Why So Few Young Pennsylvanians Are Registered to Vote
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Asia Tabb
aired; September 10, 2026
Pennsylvania is a pivotal state when it comes to elections, but a new look at youth voter registration shows that relatively few young people are registered to vote.
Only about 22% of Pennsylvania’s 18-year-olds are registered. While the state is no longer ranked last among the states included in the study, it remains near the bottom, ranking about fourth from last among roughly 38 states.
Carter Walker, who reported on the issue, said the numbers don’t necessarily point to a lack of interest among young people. Instead, the way Pennsylvania structures voter registration can create barriers. “It’s not a motivation problem amongst the students here in the state. I think Tanner obviously is an example of that, but it’s more of a way that we structure our voter registration laws that create these barriers for youth.”
One issue is Pennsylvania’s limited pre-registration process. Walker said many states with higher youth registration rates allow young people to pre-register around age 16, giving them more time to become familiar with the process before they are eligible to vote.
Pennsylvania also has automatic voter registration, but Walker said it isn’t combined with pre-registration in a way that captures many 16- and 17-year-olds. 
Tanner Zimmerman, a recent high school graduate and former student poll worker, said making the process easier in schools could help. He also believes young people benefit from hearing about voting from their peers. “I think one of the barriers definitely is the registering to vote. I think if there was an easier system where the students were automatically enrolled when they turned 16 and then could just vote in their first election, no questions asked, I think that would definitely help.”
Zimmerman said schools can also help students understand when elections happen, how voting works and why their participation matters.
At one Philadelphia charter school highlighted in Walker’s reporting, 86% of students were registered in 2025. The school has an administrator focused on civic engagement and students who help register their peers.
For Walker, connecting voting to issues young people actually care about may be one of the most important pieces. “Our lives are political and politics are into you, even if you say you’re not into politics. And just trying to remind folks that these things do have an effect on your life.”