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.
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.
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.
The Pandemic Led to a Steep Decline in California’s Preregistration Rates: Our Systems Should Evolve to Meet the Moment
The California Secretary of State recently published the state’s most recent youth voter preregistration statistics from February 10, 2021. This report has illuminated a troubling trend for youth engagement and preregistration.
Recognizing Educators on MLK Day
To honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the MLK Day of Service, The Civics Center encouraged others to embrace the day as an opportunity to express gratitude. We asked students from across the country to recognize the educators who taught them the importance of making their voices heard and participating in their communities.
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.
The Youth Vote: A Parade of Non-Partisan Politics [Voices of Democracy series]
Following the 2018 midterms, I fell down the rabbit hole of youth political engagement (as one does) and came across a staggering statistic.
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.
![Finding hope in writing postcards [Voices of Democracy series]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/652314331193f371477bb625/1719581948694-BM6R92DDAG54D2BE5FPE/image-asset.jpeg)
Finding hope in writing postcards [Voices of Democracy series]
I kept asking myself if my voter registration efforts over the last two years would amount to anything? Had I done enough? Would the youth electorate show up in record numbers? I hoped so. When you have been working towards something for so long, the last few moments feel the most chaotic and nerve-racking.
My godmother overcame Jim Crow laws to vote. I register voters for her. [Voices of Democracy series]
I could not let her sacrifices and perseverance go in vain. I knew I had to find a way to amplify the voices of my people and others in America who are silenced in not only our democracy today, but also throughout the history of our nation.
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.
Voting in my first election was just the first step toward making an impact [Voices of Democracy series]
It does not take a title to be an active citizen and step up to one’s civic duty. Sharing your voice and finding your passion is fundamental to contributing to important causes that affect your larger community.
Friendship is the key to expanding youth civic engagement [Voices of Democracy series]
Educating myself on current events in politics has allowed me to talk to new people and help deepen relationships with friends I previously had.
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.
New voter registrations soar in Fulton County, Georgia
In Fulton County, Georgia, 9,769 new voters registered to vote between Election Day on November 3, 2020 and the December 7 cutoff to vote in the U.S. Senate runoff on January 5. This is according to documents The Civics Center has obtained from Fulton County officials.
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.
The Civics Center affirms calls for every vote to be counted
Imagine you just turned 18 or 19, and this was your first election. Your school’s voter registration events were canceled because of Covid, and there were no summer concerts at which to register.
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.