Teens could tip the scales in presidential election, including in Pennsylvania

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The battle for Pennsylvania voters doesn't just involve those who voted in the last presidential election. It also involves those who will be voting for the first time.

More than 70,000 people reach the legal voting age in Pennsylvania each year. Now, there's a push to get young voters to the polls.

In the 2022 midterm election, there were 7.4 million eligible voters who were 18 or 19 years old, but less than 22% of them actually voted.

Both political parties are trying to change that this time around knowing that teens could be the key to winning the election, particularly in Pennsylvania.

It's why one recent event for students at Martin Luther King High School in Germantown was so significant.

"We did a whole civic-themed field day," said Angelique Hinton of the non-partisan, nonprofit PA Youth Vote. It focuses on educating the state's youngest eligible voters, usually 18-year-olds who are in high school. One of the activities at the recent field day was a relay race where students rushed to put their votes into a ballot box.

"We want them to have that mindset: run to the polls on Election Day," said Kamryn Davis, program director for PA Youth Vote.

"There's really been a much greater, much more visible investment in registering new voters and doing get-out-the-vote efforts in Philadelphia," said Matt Levendusky from the University of Pennsylvania.

Nationwide, 46% of 18 and 19-year-olds cast a ballot in the 2020 election.

Pennsylvania's numbers tend to be a little higher.

Our 6abc data team found there are more than 22,000 18-year-olds and 19-year-olds registered to vote in Philadelphia.

"They can have a huge impact," said Hinton.

PA Youth Vote works with schools and civic leaders to provide programs that educate young would-be voters.

"Under-resourced communities are not getting civics education, and so they're not apathetic. They just need engagement and education," said Hinton.

Once they get that education, many of them are locked in.

"The 18-year-olds that we engaged last year in the primary," said Hinton, "they doubled the turnout of any other Gen Z age!"

"Just get your voice out there and get your vote in, that's it," said Gio Arzu, an MLK High School student and ROTC member.

Educating young voters is why groups, including PA Youth Vote, are going beyond the fun and games to let Pennsylvania teens know the election very well could be in their hands.

"The first thing elected leaders do after an election is determine who voted," said Hinton. "So if the story is young people from Philadelphia determined the election, they will be able to set the agenda."