YOUTH AND THE VOTE

TOP STRATEGIES/INITIATIVES TO INCREASE REGISTRATION & TURNOUT OF YOUNG VOTERS

State Policies and Resources

• New laws expand early voting, mail-in voting, and drop-boxes across the state.
• Same-day registration and voting available.
• Pre-registration from 16.
• State ID rules and helpline for Maryland.

High school Initiatives

• Montgomery County Future Vote recruits high school students to register their peers, serve as Election Workers, and receive a stipend or Student Service Learning hours.
• Maryland General Assembly is considering legislation to recognize high schools with seals of Civic Excellence. 
• Maryland LWV voter registration site.  Trained volunteers actively promote voter registration and participation in schools and online.   
• Maryland student combats gun violence with Students Demand Action.

College and University initiatives

• Maryland Student and Military Voter Empowerment Act includes measures to encourage and facilitate registration and voting by college students in Maryland.
• State website for college and university voters.
• 25 Maryland campuses participated in ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge.
  • Loyola University won Platinum Award with 80% of eligible voters turning out in 2020 —up 32.5% over 2016.
  • Towson tied for the best plan nationally – a plan driven by departments, students, and partners.
• NSLVE data critical to setting goals and tracking and evaluating results. 2022 data not yet available.  
• MARYLAND CAMPUS VOTER GUIDE

OTHER FACTORS AND INFLUENCES

• LWV and NAACP protest racial gerrymandering of districts.