Starters Jonathan Milner Starters Jonathan Milner

How old do you have to be to register to vote?

Critical Analysis

Find answers to the following questions using the visual above, any links below, your big brain, and your knowledge of American government and politics:

  1. Many states allow people to pre-register, (register to vote even if they are not yet old enough to vote). According to the data from the visual above, what is the youngest age anyone can pre-register to vote in America?

  2. In 2024, states reported to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission that more than 1.1 million individuals pre-registered to vote. California had the most pre-registrants, with 244,996. According to the data from the visual above, in your state, how old do you have to be to pre-register to vote?

  3. Individuals who pre-register to vote are not allowed to cast a ballot until they turn 18, except in the states that allow 17-year-olds to vote in primary elections if they will be 18 before the general election. According to the visual above, how many states do NOT allow people to pre-register?

  4. Describe any geographical patterns you see in the data from the visual above.

  5. One pattern I see in the data is the states make very different decisions about when people can pre-register to vote. How does this pattern illustrate the concept of federalism?

  6. Supporters of youth pre-registration say that the laws increase voter engagement among young people and reduce logistical hurdles for voter registration. Opponents of youth pre-registration laws say the laws create administrative challenges. Make a claim about whether pre-registration should be allowed.

  7. How do you think allowing voters to pre-register impacts overall voter turnout?

  8. North Carolina and Mississippi and Colorado have all made different decisions about pre-registration. Why do you think states make such different decisions about the ease of voting?

  9. Not only does Oregon have the highest voter registration rate it also currently has the highest rates of voter turnout in the entire country. They also currently have the second ranked football team in the USA - Go Ducks! Two factors political scientists point to in their high voting turnout rate are the state’s vote by mail system (everyone in Oregon votes by mail!) and the “motor voter” law that automatically registers people to vote when they get their driver’s license. Some would argue that the federal government should make all decisions about voter registration and voting. Others believe that states should have this power. How do you think the federalists and anti-federalists would have felt about who should have the power?

  10. There are over 5 million teenagers in California - that’s more than the total number of people in Delaware, D.C., Vermont, Wyoming, both of the Dakotas, and Alaska combined. . Although most of these teens cannot vote, they can get involved in politics in other ways. What do you believe is the most efficacious way for a teen to be political?

Write and Discuss

Take ten minutes to write about the question at the top of the page and then discuss with your classmates.

Act on your Learning

Register to vote! It just takes a moment. If you’ve already registered, get in touch with your state or territorial governor and your state and territorial legislators and let them know what you think about voter pre-registration.

Get Creative

If a state wanted to have higher voter registration like Oregon - (quack quack) what incentives could a state offer people to get them to register?

Learning More

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