Pew Research Center recently published a report projecting that Millennials (adults ages 22 to 37) will soon pass Baby Boomers (ages 54 to 72) as the largest generation of eligible voters in the US. While this demographic shift underscores the potential electoral clout of today’s young adults, Millennials remain far from the largest generational bloc of actual voters. It’s one thing to be eligible to vote, but actually casting a ballot is another thing entirely.
In the 2016 presidential election, roughly 61% of the general population turned out to vote; however, only 51% of Millennials actually casted ballots. Even more puzzling is that Millennials exhibit the highest political engagement by all metrics (social media activity, political activism, etc.). So where is the disconnect occurring? According to Pew, “young adult turnout depends on factors besides demographics: candidates and the success of voter mobilization efforts in particular.”
Over the past few months, we\’ve seen primaries come down to which politicians can effectively mobilize the Millennial bloc vote. This was certainly the case for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the 28-year-old newcomer who defeated incumbent Joseph Crowley in the Democratic primary. Many analysts attribute Ocasio-Cortez’s win to the the Millennial vote, but the more interesting story is how she reached young voters: through their cell phones. Ocasio-Cortez’s team utilized Peer-to-Peer Texting to send personalized polling location information to voters. In doing so, Ocasio-Cortez made it as simple as possible for Millennial voters – many of whom were casting a ballot for the first time – to exercise their right to vote.
As the voting electorate shifts towards a new generation, the way we communicate with voters must shift as well. Peer-to-Peer Texting is the most direct way to reach young voters, making it a pivotal tool for mobilizing the Millennial vote bloc in November.
For more information on Peer-to-Peer Texting, contact us today or call (202) 237-8313.
To read the Pew Research Center article referenced in this piece, click here