Sometimes the first barrier to voting is simply getting registered.

Young people participate in elections at lower rates than older voters, and first-time voters face a unique challenge: many are navigating the registration process for the first time at the same moment they’re leaving home, starting college, beginning a job, or managing other major life changes.

Pre-registration offers eligible New York teens an opportunity to complete that step earlier.

• In 2024, about 47% of 18-to-29-year-olds voted nationally, compared to significantly higher turnout among voters over 30
• Turnout among the youngest eligible voters, ages 18 and 19, was just 41%, 6 points below the broader youth number, largely because this is the group most likely to have never registered before
• Pre-registration laws like New York’s exist specifically to close this gap, by moving the paperwork earlier, before the busiest, most disruptive years of a young person’s life (leaving home, starting college or a job) get in the way

National data from the 2024 election show substantial differences in reported voting rates across age groups. The U.S. Census Bureau’s official voting and registration data provide a useful starting point for understanding those differences and the broader registration gap.

Our Impact

50+ students pre-registered or registered through our school drives at Browning and other NYC schools since 2025.

Every registration represents another young person who has taken a step toward being prepared to participate.