The Feminist Majority has long understood the importance of organizing on college campuses and has continuously prioritized encouraging young people to become politically engaged. 94 campus organizers were hired at universities throughout six battleground states: Arizona, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and North Carolina. The major victories won by feminist candidates coming out of the midterms proves the significance of young voters to the cause.
A Feminist Majority student organizer in New Hampshire was thrilled with the impact that she was able to make on her campus. She said, “I truly feel like we made a difference. So many people had no idea that it was Election Day, or that they could register at the polls. Also, a bunch of students hadn’t paid attention to politics because they thought their vote was insignificant, until we explained how close the ballot counts were.”
According to estimates from the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University, 27% of eligible voters between the ages of 18 and 29 turned out to vote this election cycle. This is one of the highest turnout rates in three decades. CIRCLE’s research has also found that in the competitive swing states, where the Feminist Majority and other groups organized, the rate of youth turnout was even higher, peaking at 31%. This rate matches the record-breaking turnout in the 2018 election following former President Donald Trump’s 2016 win.
Not only did young voters head to the ballot box this election, but 60% of them voted Democrat, with abortion rights as their top motivating issue. House Democrats won this age group of voters by 28 points. These numbers provide a hopeful glimpse at a future where Congress can pass the Equal Rights Amendment and protect reproductive rights as Gen Z begins to run for office and becomes a vital part of the feminist coalition.
Sources: NPR 11/15/2022; CNN 11/12/2022; MSNBC