Pre-registration laws, which were recently passed in Michigan and Illinois, and are now in effect in 35 states, allow teenagers as young as 16 to pre-register to vote, so that they are ready to cast that vote when they turn 18. The good news is that according to US Census data, more than 75% of registered youth voted in every Presidential race since 2004.
Here are some concrete actions CGB members can take:
1. Spread the word! Here is a link to a state-by-state guide with information about the rules and procedures for pre-registering. Share the information with all of the young people in your life and help them register or pre-register as soon as they are eligible.
2. Run a high school registration drive. If you have a high school-aged child or are an educator (or know high school students or educators), encourage them to host a voter pre-registration drive at their school. Here is a link to some great resources to get started.
3. Join a letter-writing campaign. The Civics Center is sponsoring a letter-writing campaign between now and Election Day 2024 to alert households with teenagers about pre-registration and the importance of civic engagement. Get more information here.
The 2024 Presidential Election will be won or lost by small margins in swing states. In 2020, Biden won Michigan by just about 154,000 votes. Every year in Michigan about 130,000 residents turn 18. Those will be mostly Democratic voters, if we can get them registered and to the polls.
|