Students want high schools to do more to help them register to vote
The Civics Center recently took a survey of college students from around the country to find out if they thought high schools should teach students how to register to vote. Over 90% of responding college students indicated that high schools should indeed teach students about registering.
Youth voters in New York City high schools could shift the Mayoral race, if they’re registered
Tens of thousands of potential new voters will be graduating from New York City’s high schools in June, and polls show that next month’s primary election for New York City Mayor is a wide-open race. These youth voters could play a decisive role in the outcome of the election, but only if they are registered to vote.
Why I’m obsessed with high school voter registration
Welcome to 2021. As we look ahead, we know our democracy will continue to face challenges. We also know that young people care and will turn out to vote if they are registered.
Voter Registration During a Pandemic: West Valley City, Utah [Voices of Democracy series]
During the week of our drive, I ended up coming down with COVID. Cases nationwide were spiking for what seemed like the millionth time this year. Our voter registration drive pulled through, and we got a lot of seniors registered to vote.
The heroes of our democracy deserve more
You were the heroes of our democracy in 2020, and you deserve more than what this year has given you. You deserve a reliable and transparent democracy that welcomes you.
Georgia survey says: high school students need help registering to vote
With two Georgia runoff races for U.S. Senate just seven weeks away, and with the voter registration deadline just three weeks away, we reached out to college students around Georgia to learn how much they know about the laws governing voter registration and the runoff in their state.
Young people could decide the Georgia runoff races for US Senate
In Georgia, about 23,000 young people were not old enough to vote in the super-close general election this year, but will be eligible to vote in the runoff election for U.S. Senate in January 2021 -- if they register to vote by December 7, 2020.
Preregistration Is Taking Hold in California, and We Still Have a Long Way to Go
The California Secretary of State recently published the state’s youth voter preregistration statistics as of September 2020. Although school closures and the cancellation of summer events have led to a short-term decline in preregistration numbers, the long-term picture appears brighter.
Bloomington in Action
Before their collaboration on a digital voter registration drive, Lucia Walker and Celina German never knew they lived in the same neighborhood, let alone the same town. Lucia, a rising senior at Bloomington High School South in Bloomington, Indiana, and Celina, a rising senior at Kenyon College and a BHSS alumna, are both interested in civic engagement.
What you can do
A note from a high school student asked what he could do to improve high school voter registration rates in his hometown. It got me thinking about creating a list of easy-to-use resources laying out what students can do on a personal level and in their schools to make a difference.
Colorado Shows Sharp Decline in New Voter Registrations
The number of new voter registrations in Colorado has significantly decreased from the spring of 2016 to the spring of 2020, according to newly released data obtained by The Civics Center from the Colorado Secretary of State.
It’s going to be a long summer: Great books for high school activists
For everyone who wants to make a difference and who wants to learn more, we’re suggesting a handful of books we love. Stay tuned for a future post on podcasts and documentaries we love. With each suggestion, we’ve tried to find a voice that is unique and authentic and that feels like a new friend. This is not homework.
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.
Meet The Civics Center’s inaugural class of Youth Fellows!
The Civics Center is excited to announce its inaugural class of Youth Fellows! This cohort of eleven high school students will be taking on projects aimed at improving youth civic engagement and voter participation through 2020.
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.
Let’s get high schoolers voting (New York Daily News)
Read Director Laura W. Brill’s response to the New York Daily News’s March 3 op-ed “A Wish for Super Tuesday” regarding youth voter registration and turnout.
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.
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.
Don’t Blame Gen-Z. It’s the Registration Gap.
A false narrative circulating for years proclaims that young people don’t vote. As a result, campaigns limit their outreach to young voters, young voters feel less connected to the national debate, and government is less responsive to issues that disproportionately affect young voters. Even organizations focused on increasing voter participation mobilize fewer resources to get out the vote campaigns targeting young voters.