Young people could decide the Virginia Gubernatorial Election
Approximately 95,000 young people turn 18 in Virginia, but fewer than 70,000 young people ages 18-24 have registered to vote since November 2020. As a result, the registration gap between young and older voters has widened.
The Civics Center encourages Congress to pass the Freedom To Vote Act
Executive Director Laura W. Brill celebrates the introduction of historic voting rights legislation, reflects on the inclusion of youth voting rights provisions, and calls for immediate passage.
On the 50th anniversary of the 26th Amendment, the need to protect voting rights is clear
Young people are as crucial to our democracy today as they were in 1971 when the 26th Amendment was enacted. It is time for our country to live up to its promise.
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.
New York expanded voter preregistration to age 16. A year later, and with a Mayoral election on the horizon, most people haven’t noticed.
Only 61,567 of the state’s 16- and 17-year-olds were preregistered to vote as of April 2021. That represents just 13% of the approximately 484,317 youth in that age demographic.
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.
Never doubt the value of small actions [Voices of Democracy series]
When I decided to text-bank for the first time, I assumed the experience would make me feel irrelevant and useless.
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.
4 in 5 college students in states likely to have close elections report having been asked to make a plan to vote
With the election less than two weeks away, get-out-the-vote groups emphasize making a voting plan as a way to help voters think through the mechanics of making sure they will have a chance to vote.
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.
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.
Introducing the 1,000 Schools Challenge and Ready to Vote Coalition
I’m thrilled to introduce The Civics Center’s 1,000 Schools Challenge, undertaken with the newly formed Ready to Vote Coalition. The goal of the Challenge is to support youth-led voter registration efforts in 1,000 schools around the country. The Ready to Vote Coalition includes national, state and local groups, listed below, who recognize and value the goal of improving civic engagement in high school.
This is not a mock election
Today, as we recognize the great civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., our general election on November 3, 2020 is less than 300 days away. A friend asked recently whether young people will turn out to vote. My answer has become routine: the most common reason young people give for not voting is that they are not registered.
First Person: A Line Is A Terrible Thing To Waste
I understand from growing up in Orange County that the earlier students get introduced to the democratic voting process, the more likely they are to fight their stereotypical OC apathy in the “OC Bubble” and actively participate in our electoral process.
Delaware’s Pre-registration Rates Lag Behind Many States
Despite Delaware’s high voter registration rate and efforts to continuously increase the accessibility of voting, this progress is yet to be reflected in the numbers concerning youth pre-registration.
All trains lead to voter registration
I could hear the commotion of the venue as I exited the L train stop on West 14th Street. My friend Ava and I had lugged a bag filled with candy, stickers, info-sheets about The Civics Center, and a hundred voter registration forms across two different NYC Subway lines.
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?”
Our Twitter is live
We want to connect with you! Our Twitter, @TheCivicsCenter, is a great place to go for daily updates and information about youth civics.