A Study of Key Factors Influencing Youth Voter Turnout

Youth voters between 18 and 29 years of age have consistently had the lowest turnout among all age groups in U.S. elections. This research analyzed from a youth perspective the major factors that are known to impact general voter turnout to determine their distinct influence, or lack thereof, on young voters. The key findings, detailed in this paper, are: The commonly known factors that impact general population’s voting participation have a markedly different level of influence on the current and future voters from their pre-voting-eligible ages to late twenties. Race and ethnicity, social media, geography, income, and education are among the weightier factors that affect young voters’ decisions to vote. The outcome of this research lays the foundation for a study on a youth engagement framework consisting of specific strategies and actionable tactics to significantly boost their voting rates.