In Arizona’s most populous county, youth voter registration rates are on the rise, but progress is uneven among school districts, and there is still a long way to go.
Voter registration rates for 17- and 18-year-olds in Maricopa County, Arizona have increased by nearly 50% (from about 21,000 to about 31,000) between August 2019 and April 2020. With the general election just six months away, however, and the challenges of COVID-19, there is still a long way to go.
Increasing Youth Voter Turnout in Pima County, Arizona Means First Increasing Youth Voter Registration
Recent reports have called attention to low youth voter turnout in the 2020 presidential primaries. If this trend continues in the general election in November, look to low youth voter registration rates as a driving factor. In Arizona, for example, 17-year-olds can register to vote if they will be 18 by the date of the general election. This creates a great opportunity for high school students to register to vote before they graduate, but the law is underused.
Arizona’s Low Voter Pre-Registration Numbers
According to The Civics Center’s analysis, only approximately 2,527 of 17-year-olds in Arizona have taken advantage of the early registration law as of mid-2019. That represents just about 2.69% of the 17-year-olds in the state.
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.
Under 18 in Arizona?
Some states don’t have a formal system of pre-registration, but young people can register to vote if they will be 18 by the next general election.