Youth Voting Rate Spikes as Young People Turnout for Midterm Election
Washington, DC – As the final midterm election results continue to pour in across the country, it’s clear that youth turnout spiked in this election.
According to an analysis by CIRCLE, voter turnout among people ages 18-to-29 is estimated to have increased 10 percent, jumping from 21 percent of young people in the 2014 midterms to 31 percent in last night’s election. These estimates are subject to change as all votes are counted.
In the wake of yesterday’s strong turnout by young voters, Rachel Fleischer, Executive Director of Young Invincibles, released the following statement.
“Throughout this campaign, we’ve heard from young people nationwide who are struggling to get ahead, let alone achieve some semblance of financial stability. In yesterday’s election, we saw young people turn out to make their voices heard.
The truth is that the deck is stacked against today’s young adults more than any other generation. Young people know what $1.5 trillion of debt feels like on a personal level. They know that Congress has done nothing while this crisis has spiraled out of control. And they know that Congress has repeatedly voted to roll back health care protections that ensure everyone can get the quality, affordable care they need to stay healthy.
That needs to end today. It’s critical we keep pressure on Congress and statehouses to keep these issues at the forefront of the national conversation and ensure we’re not leaving an entire generation behind. Now it’s time for our elected leaders to start representing young people and find solutions to the challenges facing the young adults who represent the future of this nation.”