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Voters of Tomorrow

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Voters of Tomorrow
Formation2019
FounderSantiago Mayer
TypeAdvocacy group
Location
Websitevotersoftomorrow.org

Voters of Tomorrow is an American left-leaning advocacy organization that seeks to promotes political engagement among Generation Z through online and on-campus efforts. The group is reportedly the largest Gen Z-led organization of its kind, with chapters in 25 states.[1][2]

History

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Voters of Tomorrow was founded in 2019 by Santiago Mayer, a Mexican immigrant. At the time, he was 17 years old and attending high school in California.[2][3][4][5] Mayer cited his anger toward then-President Donald Trump's "Muslim ban" as one of the reasons behind the group's founding.[2]

Activities

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2022 election efforts

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During the 2022 election cycle, the group reportedly contacted young voters over 8.4 million times by phone, by text, or in person, including a reported 6 million contacts in the weeks leading up to the general election and over 2 million during the U.S. Senate runoff in Georgia.[2][6][7] The group's efforts to organize young voters in 2022 were noted in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and California.[6][8] The group also touted a social media reach of more than 100 million in the weeks ahead of the election.[6] Voters of Tomorrow was "one of several youth voter groups that worked to boost turnout among 18-29-year-olds and may have saved the [2022] election for the Democrats," according to the Financial Times.[9]

In Texas, after officials shut down the on-campus early voting location at Texas A&M University, Voters of Tomorrow and other groups organized two weeks of shuttle buses to transport students to vote at another polling place.[10] During the U.S. Senate runoff in Georgia, the group helped offer complimentary Uber vouchers to young people traveling to their polling place in all of Georgia's 159 counties.[11][12]

During the 2022 election cycle, Voters of Tomorrow endorsed multiple candidates, including Democratic U.S. House candidate Maxwell Frost and Democratic Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro.[13][14] Frost, who became the first member of Gen Z elected to Congress, publicly noted that Voters of Tomorrow was among the first national organizations to support his political campaign, helping legitimize his efforts.[15]

2024 election efforts

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In March 2024, Voters of Tomorrow endorsed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for reelection as president and vice president, respectively.[16][17] The group later endorsed Kamala Harris for president immediately after Biden dropped out of the race.[18][19]

In advance of the 2024 elections, Voters of Tomorrow has reportedly continued its efforts to engage young voters on college campuses.[20] The group also collected signatures from members of the U.S. House of Representatives on its "Youth Vote Champions' Pledge," which encourages candidates to engage with young voters early in the cycle. House members including Katie Porter, Elissa Slotkin, Dan Goldman, Maxwell Frost, and Mary Peltola signed the pledge.[21][22]

During the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries, Voters of Tomorrow initiated a trolling campaign to dissuade young voters from supporting candidates Donald Trump and Nikki Haley. The group purchased domain names associated with the two politicians that now redirect to websites containing the candidates' views on issues like the environment, gun control, abortion rights and LGBTQ+ rights. Voters of Tomorrow then reportedly placed digital advertisements in an attempt to increase traffic to the website among Instagram and Snapchat users in various battleground states.[23][24]

Lobbying efforts and confrontation with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene

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In 2022, Voters of Tomorrow published its "Gen Z Agenda," a legislative platform based on polling of college students nationwide. The platform contains policies including raising the minimum wage, abolishing the filibuster in Congress, protecting abortion rights, preventing gun violence, and combating climate change.[25][4] Voters of Tomorrow claims it lobbied The White House and over 100 Congressional offices on its "Gen Z Agenda" in 2022 and boasted its progress in certain areas.[26]

While attending meetings at the U.S. Capitol in September 2022, members of Voters of Tomorrow confronted U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene regarding gun control. In a video posted on Greene’s Twitter account, Greene appears to kick a member of Voters of Tomorrow. Greene's office disputed Voters of Tomorrow’s account of the incident.[2][27][28]

Voting rights lawsuits

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In May 2023, Voters of Tomorrow, in conjunction with Florida NAACP, UnidosUS, and other groups, filed a lawsuit in the Northern District of Florida challenging the states' Senate Bill 7050.[29][30] The plaintiffs petitioned for a preliminary injunction against the law's noncitizen voter registration ban. The case is ongoing.[31][32] Members of Voters of Tomorrow have advocated against other proposed changes to Florida election law, including those related to restricting mail-in ballot access.[33][34]

In February 2023, Voters of Tomorrow threatened legal action against Texas officials if the state legislature passed House Bill 2390, legislation that would ban polling places on college campuses.[35][36][37]

Annual summits

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Since 2022, Voters of Tomorrow has hosted an annual multi-day summit during the summer. The first summit gathered youth activists, some as young as 13 years old, in Philadelphia in August 2022.[15]

The group hosted its second summit in Washington, D.C. in July 2023, with speakers included former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre; U.S. Representatives Maxwell Frost, Summer Lee, Robert Garcia, and Jamaal Bowman; former Senator Doug Jones; and North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton.[5][25][38]

In July 2024, Voters of Tomorrow hosted its third summit in Atlanta, days after Kamala Harris became the presumptive Democratic nominee for president. Harris addressed attendees with video remarks, and her campaign and the Democratic National Committee were partners of the event. U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal and other elected officials spoke in person.[39][40]

Other advocacy campaigns

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In response to the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court decision, Voters of Tomorrow launched a campaign to distribute contraceptives in order to potentially raise voter awareness. Volunteers at college campuses in multiple states handed out condoms with brochures about reproductive health and information on how to vote.[41][42]

In response to a rise in book bans across the U.S., in 2022, Voters of Tomorrow distributed hundreds of copies of books challenged or banned in local school districts. The books included Beloved by Toni Morrison and Maus by Art Spiegelman.[43][44][45] During the book distributions, the group also encouraged high school students to register to vote.[46]

On November 17, 2022, during the Taylor Swift–Ticketmaster controversy, Voters of Tomorrow launched an antitrust campaign titled "S.W.I.F.T." (Swifties Working to Increase Fairness from Ticketmaster). The group intended to mobilize Gen Z to advocate for enhanced federal oversight that would prevent future entertainment monopolies, according to news organizations.[47][48]

Organizational structure

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Voters of Tomorrow has chapters in 25 states and volunteers in all 50 states.[3][49][50][20]

The organization's board of directors includes Randi Weingarten and Olivia Troye, among others. The group also has an advisory board that includes Fred Guttenberg, Eliza Orlins, Yohuru Williams, Joely Fisher, and others.[3][51]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "The Swiftie Vote: Gen Z Outreach Group Hits Engagement Milestone". HuffPost. 2024-09-18. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
  2. ^ a b c d e Kim, E. Tammy (2024-06-27). "Do the Democrats Have a Gen Z Problem?". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 2024-07-01.
  3. ^ a b c Grumbach, Gary (2023-02-09). "New PAC aims at increasing Generation Z's political clout". NBC News. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
  4. ^ a b DiBenedetto, Chase (5 April 2023). "Record-breaking Wisconsin Supreme Court flip sparks reflection on youth voter mobilization". Mashable. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
  5. ^ a b Wells, Dylan (2023-08-06). "At dueling youth conferences, differing messages on 2024". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
  6. ^ a b c Murray, Isabella. "Young voters 'canceled out' midterm voters over 65, blocking GOP gains: Experts". ABC News. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
  7. ^ Weissert, Will; Fingerhut, Hannah (2022-12-12). "Young voters' enthusiasm for Democrats waned during midterms". AP News. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
  8. ^ Dorman, John L. "Young voters propelled Raphael Warnock to victory in the Georgia Senate runoff, but the work to boost their political engagement continues: 'We're not stopping here'". Business Insider. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
  9. ^ Stacey, Kiran; Gilbert, Caitlin (2022-11-11). "How the youth vote helped the Democrats avert an election rout". Financial Times. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  10. ^ Knox, Liam. "Students Bolstered Strong Youth Voter Turnout". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  11. ^ "Warnock projected winner after Georgia's U.S. Senate runoff | Election highlights". 11Alive.com. 2022-12-06. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  12. ^ Janfaza, Rachel. "'Sandwiching an election between holidays and college exams': How organizers are mobilizing young voters in the Georgia Senate Runoff". The Up and Up. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  13. ^ Group, For Medianews (2022-07-18). "Youth Voting Organization, Voters of Tomorrow, Endorses Josh Shapiro". thereporteronline. Retrieved 2024-02-11. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  14. ^ Skalka, Liz (2022-12-10). "Told By Ron DeSantis 'Nobody Wants To Hear From You,' Now He's Headed To Congress". HuffPost. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  15. ^ a b Alfaro, Mariana (11 October 2022). "Shaped by gun violence and climate change, Gen Z weighs whether to vote". Washington Post. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  16. ^ Weissert, Will (2024-03-11). "Youth activist groups jointly endorse Biden. They say his achievements matter more than his age". AP News. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
  17. ^ Fortinsky, Sarah (2024-03-11). "15 groups representing young voters back Biden". The Hill. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
  18. ^ Barber, Rachel. "'Incredible how much things can change': New alliance stoked to get Harris elected". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
  19. ^ Martin, Michel (July 23, 2024). "Democrats hope a younger presidential candidate will attract younger voters". NPR.
  20. ^ a b Scheckner, Jesse (2023-09-28). "Gen Z group to register voters at Kamala Harris tour stop in Miami-Dade". Florida Politics. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
  21. ^ Doherty, Erin (2023-05-03). "Exclusive: Dems eye young voters for an edge in 2024". Axios. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  22. ^ Janfaza, Rachel. "The youth voter space gears up for 2024". The Up and Up. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
  23. ^ Yang, Angela (2024-01-22). "A Gen Z advocacy group is trying to dissuade young voters from backing Trump and Haley". NBC News. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
  24. ^ Kelly, Makena. "A Group of Trolling Gen-Z Voters Is Buying Up GOP Domains". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  25. ^ a b Rosenblum, Cassady (17 December 2023). "The Gerontocracy Waged War on Gen Z. Now They're Fighting Back". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  26. ^ The White House (21 September 2023). "WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: Biden-Harris Administration Launches American Climate Corps". The White House. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  27. ^ Alfaro, Mariana; Bogage, Jacob; Eugene, Scott (2022-09-16). "Activist claims Greene kicked her; congresswoman's office denies incident". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2024-02-13.
  28. ^ Kim, Juliana (2022-09-16). "Marjorie Taylor Greene shares a video in which she appears to kick a youth activist". National Public Radio. Retrieved 2024-02-13.
  29. ^ Soule, Douglas (2023-05-24). "DeSantis signed a sweeping election bill. Advocacies groups are now suing". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
  30. ^ Carillo, Brenno (2023-05-25). "SB 7050: Why the League of Women Voters, other orgs are suing Florida over new law". Daytona Beach News-Journal. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
  31. ^ Gancarski, A. G. (2023-07-03). "Federal judge issues injunction against Florida's latest election law, cites discrimination". Florida Politics. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
  32. ^ Gideon, Rubin (2023-07-03). "DeSantis administration loses battle over new Florida election law as judge issues preliminary injunction". Raw Story. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
  33. ^ Mower, Lawrence (2023-04-04). "Legislature considers additional election changes affecting mail voting, ID cards, more". Miami Herald. Retrieved 2024-02-13.
  34. ^ Bousquet, Steve (2023-04-09). "Another sneak attack punishes Florida voters". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
  35. ^ Whitely, Jason (24 February 2023). "A ban on voting sites on college campuses? A Gen Z voter group has lawsuit set, is ready for fight with Texas Republicans over proposal". WFAA. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  36. ^ Fogel, Becky (March 1, 2023). "A Texas Republican says banning college polling places is about safety. Students don't buy it". KUT. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  37. ^ Adame, Jaime (February 27, 2023). "Texas Lawmaker Seeks to Eliminate Polling Sites on Campuses". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  38. ^ Janfaza, Rachel (31 July 2023). "Pushing back against an 'assault on Gen Z rights'". The Up and Up. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  39. ^ Gambino, Lauren (2024-07-27). "Gen-Z voters spread the 'Kamalove' as Harris's popularity earns youth support". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
  40. ^ Darnell, Tim (2024-07-23). "Harris campaign partnering with weekend Atlanta Gen Z voter summit". Atlanta News First. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
  41. ^ Janfaza, Rachel (2022-11-21). "6 Things to Know About Youth Voter Turnout in the Midterms". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
  42. ^ Janfaza, Rachel. "Your Monday night plans and a Gen Z push to distribute condoms on college campuses". The Up and Up. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
  43. ^ Alfonseca, Kiara. "Students protest book bans by distributing 'Maus,' 'Beloved'". ABC News. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
  44. ^ Ruiz-Grossman, Sarah (2022-02-02). "Youth-Led Group To Give Out Hundreds Of Copies Of 'Beloved,' 'Maus' Amid Book Bans". HuffPost. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
  45. ^ Stauffer, Rainesford (13 October 2022). "Voter Registration Isn't Enough, Youth Organizers Say". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  46. ^ Roth, Maggie (2022-05-04). "Northern Virginia Students and Parents React to the Effort to Ban Books Deemed Sexually Explicit". Northern Virginia Magazine. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  47. ^ Tabak, Nicole. "A group of Taylor Swift fans who are also lawyers is organizing to take on Ticketmaster". Business Insider. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  48. ^ Balakrishnan, Renuka (2023-05-19). "Brought Swiftly to Justice: How a Pop Star's Ticketing Scandal Made Waves in Antitrust Legislation". Columbia Political Review. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  49. ^ Mayer, Santiago. "Gen Z will be an unbeatable force in 2024 – if we stand up to the far right together". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
  50. ^ Weissert, Will (2023-07-30). "Joe Biden, America's oldest sitting president, needs young voters to win again. Will his age matter?". AP News. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
  51. ^ "About Us". Voters of Tomorrow. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
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