Erik Daniels: Empowering Youth and Harnessing Our Power is Key this National Voter Registration Day
By Erik Daniels
As National Voter Registration Day arrives today, we’re not just marking another date on the calendar — we’re embracing a critical opportunity. For us, the youngest generation of voters, this day is more than an opportunity to check your registration status; it’s also a powerful reminder that now is our time to act. We’re standing at a pivotal moment in history, where the power to shape our nation’s future rests firmly in our hands. Today, we must take concrete steps to harness that power and drive the change we want to see.
In 2024, Gen Z alone will have over 40 million voters — including 8 million new ones since 2022 — making up nearly one-fifth of the electorate. Along with young Millennials, our generation of voters aged 18-35 form the largest and most diverse voting bloc in history. We face monumental challenges: a climate crisis that demands urgent action, devastating rollbacks of reproductive rights, and an economic system that often seems stacked against us. From mounting student debt to the struggle to afford homes while corporate profits soar and the ultra-wealthy continue to amass fortunes, our frustrations are not only valid but critical. Despite this, here’s the truth: we have the numbers and the power to demand change.
We’re living through times that test our patience and resolve. It’s easy to feel disconnected from politics, especially when we’ve seen leaders fail to deliver on promises that matter most to us. But what we must remember is that we’ve already started reshaping our democracy. In the 2018 and 2020 elections, young voters showed up in record numbers. We are not a passive force in our democracy — we are the deciding factor. The power is truly in our hands to create a future that works for all of us.
As the National States and Organizing Director for NextGen America, I’m on the ground registering young voters on college campuses every day, and I’ve never been more excited about the energy I’m seeing. Young people are coming up to us — eager to register to vote — without us having to seek them out. They’re not just interested — they’re actively making plans and asking questions about polling places and early voting.
This momentum isn’t just anecdotal. Recent polling from NextGen America, in partnership with Impact Research, offers hard data to back up what we’re seeing in the field. A survey conducted in Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia reveals that young voters are more motivated than ever. On a scale from 1 to 10, the motivation to vote has surged from 8.8 to 9.3 and there has been a significant increase in those feeling “extremely motivated.”
However, while young people are stepping up, there are forces working to keep us down. Voter suppression remains a significant threat, especially to young people, people of color, and working-class communities. Restrictive voter ID laws, limited polling places, and complex registration processes are designed to disenfranchise key groups, and young voters are a prime target.
The 2020 election saw historic youth voter turnout, with 50% of young voters casting ballots — a major 11-point increase from 2016. Since then, many states have passed laws aimed at making it harder for us to vote. True democracy — where ordinary people come together to decide who represents them and demand solutions to the challenges we face — is how we’ve historically driven forward movement in this country. That’s why moments like today are so crucial. By getting registered now, we can lower some of the barriers and make sure our voices are heard come November. If voting weren’t this powerful, politicians wouldn’t be trying so hard to keep us from doing it.
This National Voter Registration Day, we must elevate our outreach and mobilization. NextGen America is at the forefront of this fight, working to ensure that young people are registered to vote and empowered with the tools and knowledge to use their voices effectively. And we believe that National Voter Registration Day is more than just a civic holiday. It’s about making sure young people know that voting is one of the most powerful tools we have to hold leaders accountable and push for a government that reflects our values. When we vote, we’re not just casting a ballot — we’re taking control of our future.
In this upcoming election, young voters are faced with a critical decision about the direction our country will take. The issues at stake — reproductive freedom, climate action, and economic justice — directly affect our generation, and we have the power to demand leaders who prioritize our concerns. Our generation is poised to be the driving force behind real change, from advancing climate action to restoring reproductive rights. The challenges we face are significant, but they’re not insurmountable. By showing up at the polls, we can ensure that the people in power are working for us, not against us.
Today, as we celebrate National Voter Registration Day, let’s commit to making this the start of something bigger. Register to vote if you haven’t already done so, check your registration status, and help your friends and family do the same. We have the numbers, the passion, and the determination to reshape the political landscape.
Our future is in our hands — let’s seize this moment with courage and a commitment to showing up where it counts: at the ballot box.
Erik Daniels is the National States and Organizing Director at NextGen America.
