Voter registration drive adds over 7,500 new first-time voters
New Jersey added 7,558 new voters ages 17 and 18 during High School Voter Registration Week, a 15% increase over the 6,409 new voters added during the same time last week, state election officials said.
The program, New Jersey Civic Engage, went from April 6 until the primary voter registration deadline of May 20.
“Registering our youth is critical to protecting and strengthening our democracy. That’s why I am so pleased and encouraged by the results of this year’s NJ High School Voter Registration Week Program,” said Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way, the New Jersey Secretary of State. “This program and others that we conduct, like National High School Voter Registration Week and the NJ Ballot Bowl are powerful and reinforce the civic and voter engagement habits that we want to instill in our young people.”
Commissioner of Education Kevin Dehmer said the “remarkable increase in youth voter registration underscores the vital role our schools play in fostering informed and engaged citizens,” Dehmer stated. “Through programs like NJ High School Voter Registration Week, our schools are not only making their civics education more tangible to students but also empowering them to understand what it means to participate actively in our democracy. This is an opportunity to celebrate the students, educators, and community partners who made this year’s efforts such a success.”
https://newjerseyglobe.com/campaigns/voter-registration-drive-adds-over-7500-new-first-time-voters/