For Immediate Release:
April 27, 2023
Press Contact:
Carmel Pryor
press@allianceforyouthaction.org
WASHINGTON – Earlier this month, the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) released data demonstrating the clear impact young voters had in battleground races across the nation in the 2022 midterm elections. The data provides real insight into the incredible efforts of youth organizers in the Alliance for Youth Action Network to engage young people and provide for their communities in distinct and meaningful ways.
Key Takeaways from Newly-Released CIRCLE Data
- “Nationally, CIRCLE estimates that 23% of eligible young Americans cast a ballot in the 2022 midterm elections. CIRCLE’s analysis of youth voting trends and other data sources suggests that last year’s election had one of the highest youth voter turnouts in a midterm election since the voting age was lowered to 18. Youth turnout was 28% in 2018, but 2022’s turnout rate is a large improvement over 2014, when CIRCLE estimates just 13% of youth cast a ballot.”
- “All but one state for which we have data (Louisiana) had higher youth turnout in 2022 than in 2014, suggesting a broad trend of increased youth voting over the past decade.”
- “According to this new data, Michigan (37%), Maine, Minnesota, Oregon (all 36%), Colorado (33%), and Pennsylvania (32%) had the highest youth turnout rates in the country.”
- “Electoral competitiveness usually results in more resources, attention, and outreach to young potential voters; their higher turnout in these states suggest what may happen if that level of support were afforded to youth everywhere, not just where races are expected to be close.”
The data shouldn’t come as a surprise. Youth organizers throughout the Alliance Network have been organizing their communities to turn out the youth vote for years.
For some examples, organizers with Detroit Action, a multigenerational union of Black and Brown working-class Metro Detroiters fighting for racial and economic justice, turned out voters, leading to two ballot measures wins – Proposal 2, the voting rights amendment to their state constitution, and another to enshrine abortion rights. They also celebrated nine of their 11 endorsed candidates who won their races.
Youth organizers at Next Up, who helped make Oregon the most accessible state to vote, sent 585,672 texts, made 229,249 calls, and knocked on over 21,808 doors contributing to a 35.5% turnout rate among young people in the state in 2022, more than 12 percentage points higher than the national youth voter turnout estimated by CIRCLE.
New Era Colorado, following a 16-year track record of turning out young people across the state, made 217,925 phone calls, sent 259,535 voter guides, and personally delivered 2,005 young voters to Voter Service Centers through their 2022 get-out-the-vote efforts.
Read more here about how youth organizers propelled progressive champions to victory and got young people to the ballot box in historic numbers last year.
If you are interested in speaking with leaders from the Alliance for Youth Action Network, please reach out to Carmel Pryor, Vice President of Communications and Engagement: press@allianceforyouthaction.org.
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