2022 Election Center

Voting is a foundational act of civic engagement and one of the most critical ways—though far from the only way—that young people can contribute to our democracy. It is also one of the areas of civic life in which we see stubborn, problematic inequities that prevent us from achieving a fully representative electorate and a truly equitable democracy.

As we do in every election cycle, CIRCLE is producing comprehensive analyses of young voters in 2022. Throughout the year, we'll share exclusive data and insights on young people's views and experiences; their potential influence on the elections; what they need to be prepared to vote; and what campaigns, organizers, educators, and other stakeholders can do to foster greater and more equitable youth engagement in 2022 and beyond.

Youth Electoral Significance Index

Too often, only a narrow group of youth are included in conversations about elections. But diverse communities of young people across the country have a critical role to play in our democracy. CIRCLE's Youth Electoral Significance Index (YESI) is a tool to direct attention and resources to young people in communities where they can have an especially high impact on election results.

The YESI is a set of data-based rankings of the races in which they have the highest potential to decisively shape the outcome. Based on more than a dozen indicators of youth demographics, registration rates, past turnout, and various other aspects of the local context in each state. the YESI highlights young people's massive electoral power and provides campaigns, organizers, and other stakeholders with a guide to where their outreach and resources can be most influential.