Young Voter in New York: Shocked by the Alarming Turnout Crisis
Shahd Khidir
I’m a young voter, and I can’t believe the state of our democracy. How am I supposed to have faith in a system in which so few get to make the decisions impacting so many? How do I have confidence in a system that doesn’t fully represent me—or even let me fully participate?
Did you know New York ranks 43rd in voter participation? Out of 50 states, we’re near the bottom. In 2022, turnout was just 42%. Can you believe that New York—yes, THE New York—is only ahead of Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Hawaii in voter participation? That’s embarrassing. And in 2024—despite being called “the most important election of our lifetime”—we actually saw turnout DECREASE in New York compared to 2020! Nearly a million fewer votes were cast than in 2020. Even worse, 40% of those who voted skipped state legislative races entirely. When I read this, “flabbergasted” was an understatement. How did we get here? Why aren’t more people voting?
The general sentiment among young voters is that our votes don’t matter. Some of us feel overwhelmed by the process—registering, figuring out where to vote, or dealing with endless bureaucracy. And then there are those of us who literally can’t vote in primary elections because we don’t want to join a party. I’m one of those people; as a registered independent voter, I don’t feel fully aligned with either major party. I still pay taxes—the same taxes that fund these elections. And I want to vote! I want to be involved in my local democracy and have my voice heard.
New York is one of just 12 states with closed primaries. If you’re not enrolled in a major party, you don’t get a say in who’s on the ballot in November. But your taxes still fund those elections. How’s that fair? What’s even worse is those same primaries see a turnout of around 15% each year. To break that down, 3.5 million independent voters can’t vote in our primaries and among those voters who can vote, 85% CHOOSE to stay home.
It’s upsetting that a small, politically engaged group is deciding policies that affect everyone, while most New Yorkers feel the government isn’t addressing the issues that matter most to them. To make it worse, we keep seeing the same politicians get elected, accused of wrongdoing, or even arrested—only to return as if nothing happened. Thats why we need open primaries in New York.
Change starts with more voices and more choices. The system isn’t perfect, but sitting out only guarantees that nothing changes. Talk to your friends. Tell your elected officials you want open primaries. And make sure you vote—not just in presidential elections, but in state and local races that shape your daily life. Our democracy only works when we take part. So, tell them now: We want more voices, more choices! Send your elected officials you want open primaries here.
