New ads feature young Hoosiers encouraging their peers to vote

A six-week advertising campaign launched Tuesday by the nonprofit group ReCenter Indiana features young Hoosiers going to vote and sharing their experience.

It’s directed specifically at residents of Marion, Hamilton and Boone counties between the ages of 18 and 24.

The videos were recorded in Lawrence, Carmel and Zionsville during Indiana primary voting in May. Outside their respective polling places, the young adult voters are shown sharing their personal feelings about the voting process and what the experience means to them. The videos do not mention candidates or political parties.

In one of them, a young woman votes for the first time in Indiana since moving here. She describes the process as easy and the staff as friendly and helpful.

“I’m advocating for what I feel is right. I’m also advocating for the community,” she said. “It’s always a good feeling when you vote and your voice can be heard.”

The nonpartisan group’s campaign will run through Election Day, Nov. 3, on YouTube, Instagram and connected TV services including Netflix, HBO and Peacock. The video ads are projected to generate more than 1.5 million impressions. A $50,000 grant from Glick Fund made the campaign possible.

ReCenter Indiana has made young adult voters a special focus of its work to strengthen civic engagement and voter participation. In the 2024 general election, only 39% of Hoosier young adults voted, according to Tufts CIRCLE 2024 youth voting report. That compares to the national young adult turnout rate of 47%. For eligible voters of all ages, Indiana is perennially among the states with the lowest turnouts.

“Instead of actors reading scripts, our videos feature authentic, young Hoosier voters — saying in their own words — why they’re enthusiastic about voting,” said Jocelyn Vare, executive director of ReCenter Indiana. “And, importantly, these voting experiences are built around the invitation, ‘Hey, can I vote with you?’”

The news release said research supports this peer-to-peer approach. In the Turnout Nation 2019 study, registered voters steadily encouraged by someone they knew were 13.2 percentage points more likely to actually cast a ballot. In two decades of studies, researchers reported, this approach proved more effective than any other.

ReCenter Indiana is asking Hoosiers to share the videos with young adults and then ask, “Hey,  can I vote with you?” The group says an invitation from a friend, relative, classmate or co-worker can make voting feel more comfortable, especially for a first-time voter.