number of the youngest potential voters who are registered in the greater Philadelphia area increased by more than 3,500.
Montgomery County is the only County among those studied with a current voter registration rate above 25% for youth who will be 18 on Election Day.
In Philadelphia and Berks County, only 16% and 15%, respectively of those who will be 18 by Election Day are currently registered to vote. In Bucks County and Chester County, 24% of those who will be 18 on Election Day are currently registered. In Delaware County, of these youngest voters 23% are currently registered.
Between 800,000 and 1 million high school students nationwide will be eligible to vote in November, if they are registered.
According to US Census data, in the 2018 midterms, 66% of registered youth ages 18-24 turned out to vote.
The Pennsylvania deadline to register to vote in the November 8 midterm election is October 24, 2022, just seven weeks from now. Pennsylvania is among the states in which, according to CIRCLE at Tufts University, young people are likely to have the greatest electoral significance in November.
High School Voter Registration Week will take place from Sept. 19-23, 2022, offering a national week of action in which students across the country can run and plan voter registration drives. The Civics Center also offers volunteer opportunities, educational programs focused on youth leadership development, research, and resources.
The Civics Center’s report relies on voter files from the state of Pennsylvania and U.S. Census data. The Civics Center’s report on July data is here.
