Your Vote is Your Voice: Calling Young Voters

There is still time to register to vote before New York’s deadline on October 9th. To register in New York, you need to be a U.S. citizen, a New York resident, and at least 18-years-old. You can visit your local Board of Elections office, submit a voter application form at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), or request a registration form via mail. In this election, college students and young voters can make a difference. 

But the U.S. has the lowest voter turnout among young people compared to older voters. According to John Holbein, Assistant Professor of Public Policy at the University of Virginia, “In U.S. presidential elections, about 70% of voters 60 and up have turned out – which is nearly three times the rate of Americans between 18 and 29.” Looking at this data, many argue young people don’t vote because “they are apathetic about politics.” This year that may change. 

The Harvard Youth Poll found “63% of respondents indicated they will ‘definitely be voting’, compared to 47% during this same time before the 2016 presidential election.” That seems to reflect increased political awareness, activism, and a collective desire for change.

Youth activism increased after the Parkland, Florida school shooting in 2018 when students led March For Our Lives to call for gun control. The protest movement surged with the Black Lives Matter civil rights demonstrations in response to the deaths of African-Americans during encounters with police.

To encourage young people’s participation in the election, CUNY created the WePowerNYC Campaign in collaboration with NYCVotes. CUNY hopes to keep students informed with election notifications and show them opportunities where they can get engaged in voting and elections. 

And voting is another way of protesting problems that exist today, from the lack of government support for working class Americans who lost their jobs in the wake of the pandemic, to the longtime failure of the justice system to deliver equal justice to Black Americans.  And while wildfires continue to spread in California and throughout the west, the Trump administration refuses to acknowledge the reality of climate change. These are just a few of the issues that demand to be addressed. 

If you care about these issues, make sure you vote. Your vote is your voice, but to be heard loud and clear you first need to ensure you are registered.