Youth's voting preferences in the midterm election were shaped by their identities and experiences

Young people care deeply about a wide range of issues, but data shows abortion was their top concern and had the biggest impact on their vote.

Young voters in Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania gave Democratic candidates a winning advantage in close races.

Young people, who overwhelmingly favored Democrats, had one of their highest turnout rates ever in a midterm and shaped results across the country.

Some states have made registering to vote and casting a ballot easier in recent years, while others have implemented new restrictive policies

In more than half of states where data is available, there are more youth ages 18-24 registered to vote than in 2018. But the numbers among teens ages 18-19 are less positive.

Young people tend to mail or drop off their ballots later than older voters, which may present challenges in states with less forgiving deadlines.

Our analysis finds that local groups and institutions can help connect youth to democratic participation, but they must do better to reach a wide diversity of young people.

Efforts to restrict voting by mail or dropping off a ballot may undermine the engagement of a rising electoral force.