Examining youth votes on both sides of the aisle

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — In 2024, Poll Worker Recruitment Day fell on August 1, and National Voter Registration Day will take place on September 17. This leads to New York's early voting period—October 26 through November 3—and the General Election on November 5.

Typically, poll workers have to be registered to vote, but New York offers exceptions for certain 17-year-olds who are still too young. According to Education Law Section 3207-a, schools can let their 17-year-old students serve as poll workers if they have parental consent. On Election Day, those student gets credit for attendance at school while they're posted up to help voters at the polls.

"When there is increased voter engagement and increased anticipated voter turnout, the need for responsible, reliable poll workers is all the more important," said Marta Hanson, the national program manager for Power the Polls, a self-described nonpartisan initiative to recruit the next generation of poll workers. "[In New York,] 17-year-olds can serve as paid poll workers, making it a great opportunity to start a lifetime of civic engagement even for young people who aren't quite old enough to vote."

A representative from New York State Young Republicans pointed out that older voters often receive poll worker positions, which are compensated. They said that their younger operatives usually act as boots on the ground, engaging people in the lead-up to the election.

On August 1, Power the Polls partnered with Voters of Tomorrow—a Gen Z-led political engagement organization—for Poll Worker Recruitment Day. All of its members are Gen Z—born roughly between 1997 and 2012, with many old enough to vote—and their executive director, Santiago Mayer, is 22.

Voters of Tomorrow has chapters in 20 states, including New York. The group aims to engage their generation in government and politics. And while they're also nonpartisan, they said that their internal polling shows that Gen Z prefers Democratic policies.

"Young people are showing up to elect candidates who protect abortion rights, help make life more affordable for everyday Americans, and deliver climate action," said spokesperson Jack Lobel, 20, of New York. "That's why we endorsed Vice President Harris and will organize alongside candidates up and down the ballot to ensure Gen Z priorities are represented."

The youth vote could be experiencing an upswing in the Empire State. For example, only New York and three other states had higher youth voter turnout in the 2022 midterms than in 2018. And on August 2, Voters of Tomorrow reported that they registered over 1,100 members of Gen Z to vote in Congressional swing districts in New York.

“Flipping the House in November requires winning in races across New York, which requires registering more young people to vote,” said Mayer. "Our effort is key to establishing a new majority."

Their registration campaign targeted unregistered college students in Districts 03, 04, 17, 19, and 22, races where young voters could decide the outcome. But the New York State Young Republicans—all younger than 41—also work on driving the youth vote. They're also focused on the battleground districts.

Since November 2021, over 120 young republicans at every level of government. One of the incumbent Congressmembers defending their red seats—Rep. Mike Lawler, 38—is still a Young Republican. And Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, 42, was still among their number when elected in 2022. Disgraced former Rep. George Santos, 36, was also counted among them. These had all flipped from blue to red in the 2022 midterms.

According to Peter Giunta, 30, Chair of the Young Republicans, they have over 30 chapters from Long Island to the North Country to a Western New York. And their 2,500 active, dues-paying members (including teens as young as 16) care about the economy, immigration, and foreign policy.

Among the younger voters with whom he interacts, Giunta identified an "almost unanimous" desire for the U.S. to pull out of foreign conflicts. He said that this Gen Z feeling overlaps with Millenials raised in a 20-year-plus cycle of endless wars in the Middle East.

Despite voter fatigue—even among members of Gen Z who've only had the chance to vote once or twice before—Giunta said that Young Republicans feel empowered and united after the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Republican Vice Presidential pick J.D. Vance, 40, still counts as a Young Republican.

Similarly, Lobel said young voters are energized by the Kamala Harris campaign. The announcement that President Joe Biden would pass her the baton apparently drove a 700% spike in voter registrations among people under 35, per Politico.

So far in Congress, New York Reps. Jerry Nadler, Grace Meng, Ritchie Torres, and Dan Goldman pledged to Voters of Tomorrow that they'd prioritize youth voter outreach this year.

It's not too late to sign up if you live in New York City or the rest of New York State. Counties determine when their sign-ups end, so the BOE says to sign up sooner rather than later.

On Thursday, August 1, the New York State Board of Elections received around 1,200 poll worker sign-ups. They said that number leaves out New York City applications or any voters who signed up directly with their county elections board.