Pennsylvania alert: 51,000 18-year-old residents in Philly area/Allegheny remain unregistered in an election year
2020 margin of victory was just 80,555
Anyone who cares about elections and youth political participation should take a careful look at registration rates for the youngest voters. Four million young people turn 18 every year in the US, but if they are not registered, they can’t turn out to vote.
In Pennsylvania, more than 70,000 young people turn 18 every year in the state’s most populous regions, yet less than 19,000 18-year-olds in these areas are currently registered to vote. The statewide margin of victory in the presidential election was 80,555.
Our Future Voter Scorecards document our research showing registration rates for 18-year-olds in Philadelphia and the surrounding Pennsylvania counties and every school district in Allegheny County. Highlights are as follows:
Only 26% of 18 year olds in the greater Philadelphia area are registered to vote. (For context, older residents are registered at a rate of 80%.)
Just before the midterm elections in November 2022, almost half of 18-year-olds were registered. A year later, that number had dropped to under 30%.
Not a single school district in Allegheny County has a voter registration rate for 18-year-olds higher than 50%. Three districts have rates below 10%.
To improve on these figures and welcome young people into the democratic process as soon as they are eligible, we recommend the following legislative changes:
Allow for preregistration at age 16
Pennsylvania is one of only a handful of states that provide young people less than a year to register before a first election. In 2023, Minnesota, Michigan, and Illinois all changed their laws to allow preregistration at age 16. In total, 19 states and the District of Columbia have such laws.Allow for same day registration
Young people benefit enormously when unnecessary deadlines to participation are removed.
A bill pending in the Pennsylvania legislature, HB 1827 would fill both of these gaps. Pennsylvania residents can send an email to their state representatives in support of the bill here.
Enabling young people in Pennsylvania to have an equal voice in 2024 also requires renewed commitment to organizing and outreach. Wherever you live, here are some of the best ways we know to make a difference.
Share our voter registration link with an 18-year-old friend
Write letters to households with teens
Sign up now. And we’ll alert you when we start Pennsylvania soon.Follow and share our work on social media
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