Poll: 1/3 Of Millennials Plan To Vote On Tuesday
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (WCCO) -- Friends Rachael Lenmark, Ana Arabanos and Cierra Buckner could be anywhere on a Friday night, but they chose to spend part of it at the early vote center.
"Our local government is what makes the most impact in our daily lives, so when you get to have a voice in the policies and the people making those policies, it's 10 times more important to get involved and vote," Lenmark said.
These three may be part of the minority when it comes to young voters.
A recent poll by NBC News and Gen Forward shows only about one-third of millennials plan on voting next Tuesday.
"There's lots of barriers and I can understand why somebody, why another young person wouldn't vote," Arabanos said.
"Another thing that I have been hearing is, 'I already know what the outcome is going to be, so why even try?'" Buckner added.
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We won't know what the official voter turnout will be until after the election, but if the early numbers are any indication, it could be record-breaking for the state, whether millennials show up to the polls.
Hennepin County Elections Manager Ginny Gelms thinks campaign tactics this year could have something to do with it.
"We are seeing a lot of campaigns using absentee voting as a tactic to get their supporters out and voting before Election Day," Gelms said.
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Voters are also getting used to a change in state law in 2014 which allows anyone to vote absentee.
"We have seen a definite increase every year since then," Gelms said.
Gelms said Saturday and Monday will be the busiest days at the downtown early voting center location, so voters may have to wait in line.
Early vote centers across the Twin Cities will be open all weekend long.
If you want to cast your ballot on Election Day, the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday.