Many of the states with high youth voter turnout in the 2022 midterm elections had strong policies that make it easier to register and 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.
In recent elections, young people's participation in this perennially competitive state has been strong, and could be decisive in 2022 if youth are supported.
The Wisconsin governor's race is #1 in our Youth Electoral Significance Index ranking of elections where youth can have a decisive impact.
Young people of color are critical in this electoral battleground, but new voting laws pose challenges to equitable participation.
Young voters in Arizona can have a big impact in the 2022 midterms, but barriers to voting create challenges that campaigns and organizations must address.
CIRCLE’s Youth Electoral Significance Index rankings highlight that young voters can decide congressional elections all across the country.
Research suggests that policies like online, automatic, and pre-registration can increase youth voter participation, especially where there is effective and equitable implementation.
We estimate that 20% of youth voted in New Jersey and 27% in Virginia, in both cases comparable to participation in previous gubernatorial elections.