The Young Vote

Democracy is being threatened, and young people are taking it personally. In 2016, only 39% of those 29 and under, the largest generation of eligible voters in US history, voted in the presidential election. What can we do to increase young voter participation and sustain a functional democracy?

The Young Vote takes the temperature of a generation whose political awakening has coincided with events like the Parkland shooting and the Movement for Black Lives. Raised during a time of increasing distrust in government, active voter suppression, and continued inaction on the issues that matter most to them, many have lost faith in the efficacy of electoral politics. A central theme explored by the film is whether our communities, particularly our national community, reflect the type of society we want to live in and what our role is in helping build the community we desire.

In addition to highlighting what holds many young people back from voting, the film also goes in depth into specific solutions to scaling the young vote in the United States, including gerrymandering reform and mobile voting. Viewers will witness a diverse group of students and activists during the 2020 election in action and leave the film understanding young peoples' perceptions of voting and civic engagement. Young, passionate street-level activists engaged in different campaigns for their communities challenge barriers to civic participation so their voices and the voices of their peers will be heard. The Young Vote is a story about unleashing civic power, shaping the future of America, and preserving the promise of democracy by carrying forward a generation's work from the streets to the polls, and back again.

The full 20-page guide will be emailed following your order of the film.

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FILMMAKER'S STATEMENT: "I made The Young Vote because I didn't buy the narrative that was going around after the 2016 election. That narrative said young people didn't care and that's why they didn't turn out to vote in larger numbers. At that point, I had spent decades working with young people in education. I had recruited many of them to do some of the hardest jobs as teachers and leaders in education. So, I knew there was another story to tell. I think our political system, right now, isn't designed to embrace the voices of all people, especially our young people. So, I wanted to make a film that exposed that reality and that proposed some solutions. My biggest goal is for The Young Vote to inspire young people to vote and get involved in our democracy.

The Young Vote is a film mainly for young people who are just starting to think about voting for the first time and/or who want to take action in our society beyond voting to help protect our democracy. I think young people will get the most out of the film. At the same time, the film is meant to start an intergenerational dialogue about our current political system and whether it truly embraces all our voters."