Contact:
Josh Winters, Executive Director: 612-205-6564, josh@mpirg.org
Emma Wright, Board Chair: 952-212-3253,
wrigh673@umn.edu
Kristian Nyberg, Board Member:
952-564-7410, nyber114@umn.edu
Mariana Glitsos, Board Vice Chair: 218-341-0863, glit0005@d.umn.edu
Mariana Glitsos, Board Vice Chair: 218-341-0863, glit0005@d.umn.edu
We now know the outcome of the highly controversial constitutional
amendments and it is clear that students and youth voter turnout was a key factor
in their defeat. Across the state, youth
voted in record numbers with large percentages voting in opposition to both
proposed amendments on voter ID and marriage.
The Minnesota Public Interest Research Group (MPIRG) was active at
the state legislature, through testimony and student engagement of their
elected officials, to prevent these amendments from being placed on the
ballot. Now they played a pivotal role
in driving youth voter turnout. Since
April, MPIRG has had over 75,000 conversations with youth and community members
to vote “NO” on November 6. In the days
leading up to and on Election Day, MPIRG made over 25,000 calls to students and
knocked on over 5,800 doors and had 8,863 conversations with youth across the
state.
“It is powerful to see our generation rise up this election cycle
to send a strong signal to decision makers: students vote and we reject the
divisive politics that was the hallmark of the 2012 elections,” said Emma
Wright, a student at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities and board chair
of MPIRG. “We said ‘no’ to the voter
restriction amendment as it would negatively impact tens of thousands of youth
voters. We said ‘no’ to the
anti-marriage amendment because this generation doesn’t believe in
discrimination against loving relationships.”
More generally, youth heavy voting precincts saw large numbers of
students voting “no”. Of those youth who
turned out, 79% voted in opposition to the marriage amendment and 69% voted in
opposition to the voter ID amendment.
Compared to overall state turnout of 54% voting no on the marriage amendment
and 52% voting no on voter ID and, this represents a substantial generational
divide. Polls released at the end of
October indicated both amendments were in a dead heat heading into November
6. As both amendments failed on such
narrow margins, it is clear that students were a deciding factor.
“We sent a clear signal about the kind of politics we want to see
in Minnesota,” said Kristian Nyberg, a student at the University of Minnesota –
Morris and board member of MPIRG. “Instead
of passing constitutional amendments that divide our communities and are
ultimately rejected, we expect our elected officials to focus instead on how to
strengthen our communities and address the real challenges of our day: rebuilding
a just economy, global warming, higher education debt, and corporate
accountability.”
From southern Minnesota to the North Shore, students came out in
record numbers. “For those who think the youth are disengaged from politics and
apathetic – think again,” said Mariana Glitsos, a student at the University of
Minnesota – Duluth and board vice chair of MPIRG. “We demonstrated once again that youth are
actively engaged in politics and how we make decisions as a community. November 6 may have been a high water mark
for youth civic engagement, but it certainly isn’t the end. We will take harness this momentum and
engagement and go to our city councils, county boards, to the state
legislature, and all the way to Washington D.C. to make sure the issues we care
about are being prioritized and addressed by our elected leaders. We are here
to stay and we will have our say.”
###
Additional details
on youth voter turnout and percentages of youth voting “no” in youth heavy
precincts are available upon request by contacting Joshua Winters at josh@mpirg.org or 612.205.6564.
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