NEW DATA: Virginia and Maine
Registration rates for the youngest voters vary dramatically
Today we’re sharing data on voter registration rates for 18-year-olds in Virginia and Maine.
While both states allow pre-registration for young people beginning at age 16, and both allow same-day registration and offer online registration, Virginia’s online system has been in effect for more than 10 years, while Maine’s only went into effect earlier this year.
Maine and Virginia have drastically different performance in their 18-year-old registration rates. In both states, the registration rates for the youngest voters pale in comparison to those of older voters.
Snapshots are not destiny. Our actions – especially the actions of students, educators, and parents – make a difference in ensuring that young people are participating in our democracy.
This is the eleventh of our 2024 Election Season weekly series of Future Voter Scorecards.
We’ll be publishing every week, drilling down to the local level to show where and how young people can make a difference when they register and vote. We’ll be covering the percentage of 18-year-olds who are registered and tracking changes over time.
Facts don’t fix themselves. It’s up to our readers to spread the word; make sure that all the young people you know are registered to vote, and that they help their school communities do the same.
In both Maine and Virginia, the deadline to register online is Oct. 15. After that, in-person registration opportunities remain available, meaning there is still time for students and educators to attend a free workshop to learn how to run a drive. Teachers can download a free toolkit to learn how to make a difference in their school communities.
Maine
As of September 11, 2024, only 35.6% of 18-year-olds in Maine were registered to vote. Across the states we’ve been tracking in the last two months, this is the lowest rate we’ve seen.
For some perspective, for those 45-years-old and up, the registration rate in Maine is 93.5%. So, 18-year-olds in the state are registered at just four-tenths the rate of older adults. County-by-county, the registration rates for 18-year-olds ranged from 26.9% in Aroostook County to 47.0% in Hancock County.
This data predates much of Maine’s recent surge in registrations, when the state saw two straight weeks with over 5,400 new registrations weekly (including people of all ages). As in other states we are tracking, we expect the registration rate for 18-year-olds to rise as the election approaches, but unless extraordinary measures occur, large disparities will likely persist.
Virginia
Meanwhile, 58.6% of the 18-year-olds in Virginia are registered to vote as of September 18th. This is among the highest rates of the states we’re tracking. Among Virginia’s 20 largest counties (by 18-year-old population), no county had a registration rate for 18-year-olds lower than 48%. In many other states, far greater disparities exist.
While Virginia’s registration rate for 18-year-olds is relatively high compared to other states we are tracking, it still falls far below the registration rate for older voters. According to US Census data, the registration rate for Virginians age 45 and above in recent years has been above 73%.
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