SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — As voters across Central New York headed to the polls Tuesday for the 2026 midterm elections, questions remained about how many younger Americans would participate in the democratic process.
At Jamesville-DeWitt High School, local voters and election workers shared their perspectives on the importance of making their voices heard as residents cast their ballots.
Research from the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University found that an estimated 23% of eligible voters aged 18 to 29 participated in the 2022 midterm elections nationwide. That meant fewer than one in four young adults cast a ballot.
The turnout figure raised questions about how many younger voters would participate in this year’s elections and what could encourage more of them to get involved.
DeWitt voter Emma Alfaro-Rooney was among those who emphasized the importance of younger generations participating in the election. With concerns surrounding youth voter turnout, she said young people should recognize the impact their participation could have on decisions affecting their future.
“Decisions that are being made are going to affect us for the rest of our lives. So, it’s really important that we have a say in what happens,” Alfaro-Rooney said.
While voters continued arriving at the polls, election workers also emphasized the importance of younger generations taking part in the democratic process.
Karen Maier, a volunteer election inspector at Jamesville-DeWitt High School, said younger voters had an opportunity to influence decisions that could affect their lives long after Election Day.
“Your vote is going to help determine the direction of politics of where money gets spent in our country,” Maier said. “I’m getting older. It still affects me, but not quite as much and not for quite as long.”
As a mother, Maier said she reached out to her two children on Election Day to make sure they had voted, with one voting in Monroe County and the other in Manhattan.
Maier also pointed to the different ways people could participate in elections, including voting in person and submitting ballots by mail.
“There’s so many ways to vote. There’s no reason not to,” Maier said.
Polls across New York remained open until 9 p.m. Tuesday, giving registered voters the opportunity to cast their ballots throughout Election Day.
For voters and election workers in DeWitt, the day’s conversations reflected a larger concern about youth participation and the role younger generations could play in decisions affecting their communities and futures.