New Data Shows Registration Systems Fail Our Youngest Voters
Some States Have Figured Out How to Fix the Problem
I’m so proud and excited to share the launch of our new report and data portal, showing voter registration rates for 18-year-olds in 30 states across the US. The bad news is that 18-year-old Americans are massively under-registered to vote heading into the crucial 2026 midterm elections compared to older citizens. The good news is that we found wide disparities between states – which means the problem is fixable.
Thanks to our amazing supporters at More Perfect, we were able to expand our work with more visualizations, more states, and up-to-date county-level data, creating the most accurate and detailed picture available of 18-year-old registration rates. We found that on average, only around 40 percent are registered to vote in those states shown in the graph below, compared to more than 80 percent of the over-45s.
Our research also uncovered the enormous variations among states, with the top state, Oregon, registering 86% of its 18-year-olds and the bottom states of Connecticut and Pennsylvania managing a paltry 21%.
Across the 30 states, our analysis of voter file data from May 2026 shows:
A 40-percentage point gap between the average registration rate for 18-year-olds versus those aged 45-79.
A 60+ percentage point gap in 18-year-old voter registration rates separating the states with the highest and lowest rates.
The states with the highest registration rates for 18-year-olds are Oregon, Michigan, Colorado, Maryland and Nevada. Those with the lowest are Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Oklahoma, and Ohio.
All those with the highest rates allow citizens to preregister to vote by age 17 (NV); 16 (OR, MI, MD) or 15 (CO).
The states with the lowest rates have much narrower registration windows – for example, that teens can only register if they will be 18 by the next general election.
Some states with above-average registration rates for those age 45 and above have below-average rates for 18-year-olds (KY, VT, AL) suggesting that youth face unique barriers in those states.
Across all 50 states and Washington DC, the 18-year-old registration rate in a typical midterm year is under 30 percent. The invisible barriers to young people turning out to vote are the registration systems that fail millions of US teens every year. Removing those barriers is a question of political will.
Because teen voters in Michigan and Oregon aren’t more politically engaged by birth, they just live in states that consistently welcome and integrate them into our political system. And if those states can do it, so can Ohio, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut and the rest.
Meanwhile, it’s on all of us to try to improve the situation and help eligible teens register to vote. So please use this data to mobilize and organize ahead of elections, regardless of your party affiliation, and to hold our leaders accountable.
Anyone who believes in the power of participation to strengthen our democracy can take concrete action to help more teens register to vote. We offer free training, resources and partnerships to facilitate non-partisan, student-led, peer-to-peer registration drives in high schools.
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Check out the preregistration rules in your state and share widely
Explore the voter registration gap by state and county
Talk to the teens in your life about registering to vote and help them navigate the process.
Encourage high school students to learn how to run a drive at their school
Connect with your local League of Women Voters for expert support
Check out our many shareable graphics to spread the word
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