Turnout in last week’s primary reached its highest level in twenty years, and election officials say first-time voters made the difference. At polling places across the county, poll workers reported lines of young people, newly naturalized citizens and residents who had never cast a ballot before, many of them holding phones up to take a picture of their “I Voted” stickers.
Nearly one in five ballots came from people voting for the first time. For a primary election, which typically draws a smaller and older electorate than a general election, officials said the numbers were remarkable.
A primary unlike recent ones
Primary elections often struggle to draw voters. Without a presidential race at the top of the ticket, many residents skip them, and turnout in past primaries has sometimes dipped below a quarter of registered voters. This year was different. Early-voting sites reported steady traffic all week, and several precincts ran low on stickers by mid-afternoon on Election Day.
The county’s final certified results show turnout well above recent primaries, with the largest increases in precincts near the university campus, in neighborhoods with growing immigrant communities and in areas served by new early-voting sites. Officials said first-time voters were spread across all age groups but were concentrated among residents under 30.
“We prepared for a busy day, but we didn’t expect this,” said Ellen Park, the county election director. “By noon, some of our precincts had already passed their total from the last primary.”
What drove it
Campus registration drives, same-day registration and new early-voting sites near transit stops all played a part. Election officials and community groups pointed to a combination of efforts that made registration and voting easier, especially for people who had never done either before.
Campus drives
Student groups at the university and the community college ran registration tables throughout the fall semester, staffed by volunteers who walked classmates through the forms. Several professors encouraged students to register during class, and the student government organized rides to early-voting sites on the final weekend before the election.
Same-day registration
Under state law, eligible residents can register and vote on the same day at their polling place by showing proof of residence. Officials said a significant number of first-time voters used the option, including many who had recently moved or turned 18.
Early voting near transit
This year, the county opened three new early-voting sites near major bus and light rail stops, including one at a downtown transit center. Officials said the sites were among the busiest in the county, drawing voters who stopped on their way to or from work.
We saw lines of first-time voters taking selfies with their stickers. That’s a good problem to have.
Ellen Park, county election director
New citizens at the polls
Among the first-time voters were hundreds of recently naturalized citizens. Community organizations that help immigrants through the citizenship process held voter education sessions in several languages, explaining how primaries work and what to expect at the polls. Some organized group trips to early-voting sites, turning the experience into a small celebration.
Nguyen Thanh, who became a citizen in a ceremony at the federal courthouse last spring, said voting for the first time felt like the final step in a journey that began more than a decade ago. “I studied for the citizenship test for a year,” she said. “I learned about elections and the Constitution. Today I finally got to use what I learned.”
Poll workers said many new citizens arrived with family members, and some precincts saw spontaneous applause when a voter announced it was their first time. “It was emotional,” said longtime poll worker Gloria Hamm. “I’ve worked elections for 22 years, and I’ve never seen so many proud faces.”
Young voters speak
Several first-time voters interviewed for this story said local issues, not national politics, motivated them to turn out. Housing costs, public transit, school funding and climate policy came up again and again. Many said they wanted a say in races for county commission, school board and state legislature, which often receive little attention but have a direct effect on daily life.
Jordan Ellis, a 19-year-old sophomore studying engineering, said he registered at a table outside the student union. “I always figured my vote wouldn’t matter in a primary,” he said. “Then someone showed me how close some of these races were last time. That changed my mind.”
Aaliyah Brooks, a 24-year-old dental assistant, voted at the new early-voting site at the downtown transit center on her way home from work. She said she had never voted before because she assumed it would take hours. “I was in and out in fifteen minutes,” she said. “Honestly, I was a little mad I hadn’t done it sooner. I already told my sister and two coworkers they have to go in November.”
Others said they were inspired by family. Marcus Delaney, 18, said his grandmother drove him to his polling place and waited outside while he voted. “She’s voted in every election since she was my age,” he said. “She told me it was my turn to keep it going.”
Political analysts cautioned against reading too much into one election. Primary turnout can rise or fall based on how competitive the races are, and it remains to be seen whether new voters return in November. Still, several campaign volunteers said the energy among young people was unlike anything they had seen in recent cycles.
Key takeaway: First-time voters cast nearly one in five ballots in the primary, helped by campus drives, same-day registration and new early-voting sites near transit. Officials plan to keep the new sites open for November.
What’s next
Officials plan to keep the extra early-voting sites open for the general election in November. Park said the county will also add more poll workers at busy precincts, order extra supplies and expand hours at some early-voting locations during the final week before Election Day.
The county is recruiting poll workers now and encourages residents of all ages to apply. Poll workers receive paid training and a stipend for each day they work. College students and bilingual residents are especially needed, officials said, and high school students 16 and older may be eligible to serve as student poll workers with permission from a parent.
Community groups that led registration drives say they will keep working through the fall. Several plan to return to campuses and community centers in September and October, and some are organizing rides to the polls on Election Day for voters without transportation.
Before November
Election officials encourage every voter, especially those who cast their first ballot in the primary, to take a few simple steps before the general election. Registration deadlines and identification rules vary by state, so check with your county election office if you have questions.
- Check your registration online
- Find your early-voting site
- Bring a photo ID if your state requires one
- Update your address if you have moved since the primary
- Review a sample ballot so you know what to expect
Park said she hopes the primary was the start of a habit, not a one-time event. “The first vote is the hardest,” she said. “Once people know where to go and what to do, they tend to come back. We want every one of those first-time voters to walk in again in November, sticker and all.”
