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Millennial, Morgan Royal, works for New Era Colorado, a non-profit and non-partisan youth voter advocacy organization. The foundation of New Era began in 2006 by a group of CU-Boulder graduates.
“Young people had a lot at stake this last election and I think that’s part of why we saw such a great turnout,” said Royal.
When Adrian reached the legal age to vote, he was still living at home with his family. In 2008, he proudly voted for McCain. Now an openly gay, Latino living in Colorado, his political views have changed. But his views on young involvement, however, suggests there’s room for improvement.
Jared Bynum, a student at CU-Denver, voted for the first time in the 2016 Presidential Election. He was 19 at the time. “As a black kid seeing Obama as president like felt really good. I think that had a lot to do with inspiring me to even stay engaged with politics or become engaged with it at all,” he said. He later continued to work in politics, encouraging youth voter involvement.
Adian Wiemer voted for the first time in the 2020 Presidential Election. Like Miss Liz, who voted for the first time in the 60’s, Aidan also believes voting is his civic duty.
Sarah Andrews voted for the first time in 2008. The General Election was so important to her that she took the semester off of college to work on Obama's campaign that year.
Maribeth Dirksen-Turse was a student at CU-Boulder in the 90’s and a first-time voter in the 1992 Presidential Election. It was the first Presidential Election since the beginning of Rock the Vote in 1990 – an organization spearheaded by music executives. Its slogan, “Censorship is Un-American”, led to great success encouraging youth voters (ages eighteen to twenty-four) to exercise their rights.
Eric Bistrup voted for the first time in 1988. He had just turned the legal voting age in 1987 and felt that voting was an act of freedom as an American. He doesn’t recall any youth voting advocacy at the time.
Despite its popularity among younger generations, Bistrup also believes social media and politics are a mistake.
It was November 7th and President Richard M. Nixon was up for reelection when Marvin Pierce first voted, “I barely recall my first time voting, but I believe it was 1972 at the age of 24. I voted because I finally [could] exercise my freedom to vote” he said.
It was the first Presidential Election after the ratification of the 265th Amendment, which changed the legal voting age from 21 to 18. By law, pierce was too young to vote at the age of 20 in 1968 – Nixon’s first election.
“I also don’t recall any youth voter advocacy at that time. Not saying it wasn’t there I just do not recall” said Pierce. “I’m sorry to say but voting during the 70’s was not my first priority.”
On January 20, 1961, the day of John F. Kennedy’s inauguration, Liz Steinbrueck was one of twenty-five lucky students to attend the inaugural parade. Her civics teacher, Miss Constable, had organized the trip but as Steinbrueck recalls, she wasn’t quite old enough to vote in 1960. A day she will always remember, she recounted the historical event, “We felt like he knew we were there because he turned to us and waved” she said followed by a warm laugh. “We thought, oh my gosh he just waved to us…we had the biggest crush on him.”
Steinbrueck voted for the first time in 1964 because she believed it was her civic duty.
Over the years, youth voting has become increasingly popular both nationwide and in the state of Colorado. But it wasn’t until the 90’s that youth voter engagement and youth voting advocacy emerged – producing larger outcomes each year. In 2008, 48.5% of Colorado youth voters cast a ballot in the General Election. In 2016, 61% of Colorado youth voters cast a ballot and in 2020, Colorado witnessed another 9% increase. According to New Era Colorado, 33,020 new youth voters registered to vote in the 2020 Presidential Election in Colorado.
But a glance into the history of youth voting demonstrates a change in motives. For example, Liz Steinbrueck voted for the first time in the 60’s – stating it was her civic duty to do so. More recent data, however, shows youth voters are aware of what’s at stake in a General Election and are ready to use their voice to make a difference. Jared Bynum, a first-time voter in 2016 plans to run for office. And while Aidan Weimer also believes it’s his civic duty to vote, concerns such a gun control encourage him to stay involved politically.
Despite bipartisan politics, youth voters throughout the decades all agree that voting is an opportunity, a right and the freedom to use one's voice. More imprtantly, it's how youth can make a difference in the American Democracy.
So, why should
vote?!
Colorado's youth