Gov. Shapiro’s New Automatic Voter Registration Action Enhances Teenage Voting
By: Jayson Harris & Hannah Thomas
Monday, November 20th, 2023
Governor Josh Shapiro talks with students at High School of Engineering and Science
Pennsylvania’s Governor, Josh Shapiro, allows for an increase in teen voting power through his September 19th Automatic Voter initiative, amidst growing voter suppression in other states in the US.
Young voters make America, comprising “half of the voter population.” We’ve been a growing influential force in politics since the 60s with sit-ins, and, in recent years, made the vote our power.
Across the United States we’ve had some of the biggest voter turnouts in history: 66% of eligible voters voted in the 2020 presidential election, the highest since 1900, and 2022 midterms which overtook the 1970 midterms. This has introduced a new wave of ‘voter suppression’ initiatives by mainly Republican politicians.
Justin Villere the Director of Civic Education with the Committee of Seventy has been working there since 2016 helping to connect students and schools with the resources that will help young people participate in their democracy and says “any sort of policies in place that limit an individual's right to vote can certainly have a negative impact on young people. If they plan to go to the polls when they turn 18 but find the registration or voting process to be overly difficult, that can turn them off to voting in the future. The Committee of Seventy believes that any eligible voter should be able to easily and confidently cast their ballot in every election”
Over 1 million people in Pennsylvania are eligible to vote but aren’t registered, which is almost as many people that live in Philadelphia. Close to 148,000 teenagers in our state are turning 18 through 2023 and 2024. Teenagers have been a huge target in what many are calling ‘voter suppression acts’. A large wave of ‘tightening voting security’ came after Former President Trump’s claims of alleged voter fraud in 2021. Many times when more people vote, Democrats win; With them making up only a quarter of our population, they represent a disproportionate amount of our government.
Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro, concerned with the current happenings across the country, signed the Automatic Voter Registration action: now getting your driver’s licenses or a renewed or fresh ID, you will also automatically go into the voting registration process. This will be a huge factor in registering young voters and “[it] will enhance the accuracy and security of Pennsylvania voter rolls while saving taxpayers time and money.”
“You get to say what you want. As youth, the older generations are making decisions that impact us in negative ways. A lot of power is in our hands, but we don’t know how to use it. Having that push, and education coming out of school is a good effort,” Ayan Ali, a Senior at High school of Engineering and Science said.
“Civic education, when done right, can uplift and empower students. It can help us find our voices and use them effectively.” Laqueenda Adu, PA Youth Vote Member (PBS). Many educators across Philadelphia have made it their biggest mission to empower the future electorate of our state and country.
“I can't emphasize enough how important it is to vote for my students.” Janel Moore-Almond a United States History teacher at High School of Engineering and Science. “I know that it may seem like their voices don't make a difference in all the noise of politics, but their voices are just as important as every other citizen's. When we vote, we tell our government that we will hold them accountable for their choices. When we vote, we signal to our representatives what we value and we want to protect. When we vote, we also fulfill the legacy of our elders that protested -even in the face of violence - for the right to cast a ballot. The quickest way to lose that right is not to vote.”
