High school is an untapped source of civic power. The Civics Center, New Voters, and Rhizome call on funders to invest in student leadership, voter registration, and community organizing.
Teens are craving community, meaning, and agency. Student-led voter registration drives give them opportunities to connect in person, build trust, and shape their role in democracy.
New data from The Civics Center shows that voter registration among 18-year-olds is rising ahead of the 2026 midterms, but major state disparities remain and 2.5 million young people are still unregistered.
High school is an untapped source of civic power. The Civics Center, New Voters, and Rhizome call on funders to invest in student leadership, voter registration, and community organizing.
Teens are craving community, meaning, and agency. Student-led voter registration drives give them opportunities to connect in person, build trust, and shape their role in democracy.
New data from The Civics Center shows that voter registration among 18-year-olds is rising ahead of the 2026 midterms, but major state disparities remain and 2.5 million young people are still unregistered.
The Civics Center has launched new resources to help educators teach voter registration and democracy ahead of the 2026 midterms and future elections.
Illinois has enacted the Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr. Youth Voter Empowerment Act, requiring high schools to provide students with an opportunity to register to vote. The new law builds on preregistration at age 16 and comes as registration among Illinois 18-year-olds continues to rise.
Minnesota has increased voter registration among 18-year-olds by 58 percentage points since 2022. Youth Voter Outreach Specialist Michael Wall explains the laws, partnerships, and outreach strategies behind that progress.
New data shows that 18-year-old voter registration is significantly higher ahead of the 2026 midterms than it was in 2022, with some states making dramatic gains and more progress possible before November.
Elders and students in Truckee are working across generations to register young voters and make civic engagement a lasting part of high school life.
New Hampshire has the lowest 18-year-old voter registration rate among the states tracked by The Civics Center. Restrictive registration requirements are making it harder for young people to exercise their right to vote.
Democracy Fellow India Krug shares how the Allegheny County Youth Vote Coalition is helping Pittsburgh teens register voters, meet elected officials, and lead civic change.
Nearly 300,000 eligible 18-year-olds are missing from California’s voter rolls. Here’s what the data shows and how communities can help before November.
Fewer than half of 18-year-olds are registered to vote in California, Texas, Florida, New York and Pennsylvania. The Big State Challenge examines the registration gap, changes since 2022 and how communities can help young voters get ready for the ballot box.
As the 26th Amendment turns 55, Laura W. Brill reflects on its promise, its connection to the Declaration of Independence, and the work still needed to help young Americans exercise their right to vote.
New data shows that 18-year-olds are dramatically under-registered, and that better state policies can help close the gap.
As fewer teens get driver’s licenses, DMV-based voter registration systems are leaving millions of young people without a clear path to register to vote.
A practical guide for using The Civics Center’s state resources to get students registered to vote, share key deadlines, and help new voters prepare for their first election.
NYC students used data, discussion, and local research to explore youth voter registration and plan projects that support stronger civic participation.
Registered 18-year-olds in Pennsylvania turn out at high rates in major elections, challenging the idea that young voters are apathetic.
Laura W. Brill reflects on the rule of law, voting rights, and civic responsibility, drawing from history and personal experience to examine how individuals respond when institutions falter.
A statement from CEO Laura W. Brill responding to the Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais and its implications for voting rights protections in the United States.
A new Harvard IOP poll highlights declining trust among young Americans in democracy and elections, raising concerns about participation and long-term civic engagement.
The League of Women Voters and The Civics Center announce a national partnership to support student-led voter registration drives in high schools across the United States.
New state-by-state resources from The Civics Center help high school communities understand voter registration rules, preregistration options, and deadlines, and provide tools to support student-led voter registration drives.
New voter file data from New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio reveals a growing youth voter registration gap. Month-by-month data shows how many students are missing from voter rolls and why stronger school-based registration efforts matter.
Cap Gown and Ballot helps students and educators organize voter registration drives in high schools so seniors graduate registered, informed, and ready to vote.
The SAVE Act would require passports or birth certificates to register to vote, a barrier that could block millions of newly eligible young voters.
A guide to state laws requiring high schools to support voter registration, including form distribution, registration drives, education, and compliance policies.
Civics education should prepare students not only to understand democracy but to participate in it. Yet youth voter registration remains dramatically lower than among older Americans. Closing that gap starts with integrating voting education and registration into high school life.
Fewer than 12% of California teens are preregistered to vote, leaving more than 900,000 eligible young people outside the state’s democratic process and raising concerns about youth participation in democracy.
New data highlights a severe young voter registration gap in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, and New Jersey, where many eligible 18-year-olds remain unregistered despite strong turnout when registered.
