Young adults are stepping up, and not just at the polls

937,461 young adults are living in Michigan. They’re studying, working, caring for families and taking on leadership roles in communities around the state. They’re also showing up for democracy.

Young adults have typically voted at lower rates than older adults, mainly due to busy schedules, confusing registration rules, apathy, more frequent moves and other barriers. But Michigan has been doing a great job of removing some of those barriers, which is part of the reason our state has one of the highest voter turnout rates for young adults in the nation.

Over half of Michigan’s young adults ages 18-24 voted in 2024, a significant increase over previous presidential elections. And among the youngest voters, those ages 18 and 19, Michigan saw the biggest jump in voter registration of any state in the country between 2020 and 2024. Our future voters are ready to engage, too. Since 2024, eligible 16- and 17-year-olds have been able to pre-register to vote in Michigan, and in the first year alone, more than 114,000 teens signed up, so they’ll be able to cast a ballot in the first election after they turn 18.

The Michigan League for Public Policy’s latest Kids Count report explores this data and more, pointing to the fact that Michigan’s voting reforms have made voting more accessible for young adults. Proposal 18-3 brought automatic voter registration, same-day registration and no-reason absentee voting. Proposal 22-2 strengthened absentee voting and added early voting.

These changes benefit all Michiganders (I was able to vote early this week because it worked better with my schedule), but they’re especially effective for young adults.

It’s definitely a point of pride to see our young people turning out to vote, but that’s just one area where they’re excelling.

A first job helps build communication, technical and problem-solving skills that young people will use throughout their lives. Right now, Michigan’s labor force participation rate among people ages 16-24 is 62%, above the national rate of 56%. Our young adults are also learning. Nearly half of them are enrolled in or have completed college despite rising tuition costs, and programs like the Michigan Achievement Scholarship and Community College Guarantee can help make college more affordable.

Michigan is home to 10,000 young adult apprentices, most of whom are training to become skilled workers like electricians, pipefitters and carpenters. These apprentices are making a median wage of $17.54 an hour, keeping young people out of debt and putting them on a path to a well-paying career.

Michiganders ages 18-24 also reflect the way Michigan is evolving. They are the most diverse generation we’ve had, bringing new perspectives and experience into our workplaces, campuses and neighborhoods.

For those of us who are older than 24, we have some work to do. We all remember that it’s not easy coming up in the world, and it’s up to us to give the newest generation of adults the support they need. With our state population continuing to decline, we need to make sure Michigan is a place where flourishing young people want to put down roots.

You can learn more about how we can do that by checking out the recommendations in the latest report. You can also follow the lead of our youngest adults by getting out there to vote between now and Tuesday!

For those of you who are younger, thank you for being part of some monumental changes. Your generation is working, learning, and voting for a better tomorrow, and we appreciate you.