News outlets nationwide have already begun covering the early stages of the 2024 United States presidential election. Our nation’s attention was captured for months both leading up to and following the 2020 election, and it seems as though the 2024 election will be just as engrossing.

Since 2020, our country has gained four years worth of new voters from Generation Z who will be sure to leave their mark. Generation Z (Gen Z) makes up the portion of the population born in 1997-2012, around 68 million Americans. In the 2020 presidential election, about half of all Americans ages 18-29 cast ballots for the candidate of their choice. More recently, the national youth turnout in 2022 for Congressional elections was 23%, a significant uptick compared to 13% in 2014. Participation in midterm elections, hovering around 20% turnout for youth voters since the 1990s, increased to nearly 30% in 2022. And in close elections decided by a few percentage points, such as 2022’s Pennsylvanian Senate race between Mehmet Oz and John Fetterman or Arizona’s Senate race between Mark Kelly and Blake Masters, young voters have proven to have an impact.

This influence of the younger generation “doesn’t surprise me at all,” says Ms. Suzanne Mosca, Greeley U.S. Government and Politics teacher. “If anything, I’d be surprised if they didn’t have the impact they are having.”

Mosca points to numerous social issues that are crucial to Gen Z’s involvement: “As a whole, this new generation cares most about preserving individual rights on every level: LGBTQ+, gender equality, abortion, and so forth. There are pockets across the country where young people took liberties, such as the ability to get an abortion, for granted, and didn’t think the Supreme Court would step in and overturn them.” She, like many others, attributes precedents like Roe v Wade being reversed as motivation for many 18-26 year olds to exercise their right to vote.

“When you vote, you choose who makes decisions in the government on your behalf,” comments Greeley junior Rebecca Humphries. “I think everyone should register to vote so their voice can be heard.”

While many people — even outside of just younger generations such as Gen Z — view presidential elections as the most important time to vote, participating in local elections can be just as key. Mosca notes that “presidential elections draw more voters as Americans generally think the president is the most important government leader, but all levels of government are important and impact citizens. All elections matter, whether it is for your local county legislator or president of the United States.”

New Castle’s general election will take place on November 7, 2023; though all candidates this year for town supervisor, justice, and multiple council members are running uncontested, this changes by the year. When Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s seats are up in 2024 and 2028, respectively, New York voters are certain to have numerous hopefuls (and potentially the incumbent themself) to choose from in the fight for these seats. And just on the horizon in 2024 is the election for New York’s 17th Congressional District seat, currently held by Representative Mike Lawler, following the recent redistricting process. Liz Whitmer Gereghty and former Representative Mondaire Jones, amongst others, have already announced their plans to challenge Lawler’s campaign. In every one of these situations, young voters have the potential — and numbers — to help decide their region’s results.

Raising political participation amongst a younger demographic is one of the goals of the Democratic Socialists Club at Greeley. Cassiopeia Sandt, a Greeley senior and one of the executives of the Democratic Socialists, references the club’s voter registration drive last school year as an example of involving Greeley students in politics: “We handed out registration forms, guided people on how to fill them out, and handled all the mailing and stamping.” The club is considering a second voter registration drive this year in anticipation of the 2024 presidential election. They also host discussions to increase political education amongst Greeley students, introducing candidates to club members and exchanging thoughts on their policies.

“We think that younger generations will without a doubt be the deciding factor of future elections,” Sandt elaborates, citing dissatisfaction with current 55-and-older government officials as motivation for Gen Z and millennials to show up on election day. “Young people getting politically involved en masse is exactly what we need.”

And beginning just last November, Gen Z is using their voice to elect members of their own generation to represent them in government. Born in 1997, Maxwell Frost became the first member of Gen Z to be elected to Congress this past year, representing Florida’s 10th congressional district. At 26 years old, Frost is less than half as old as the average age of the House’s members in 2022, which was 58. The death of California Senator Diane Feinstein this past September, who at the time of her death was the oldest sitting senator at 90 years old, has made many only more passionate about getting younger generations in government.

Pre-registration allows individuals under 18 to register to vote so they are added to the voter registration list and are eligible to cast a ballot once they turn 18. Pre-registration for voting at 16 is offered in 16 states, including New York, with four others permitting pre-registration at 17.

New York State offers pre-registration for voting at Department of Motor Vehicles locations while collecting junior permits at the age of 16. Humphries, who pre-registered when given the opportunity, says the whole process took “not even” five minutes to complete. “I was directed to a screen that asked for basic information, like my age, address, and email. It then asked when I would be of age to vote, as well as if I was able to vote for the upcoming presidential election, and what party I wanted to pre-register for,” shared Humphries.

New York residents can also opt to pre-register in-person at a Board of Elections Office, or online. “I pre-registered to vote using the New York State portal online,” Greeley senior Patrick Mulholland says. “My mom suggested pretty frequently that I should pre-register to vote, so I did. It was really easy to figure out, and I would recommend pre-registering to other students and getting it out of the way so that once you turn eighteen everything is already taken care of.”

Young voters today are aware of the critical issues being faced in the world; it is incumbent on each of them to register so that they can exercise their right to vote and make their voices heard.

Greeley students ages 16 or older can register or pre-register to vote at the link here.

Research:
The Youth Vote in 2022 | CIRCLE
Young voters ‘canceled out’ midterm voters over 65, blocking GOP gains: Experts – ABC News
Young Voters Helped Democrats. But Experts Differ on Just How Much. – The New York Times
Democrats eye young voters for an edge in 2024 election
Youth Programs | NYC Votes
League of Women Voters ® of New Castle
Democrats Mondaire Jones, Liz Gereghty vie to take on Rep. Mike Lawler in NY-17