Most 18-year-old Texans aren't signed up to vote

[walkingman]

Texas is home to about 409,000 18-year-old U.S. citizens, according to 2022 U.S. Census Bureau data. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 39.6% of Texans ages 18 to 24 were registered to vote in November 2022.
...
“Starting that habit early is a predictor of lifelong voting,” said Brandon Rottinghaus, a political science professor at the University of Houston. “We want the students to start this process early and then bring that forward through their civic lives.”
...
The 1983 law requiring high schools to distribute voter registration forms to students who are 17 years and 10 months old or older was intended to boost turnout among young voters. But the secretary of state’s office, which was charged with creating the instructions to implement the law, doesn’t track compliance. And schools that fail to distribute registration forms to eligible students aren’t penalized.
...
And many critics of Texas voting laws — including new limits passed in 2021 — say getting registered outside of school isn’t very friendly to teenagers. While other states have online voter registration, Texans must complete a paper application, creating a possible barrier to young people who do everything — from shopping to banking — digitally.
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Although public school students in Texas are required to take a government class to graduate, many students say they do not learn about civic engagement or voter registration in the course. That’s despite the fact that the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills states that students who complete the class should be able to “describe the voter registration process and the criteria for voting in elections.”

https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/10/texas-high-school-voter-registration/

Ironically, Texas DPS automatically sends your information to Selective Service if you apply for a Texas driver's license listing “Male.” The rate of Selective Service registration in Texas is 92.20%

IMO, Texas does not want people to VOTE - especially young people because they know that they are more likely to not vote conservative and the more they restrict voting or make it harder it favors the GOP.

[TexasDem69]

1. How do these statistics compare to other states?

[walkingman]

2. It's harder to vote in Texas than in any other state

Voting laws in Texas are the most restrictive in the country. And voter turnout here is among the lowest, too. Maybe those facts are related.
https://www.texastribune.org/2020/10/19/texas-voting-elections/

Not sure about the 18 yo vote - I need to investigate but if voter registration was handled like Selective Service registration the problem would might be solved.

[OAITW r.2.0]

3. If you are 18, you ought to vote.....it's your future.

Seems like it ought to be be an age group that should be targeted and educated. Of course, that will attract the Kyle Whatshisname's of this world. They don't want people educated on track records of both Parties in our government over the past 50 years.

[LiberalFighter]

4. I registered to vote in 1972 when I turned 18.

I rode my bicycle to the nearby fire station and got registered.

Haven't missed an election.

[walkingman]

7. Cool - If I remember right that is about the time they changed

the voting age to 18 - "If you are old enough to die for your country, you sure are old enough to vote"

[Igel]

5. My high school has boxes of voter registration cards.

During my conference period, I've subbed. I avoid 9th and 10th grades, meaning I sub mostly jrs and srs.

I've handed out the cards a time or two since I've been a teacher.

Then I've picked most of them up from the desks when the kids, instead of filling them out or taking them, just walk away using the time for texting or game-play or gossiping--whether about boys, girls, parents, teachers, stars, or sports.

When I didn't sub on voter-registration-distribution day I knew it happened. From the sheer number dropped in the hall or tossed in the trashcan.

I teach science, but I've asked what they needed to be able to vote. Most have no idea but know they don't have what's necessary. I put up a list and they say, "No, that's wrong. Passport or birth certificate." I gave up years ago, but I'm told it's worse. They have the necessary ID but if asked will say they don't because that requires knowledge and they've been told by people who know the law better than their teachers, citing the actual law.

[walkingman]

8. Got to be frustrating - You know if they realized how much influence

they had as a voting block they might change their minds? They are actually larger group than the Boomers. Create the world you would like to live in!!! And for God's sake try and stop Climate Change.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

6. Texas is not a red state or a blue state but a non-voting state

By law, high school seniors re supposed to be helped to registered to vote

[marble falls]

9. They're easy to get to buy into the "one vote don't matter" lie.