FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 10, 2026
Contact: press@nationalvoterregistrationday.org
With Nearly 50 Million Young Americans Eligible to Vote, Schools and Campuses Gear Up for National Voter Registration Day
From high school preregistration to college voter drives, organizations nationwide are working to turn youth enthusiasm into participation ahead of the 2026 midterms
Boston, MA—Nearly 50 million young Americans are eligible to vote in the 2026 midterms, including millions who will have their first chance to cast a federal ballot. Next Tuesday, September 15, high schools, colleges, and universities across the country will make a coordinated push to reach them, with voter registration drives, peer-to-peer outreach, and events nationwide for National Voter Registration Day.
The push comes as new research from CIRCLE at Tufts University finds close to 8.5 million young people have aged into the electorate since 2024. And while overall youth registration is slightly ahead of this point in 2022, the youngest voters are lagging: registration among 18- and 19-year-olds is down 2%, and registration among young Black voters is down 10%.
“There are millions of young people getting ready to vote for the first time this year, and that’s exciting! But first-time voters need a first invitation. That can happen in a high school hallway, on a college quad, through a friend, or anywhere young people are already building community. That’s what I love about National Voter Registration Day: we get to make that invitation together,” said Chyann Sapp, Campaign Director of National Voter Registration Day.
This spring, Feel Good Action put that idea into action with the first-ever National Preregistration Day, reaching 16- and 17-year-olds who can preregister in many states.
“We saw this spring that young people are ready to have a say in their future, and there’s no reason to wait until they turn 18,” said Katherine White, Teen Civic Action + Partnership Manager, Feel Good Action. “Preregistration is a chance to start early and start building the habit. National Voter Registration Day keeps that momentum going: preregister if you can, register if you’re eligible, and bring your friends with you.”
Once young people are eligible, making that invitation count means making voting easier to navigate.
“Students want to vote, but sometimes what’s standing between them and the ballot are just basic, practical questions: Where do I register? Can I vote where I go to school? What ID do I need? When we answer those questions early and put that information in spaces where students already are, we make it easier for them to act on their desire to make a difference,” said Ciarra Malone, Regional Manager of Fair Election Center’s Campus Vote Project.
“Making all of that happen takes a whole network. It takes student leaders, colleges, election officials, community organizations, and national partners all doing their part,” said Students Learn Students Vote Coalition Co-Founder and Executive Director Clarissa Unger. “National Voter Registration Day gives us a chance to move together and reach more young people than any of us could on our own.”
“When voter registration and civic engagement are a defining part of campus culture, students are more likely to turn out and vote — not just in this election, but for the rest of their lives. National Voter Registration Day reminds us that making our voices heard is something to celebrate. We are proud to support campuses across the country as they empower every eligible student to register to vote today,” said Jen Domagal-Goldman, Executive Director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge.
National Voter Registration Day will be celebrated on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
For questions, comments, or to set up an interview with a spokesperson, contact Kelsea-Marie Pym via press@nationalvoterregistrationday.org.
National Voter Registration Day is the country’s largest single-day civic holiday dedicated to voter registration. Since 2012, the holiday has brought together thousands of organizations and volunteers each year to help millions of Americans register to vote or update their voter registration through events, outreach, and trusted community institutions.
National Voter Registration Day is made possible by a broad coalition of Premier Partners and Community Partners across a diverse array of industries and fields, as well as the generous financial support of its sponsors including Google, Andrew Carnegie Foundation, Civic Responsibility Project, Microsoft, Paramount, Creative Arts Agency, Levi Strauss & Co., PayPal, National Basketball Association, and Snap. The collaborative holiday is managed and fiscally sponsored by Nonprofit VOTE.