The KAWC Student Newsroom spent the summer talking with young potential voters about how they felt about upcoming elections and where they felt they could learn more about the voting process, the candidates and the issues.
They learned that young voters are enthused, even excited, about their participation in elections, but don't feel like their interests or concerns are necessarily addressed by voting.
"There's just a really dramatic lack of outreach to young people." Sara Suzuki, CIRCLE
In addition to some confusion about the process of voting, from registration to filling out a ballot, young voters also expressed concerns about where to get trustworthy information about the candidates and issues.
Reporters then reached out to state and national organizations working to help young voters obtain the information they need and encourage participation in elections.
Mack Schwitzing spoke with Sara Suzuki, a senior researcher at the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, or CIRCLE, at Tufts University.
CIRCLE polled young people about their likelihood to vote, the issues that drive them, and how and where they get information to cast their ballots.
The organization has also been tracking young voter registration in all 50 states to compare them to 2020 numbers.
" Arizona's young people have a particularly strong influence on the upcoming elections and have a really strong voice. But on the flip side we have some data showing, compared to 2020, Arizona is falling behind in registering young voters." Sara Suzuki, CIRCLE
In addition, CIRCLE's Youth Electoral Significance Index ranks state's where young voters could have the most impact on elections this year and Arizona ranks number 3 in Presidential elections and 1st for the impact they could have on Senate elections.
Suzuki tells Schwitzing young voters in Arizona could have a serious impact on the outcome of races in the state, if they turn out.
Part of this conversation aired on Arizona Edition Friday's August 2 show.
