Unfortunately, many young people don’t participate in elections because they don’t know what the rules are or where or how to vote. Sometimes they are the first or only members of their family to vote or even to be eligible to vote. As a result, millions of young voters in California are not participating in our democratic process. Subsequently, their voice is missing on many important issues.

YVote is working to change that. It’s a new collaboration in partnership with Mobilize the Immigrant Vote and 16 community organizations, supported by The James Irvine Foundation, that are working to engage young voters throughout California. In places like Bakersfield, Oakland, San Jose, Fresno, and Los Angeles, dozens of volunteers and young organizers are mobilizing tens of thousands of young voters via cell phone, text, and direct, face-to-face conversations, to educate them about the importance of their vote.

What impact could young voters have? Millennials have surpassed baby boomers as the largest generation – nationally as well as in California.

According to the Public Policy Institute of California, more than one-third of all California adults are between 18 and 34. California’s millennials are also the most diverse generation. Seventy percent of millennials are African American, Latino, or Asian/Pacific Islander.

This creates an enormous opportunity to shift California’s electorate to be more representative. Currently, likely voters tend to be older, whiter, and more affluent than the general population. For example, 61 percent of baby boomers are likely to vote compared to 24 percent of millennials.

Often times, people attribute low voter turnout among young people to apathy. But we know that young people care about issues that matter to them. In fact, we can see the impact they have already had in raising important issues this election season — whether it’s concerns about rising college debt or excessive use of force by law enforcement.

Unfortunately, it’s not always easy or clear to young people how to vote. And they don’t always see voting as a way to make a difference. We hope through YVote, we can help young voters understand their voting power and to use that power to decide issues that matter to them and their communities.

Luis Sanchez is a Senior Fellow at Movement Strategy Center.

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