There are an estimated 53.8 million young people between the ages of 18 and 29 in the United States, representing over 16% of the total population. These young people, in particular college students, are a demographic that has traditionally been overlooked and assumed to be uninterested in participating in the democratic process, due at least in part to relatively lower voter turnout. However, young voters face specific structural barriers to voting—and even despite these growing barriers, in recent years, young voter turnout has increased significantly.
The following resources focus on policies that both support and harm the ability of young voters to participate in democracy.
