Dear John,

Many activists first got involved in politics at an early age -- as early as they could. I know I did, and I want to do everything I can to encourage young people to pick up the voting habit as young adults, and to be thinking about voting and civic responsibility even before then.

This is why I wholeheartedly support Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Nikema Williams’ Youth Voting Rights Act.

Young people bring idealism and fresh energy to those of us who’ve been around longer. That idealism propels progressive ideas, policies, and candidates toward victory. It’s a big part of why the right wing is so terrified when Taylor Swift encourages her fans to get out and vote.

So conservatives respond with restrictive laws and procedures that make voting harder for young people by rejecting more provisional ballots, setting onerous residency requirements, restricting voting locations, and setting age limits on vote-by-mail ballots.

The Youth Voting Rights Act will enforce the 26th Amendment and secure the right to vote for 18- to 21-year-olds for future generations. Sign the petition today and become a grassroots co-signer!

The Youth Voting Rights Act will:

• establish a right for individuals as well as states to enforce the 26th Amendment, and national standards for doing so

• require all public higher education institutions to offer voter registration services as recognized “voter registration agencies,” and to provide on-campus polling places

• require every state to allow young people to pre-register to vote at 16 and 17 years old, and allow states to pre-register youths younger than 16

• establish the right to vote from a college residence without a minimum duration of residency, and prohibit age limits on vote-by-mail ballots for all federal elections

• mandate that states accept student IDs for voter identification

• gather data on youth registration and voting rates

• and create grants to encourage youth involvement, update civics curricula, and offer paid fellowships for young people

Sign the petition today to become a grassroots co-sponsor!

And thank you for helping to ensure democracy thrives in our nation for generations to come.

Robert Reich
Inequality Media Civic Action