Adopt A Young Voter Today

Many young people under thirty these days feel let down by their political representatives, their elders, and society in general. Gen Z especially has experienced multiple stressors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, skyrocketing healthcare costs, environmental injustice, a tough job market, unaffordable housing, threats to reproductive rights, and attacks on LGBQT+ rights. Those situations have led to a sense of hopelessness for many and created uncertainty about their futures.

That’s why we encourage you, our readers, to adopt a young voter this election season. There are two elections in CD1 this year: the Democratic congressional primary on August 4 and the Congressional midterm election on November 4. Between current economic woes and a chaotic Trump administration, young voters need to know they can count on someone in their lives to get their voices heard.

Toward that end, here are five ways you can help a young voter in your life get engaged with voting. We ask that you adopt just one voter, but feel free to help more if possible!

Talk to them about the issues they feel strongly about

Listening is a great way to support a young voter. What kinds of voting barriers does your young voter face? How do they feel about voting? What has prevented them from voting in the past?

Here’s information to help you start the conversation: the 2025 CIRCLE Post-2024 Election Youth Survey (Tufts University) uncovered why “young people’s electoral participation dropped notably in 2024.” Barriers to voting include being ignored by political campaigns, lacking information, dissatisfaction with candidates, lacking support to vote, and financial struggles. Others simply weren’t interested.

Yet many of the youth polled felt strongly about various issues, and those issues motivated them to vote. For example, a 2026 May Times/Siena National Poll revealed that 64% of Democratic voters under thirty want the party to move left on healthcare. Transgender issues come in second place at 50%. The problem isn’t whether young voters care or not; it’s whether they believe their vote will make a difference.

Some of the problems young voters experience are systemic in nature, but others can be addressed at the individual level—and that’s where you come in. The more you know about the barriers your young voter faces, the more you can do to help them find solutions.

Maybe they need help getting connected to community resources for basic needs before they’re ready for a conversation about voting (and if that’s as far as things can go, that’s still a worthwhile goal). But if they’re ready to give voting a(nother) chance, here’s a roadmap you can use to help them navigate the process.

Help them learn about the candidates

Learning about candidates means taking the time for discovery and exploration, especially if there’s a primary. First, help your young voter find out who represents them in Congress (seems obvious, but many people don’t know this information).

Help your voter carve out time to find the information they need to learn about the candidate(s). The good news is that there’s a variety of ways to do so. Whether your young voter prefers reading, visuals, or in-person conversations (or a combination of all three), there’s something for everyone.

Candidates post information about their platforms on their websites and social media. Many of them put out videos and/or newsletters. Sometimes they write an op-ed for a newspaper or get profiled by magazines. They do in-person and virtual events, such as appearances at festivals, libraries, and homes. Many candidates use Mobilize to list their events—just search for their name. Organizations like party committees and RVA Indivisible host candidate forums where your young voter can learn about multiple candidates at once.

Another way they can keep tabs on candidates is by signing up for their local party committee newsletter (e.g., Henrico Dems). Grassroots groups like Neighbors for Change and Wittman Watch provide informative articles (e.g., about the 2026 midterm elections and candidates). Your young voter can also contact the candidate’s campaign directly to ask questions not covered elsewhere. Help your voter navigate these choices and pick the events that interest them the most.

Encourage them to meet the candidates in-person so they can evaluate how comfortable they feel in the candidate’s presence. Experience and policy positions are important, but so are interpersonal skills, empathy, and “the vibe” of a candidate’s presence. Does your young voter feel like they made a personal connection with the candidate? Do they feel like a candidate truly listened to their concerns? If your young voter has accessibility needs regarding attending events, help them (if needed) contact the candidate’s campaign staff to obtain them.

For the 2026 elections, help your voter learn about the CD1 incumbent, Rob Wittman (a good place to start is Rob’s Record), and the Democratic challengers hoping to unseat him. Here are their names and websites (listed in alphabetical order):

• Salaam Bhatti
• Tim Cywinski
• Elizabeth Dempsey Beggs
• Jason Knapp
• Ericka Kopp
• Shannon Taylor
• Mel Tull
• Incumbent Rob Wittman

Another resource is the N4C “In Their Own Words” candidate interviews. (Shannon Taylor declined to participate):

• In Their Own Words: CD1 Candidates
• In Their Own Words: Legislative Agenda
• In Their Own Words: What Truly Differentiates Me
• In Their Own Words: What Keeps Me Going
• In Their Own Words: Bi-Partisan Collaboration
• In Their Own Words: Congressional Authority Over War Powers

If your young voter doesn’t feel excited about the candidate choice(s), validate their feelings and help them understand the consequences of not voting. Maybe they’d like to join an organization that supports candidates aligned with their position on the issues in time for the next election.

Help them make a plan to vote

The Virginia Department of Elections has all the information your young voter needs to vote, from registering to vote to upcoming elections and to casting a ballot. Share this N4C post with your young voter because it covers the important dates and deadlines of the 2026 CD1 Democratic primary and general election.

After they’re registered to vote, review how they’ll get to the polls and when. Help them schedule a specific time to vote and ask if they need help with transportation. Encourage them to visit the party committee booth outside the polling place (when applicable) so they can ask any final questions they may have about the ballot. This N4C post has additional information about making a plan to vote.

Show them how they can Get Out the Vote

Ask your young voter if they’d like to participate in the democratic process in other ways. They can volunteer with the campaign of their choice, join their county party committee, or help during elections. GOTV events provide young voters with opportunities to participate in the democratic process as well as meet other voters. Invite them along to any GOTV events that you attend so they can learn the ropes.

Follow up after election day

After they vote, thank them for doing so. Ask how their voting experience went. What went well? Is there anything that could make the process easier? How do they feel about voting at the next election? Young voters deserve to have their voices heard. Giving them hope for the future and empowering them to achieve their goals through voting for candidates they believe in is time well spent. Thank you!