We estimate that 20% of youth voted in New Jersey and 27% in Virginia, in both cases comparable to participation in previous gubernatorial elections.
Youth voter turnout was lower than in 2017 and highlights the need for continued efforts to reach and engage all young people.
Both states had above average youth turnout in 2018 and 2020, but outreach to young people—especially youth of color—remains key for November.
Voter turnout across the South a region where voting by mail was generally not as easy, ranged from 56% in Virginia to 34% in Oklahoma.
CIRCLE's exclusive rankings of the states and districts where youth can decide elections this November illustrate the power of young voters.
According to our estimates, close to 300,000 young people cast ballots in the 2013 Virginia gubernatorial race.
Our estimates suggest that more than a third of young people in Virginia voted in the recent gubernatorial election.