A recent Civics Center analysis of voter file data in 30 states revealed that Pennsylvania had the lowest rate of 18-year-olds registered to vote at only 22%. (Here, in Bucks County, the rate was slightly higher at 36%). In comparison, Pennsylvania voter registration of eligible voters 45 and older stood at 82%. The Civics Center also reports that registered 18-year-olds do indeed turn out to vote, particularly for major elections. The organization found that more than 80% of registered 18-year-olds in Pennsylvania voted in the presidential elections of 2020 and 2024, and more than 60% of those voters turned out for the midterm elections of 2018 and 2022. It is vital for the future of our democracy that young people both understand the workings of American government and recognize that voting empowers them to have a voice in their future.
