The Keystone to Democracy’s Future in Pennsylvania – Democracy Docket
Young voters are the lifeblood of our democracy. Our ideas, energy and determination have the power to create transformative change if our voices are represented at the ballot box.
Pennsylvania, like the rest of our country, is facing a myriad of challenges that demand immediate attention and action. From climate change and health care to racial justice and economic equality, the decisions made by our elected officials will directly impact our lives and the future we envision. It is vital that the young people of Pennsylvania rise up and seize their opportunity to shape the direction of the state and country.
As we look ahead to the upcoming election, there is a specific, urgent reason why young voters should turn out in force: the Pennsylvania Supreme Court race. This race holds immense importance for the protection of womens reproductive rights, a fundamental aspect of personal freedom and gender equality. The decisions made by the state Supreme Court have far-reaching consequences, and we cannot afford to let these rights be eroded or diminished. Young voters must seize this opportunity to ensure that the state Supreme Court represents our values and safeguards abortion rights of all Pennsylvanians.
At NextGen America, the countrys largest youth vote organization, we have seen firsthand the incredible impact that young voters can have on elections. During the 2022 election cycle, we contacted over 2.1 million young eligible voters in Pennsylvania through in-person events, texts and calls representing nine out of 10 registered young voters in the state.
Our outreach was clearly reflected in overall turnout. Pennsylvanias young voters made a resounding statement last year, demonstrating the transformative power we possess when we unite in a common cause. Pennsylvania had one of the highest youth turnout rates in the country 32% with nearly a third of voters between the ages of 18-29 turning out to cast a ballot.
For young Pennsylvanians, this is a crucial moment in safeguarding the values we care about the most.
And in the U.S. Senate race, young people fought tirelessly to power Democrat John Fetterman to victory. Fetterman won by a slim 5% margin, and youth ages 18-29 preferred him 70% to 28%. It is clear that young Pennsylvanian voters are changing the states political landscape and electorate winning massive gains for progressives across Pennsylvania in both federal and state offices.
This substantial increase in youth voter participation showcases a growing awareness and engagement among young people, a trend that we must continue to build upon. Millennials and Gen Zers have demonstrated their dedication to justice, equality and progress through engagement and advocacy. Our energy and passion have driven historic turnouts at the polls, demonstrating our collective desire for a brighter future for our country.
However, our work is far from over. The upcoming election presents us with an opportunity to make a lasting impact by electing leaders who reflect our values and prioritize the issues that matter most to us.
The Supreme Court race is not an isolated event; it directly impacts the lives of every young person in the state. For young Pennsylvanians, this is a crucial moment in safeguarding the values we care about the most. By participating in this election, we have a unique opportunity to further shape the courts composition, ensuring it reflects our vision of a just and equitable society, protects womens reproductive rights and stands up for the issues that matter most to us.
This weeks voter registration deadline for the upcoming election is an important juncture for every young Pennsylvanian. It presents an opportunity to assert our power, not only as individuals but as a collective force that can tip the scales in favor of a more inclusive and progressive society. The decisions made by those elected will affect our lives and our futures, making this election more than just a duty it is a chance to create real change in Pennsylvania.
Our generation understands the power we possess, and we refuse to be silenced. We recognize the urgency of the challenges we face, and we are ready to rise to the occasion. But we can only achieve this if we all stand together, registered and committed to voting on Tuesday, Nov. 7.
Pennsylvanias youth: your future is in your hands. Our power lies in our numbers and our determination to see a better and more equitable country. Let us come together to reshape the narrative, influence policy and set the course for a Pennsylvania that reflects our collective values and aspirations.
The world is watching, and history beckons.
Cristina Tzintzn Ramirez is the president and executive director of NextGen America.
Continued here:
The Keystone to Democracy's Future in Pennsylvania - Democracy Docket
- Commentary: Heads up, Latino men: The future of democracy hangs on your vote - Los Angeles Times - September 26th, 2026 [September 26th, 2026]
- Is Venezuela Moving Toward Democracy? - CSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studies - September 26th, 2026 [September 26th, 2026]
- Civics IsU: Panel explores informed democracy engagement on October 14 - Illinois State University News - September 26th, 2026 [September 26th, 2026]
- Democracy Isn't Just Voting: Panelists Urge a Ground-Up Civic Revival - Wesleyan University - September 26th, 2026 [September 26th, 2026]
- Join the Conversation on Faith, Justice, and Democracy - Grand Canyon Synod of the ELCA - September 26th, 2026 [September 26th, 2026]
- The Overlooked Ways Digital Disruption Is Reshaping African Democracy - democracyinafrica.org - September 26th, 2026 [September 26th, 2026]
- The Hague Group: South Africa Leads Coalition Against U.S./Israels Unilateral Bullying of the ICC - Democracy Now! - September 26th, 2026 [September 26th, 2026]
- What the 2026 Global State of Democracy just told the world about Africa and West Asia - International IDEA - September 26th, 2026 [September 26th, 2026]
- Crossing the Red Line: Akbar Shahid Ahmed on Biden, His Advisers, Harris & Israels War in Gaza - Democracy Now! - September 26th, 2026 [September 26th, 2026]
- Democrats, voting advocates mobilize to stop Trump from sending federal agents to polls or anywhere near them - Democracy Docket - September 26th, 2026 [September 26th, 2026]
- Jonathan Capehart to Madison: Too soon to give up on democracy - The Cap Times - September 26th, 2026 [September 26th, 2026]
- The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism And The War On Democracy by Gil Durn - California Review of Books - September 26th, 2026 [September 26th, 2026]
- Transcript: Mayor Mamdani Participates in Fireside Chat at Climate Desk Live: AI, Energy, and Our Fight for Democracy and a Healthy, Affordable Future... - September 26th, 2026 [September 26th, 2026]
- Find your fall fit! Democracy Clothing offers a chance to win a $1,000 wardrobe - KEYE - September 26th, 2026 [September 26th, 2026]
- A movement that places a threat on democracy - Advertiser-Tribune - September 26th, 2026 [September 26th, 2026]
- Why Democracy Is About Daily GovernanceNot Just Elections - The Fulcrum - September 26th, 2026 [September 26th, 2026]
- Churches must help protect election integrity and restore faith in democracy - National Catholic Reporter - September 26th, 2026 [September 26th, 2026]
- All-party primaries would bring more competition and a more vigorous democracy - CommonWealth Beacon - September 26th, 2026 [September 26th, 2026]
- To understand the threat to our real democracy, watch Putins fake one | Rafael Behr - The Guardian - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- Exclusive: These international observers have monitored US elections for decades. This time, the Trump admin didnt invite them - Democracy Docket - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- Constitution Day reminder: Our democracy is not for sale to the highest bidder - Maryland Matters - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- All the information you need to participate in Indianas democracy - Indiana Capital Chronicle - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- MDC, Global Foundation for Democracy and Development to Sign MOU Expanding Opportunities for Academic and Professional Collaboration - MDC News - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- USC International Day of Democracy event takes a hard look at AIs evolving impact - USC Today - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- New poll suggests filling Cubans' stomachs could make it easier to fill their heads with democracy - WLRN - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- Supreme Court rejects Trump bid to revive mail voting restrictions ahead of midterms, in huge win for voters - Democracy Docket - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- Rethinking How We Talk About Public Health and Democracy - apha.org - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- Mount Vernon to Gather National Voices for a Reckoning on American Democracy - Alexandria Living Magazine - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- Poll finds support for cooperation, conflict prevention top priority - Democracy Without Borders - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- Statement by High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas to the European Parliament for the Joint Debate on Russias hybrid attacks against Member... - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- From Brussels to the World: high-level dialogue explores the future of democracy - Unric - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- Democracy or Guitars in the Best Things Ever Bracket - blazersedge.com - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- Protecting researchers from illegal viewpoint discrimination by the government - Protect Democracy - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- Opinion | Trump Has This Influential Theorist of Democracy Very Worried - The New York Times - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- Pentagon Claims to Strike Vessel in the Eastern Pacific - Democracy Now! - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- End Times Fascism: Naomi Klein & Astra Taylor on Billionaires, Bunkers, AI, Gaza & the Far Right - Democracy Now! - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- Pennsylvania wasnt just the birthplace of democracy, it was a key inspiration - Inquirer.com - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- Democracy needs its champions. Heres a proposal on how to fund them - The Conversation - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- Education and Democracy - Southern Poverty Law Center - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- Architects of Atrocities: Amnesty Says Iran Committed Crimes Against Humanity in 2022 Crackdown - Democracy Now! - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- Never take democracy for granted: reflecting on the International Day of Democracy - Jurist.org - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- Message of H.E.Mr Oskar Benedikt on International Democracy Day - EEAS - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- Kinzinger Reflects on Jan. 6, Bipartisanship, and the Future of Democracy at SIU Event - WSIU NEWS - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- Thirst traps for democracy: Content creators go risqu to recruit people to work the polls - NBC News - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- Warning: our democracy wont survive the death of reading. Read on if you still can | John Harris - The Guardian - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- When the defenders of democracy turn their backs on it instead - The Economist - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- China angered by Taiwan VP's visit to EU democracy forum - DW.com - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- Centrists Are Soft-Launching the Idea That We Have a Little Too Much Democracy - The Intercept - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- Americans agree their democracy is in crisis yet the solution is as simple as it is elusive - The Conversation - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- Constitution Day: State Constitutions and the Future of American Democracy, Sept. 17 - Marquette Today - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- The Democracy We Must Protect Together - The Equation - Union of Concerned Scientists - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- The good news: few Muslims want to subvert European democracy - The Economist - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- Everyone has to be vigiliant about keeping democracy strong - Columbia Missourian - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- Supreme Court to decide on Trump mail voting order after parties make their case - Democracy Docket - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- The Smithsonian chiefs exit is a blow to democracy | Kimberl Crenshaw and Jason Stanley - The Guardian - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- How to Save Democracy: A Conversation About Authoritarianism - The Rampage Online - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- 4.7 Million Dead, $8 Trillion: Counting the Devastating Human & Economic Costs of the Post9/11 Wars - Democracy Now! - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- Midterm aftermath: Conservative judge WARNS Trump's GOP 'biggest threat' to American democracy - Modern Ghana - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- The U.S. Postal Service said it would launch its mail ballot portal this week. Where is it? - Democracy Docket - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- Democracy meatballs: why IKEA is the place for Swedes abroad to vote - The Conversation - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- The importance of voting and protecting our democracy | Letters - Rockford Register Star - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- Letter: Informed democracy is a healthy one - Lincoln Journal Star - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- Democracy is learned: That's why we're heading back to the classroom | Op-Ed - The Seattle Times - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- In ominous sign, USPS initially rejected Florida countys mail ballot over spacing issue - Democracy Docket - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- An artistic expression of democracy: Sunderland native is the creative mind behind 'I Voted' stickers - Greenfield Recorder - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- Moment of Truth for American Democracy with Hedrick Smith - Islands' Sounder - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- Labours crackdown on Reform donations is a bid to save democracy and itself - The Independent - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- How these four history-making House speakers are trying to protect the future of American democracy in their states - inquirer.com - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- Opinion: Sovereign individuals are a threat to democracy in the United States and Canada, too - The Globe and Mail - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- How volunteerism helped build American democracy and why it still matters - Morristown Green - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- Fight for Democracy Urge Governor Newsom to Sign the CVRA of 2026 - lwvc.org - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- The Future of Democracy - The Contrarian - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- Preserving our democracy must be the midterms overriding issue - The Boston Globe - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- FBI subpoenas Nevada election chiefs office for voter-related information - Democracy Docket - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- McCaa: Democracy depends on trust. We must get it back - Dallas News - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- Online Gender-Based Violence Is on the Rise. Heres Why Democracy Funders Should Care - Inside Philanthropy - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- Conspiracy theories were supposed to destroy American democracy. Instead, they might be saving it. - The Fulcrum - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- The shadow of the AfD hangs over German democracy but I still have faith in my adopted country | John Kampfner - The Guardian - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- Venezuelans: Trump's real crime isn't taking your oil it's obstructing your democracy - WLRN - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- Democracy Digest: Poland Investigates Arson of Drone Factory as Suspected Russian Sabotage - Balkan Insight - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]