How younger voters could impact Wisconsin's midterm election

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- With Election Day just three weeks away, many Wisconsinites are preparing to vote, including a generation that often does not have the strongest turnout among eligible voters.

The Wisconsin Election Commission reports there are currently over 783,000 registered voters under the age of 34 in the state.

Of the over 47,000 that have registered since Aug. 1, almost 20,000 are in that category.

Students on Marquette University's campus are just some of the many potential young voters that could hit the polls next month.

"I think as young people, we have an important voice. Older folks are getting out to vote, so why not us vote?" freshman Bryant Ewing said.

"Marquette has done a good job getting people mobilized to vote. For me in particular, I registered to vote here because they were signing people up."

The impact of young voters is something experts keep an eye on.

"Every election cycle, the question is are the younger generation...are they really mobilized this time?" Professor-Emeritus at UW-Milwaukee Mordecai Lee said.

One Marquette senior does think his peers will make an effort to make their voices heard.

"The fact that people on campus are talking about [the election] means that we might have a big impact," Nick Clingan said.

Although presidental elections always have the largest voter turnout, the midterms come in second. This year, reproductive rights could get more people to the polls.

"It could well be that abortion is going to unmoor a whole layer of voters. It might unmoor the younger generation who perhaps are conservative, who perhaps are liberal," Lee said.

"But this is the issue that touches them. So, I think we should see a pretty substantial turnout."

With slim margins becoming a trend in Wisconsin elections, young voters could be the deciding factor.

"The last three partisan elections in Wisconsin...were decided by 30,000 votes or less," Lee added. "If there are 30,000 Wisconsinites who are going to determine who the next senator is and who the next governor is, then your vote counts."

For information on Wisconsin voter statistics, visit the Wisconsin Elections Commission website. To register to vote or find your polling place, visit MyVote Wisconsin.