Youth voter registration is surging in Pennsylvania

[left-of-center2012]

Benefiting from a surge of young people registering to vote, Democrats in Pennsylvania hold a significant registration advantage statewide and in many key congressional races six weeks out from the midterm general election.

The latest available data released from the Pennsylvania Department of State on Sept. 17 shows that registered Democrats — more than 4 million in total — outnumbered registered Republicans statewide by more than 810,000.

But the most stark takeaway from the numbers comes from people ages 34 and younger, who are now registered to vote in greater numbers in Pennsylvania than those ages 65 and older. That’s a first in state history, according to registration activists.

The prevalence of younger registrations underscores the heightened sense of political activism among young people across the country this cycle. Although it’s not a presidential election year, the presidency of Donald Trump has awakened an enthusiasm ahead of the midterms that could impact a score of races on the federal and local levels, activists say.

Voters in Pennsylvania will head to the polls Nov. 6 to select a U.S. Senator, members of the U.S. House, a governor and state legislative posts.

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-local/2018/09/24/youth-voter-registration-surging-pennsylvania-midterm-election-2018/stories/201809230118

[redstatebluegirl]

1. On our campus we have seen tons of tshirts with "vote" or "resist" it is kind of shocking.

We have never seen this here before, it may be nothing but it is noticeable.

[ebbie15644]

2. Don't count on all of them as Dems

I live in PA and outside of Pittsburgh they are still Trumpanistas

[badhair77]

4. I live in PA also

and the young Trumpists are everywhere. They love to post on FB about their guns and talk big. How did I ever grow up amid such insecure exhibitionists with very vocal opinions based on ignorance.

[ebbie15644]

5. They are young also as well as the older ones

NRA is HUGE here and every time Dems talk about reasonable gun control, it motivates them to vote against us

[badhair77]

3. We are traveling on Nov 6 so I just sent in my

application for an absentee ballot today. There is no way I’m skipping this election.

[DeminPennswoods]

6. More young Ds than Rs

While there are about 2.1 million registered voters in the 34-and-younger age bloc in the state, more of the benefits appear to be going to the Democrats. More than a quarter of registered Pennsylvania Democrats fall in that age range, compared with less than 20 percent of Republicans.