Common Cause Lauds Voter Data Revealing Youth Voting Has Increased Over the Decade

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Common Cause, a voting rights watchdog group, applauds the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts Tisch College for its recent report on young voting.

Among the data, key findings of the report included:

• A national youth voter turnout of 23%, a 10-percent jump since 2014.
• 49 out of 50 states increased their voter turnout since 2014.
• Four states — Arkansas, Michigan, New York and Pennsylvania — increased their youth turnout since 2018.

“It is important that young people are heard — no matter their race, party, location, or education level,” wrote Alyssa Canty, director of Youth Programs at Common Cause. “CIRCLE’s data shows that more young people are able to make informed political decisions and engage in the political process when states make voting more accessible. And it is crucial young people play a critical role in our democracy — both in policies that are passed and in democracy as a whole.”

Of the states that ranked toward the top for youth turnout, many made it more accessible to vote, whether it be through same-day registration, weekend early voting, or by sending mail-in ballots to registered voters, among other pro-democracy efforts.

“In 2022, young Pennsylvanians turned out to reject fear mongering, major cuts to public education, and false narratives around crime,” said Jill Greene, voting and election manager at Common Cause Pennsylvania. “We have no doubt that the expansion of mail-in voting helped contribute to this rise in youth turnout, and we hope that lawmakers in Harrisburg see this rise as a major benefit of making our elections more accessible.”

“From Michigan’s same day voter registration to passing the state’s Protect the Vote proposal, we are committed to making voting more accessible for young people in the Great Lake State,” said Shannon Abbott, outreach and engagement organizer at Common Cause Michigan. “Things aren’t perfect, but we’ll continue to pressure our leaders to make sure the next generation knows they have a voice in our democracy.”

The report, released earlier this month, uses estimates of voter file data from the 2022 midterm elections. 

To view the online version of this release, click here.

###