Launched in 2018, TurnUp is a 501(c)(3) organization and mobile app created by a Harvard undergraduate student that works to engage and mobilize young voters. Combining easy-to-use digital outreach with classic on-the-ground tactics, TurnUp aims to get young people to the polls in its key target states. Already having an impact in the 2020 and 2022 cycles, TurnUp seeks to grow its influence on the youth electorate and activate Gen Z as early as possible. 

Why This Work is Important

• Young voters tilt heavily Democratic. Sixty percent or more of young voters aged 18–29 have favored Democratic candidates in the last four election cycles, making this group a core progressive constituency. 

• But they vote at lower levels than older voters. While turnout by young people has gone up over recent election cycles, just 27% of eligible voters aged 18-24 reported voting in 2022 and 51% said they voted in 2020 — rates dramatically below that of voters age 45-64 — 58% and 71% of whom voted in 2022 and 2020 respectively. If young voters participated at levels comparable to older groups, it would have a dramatic impact on election results, resulting in more Democratic victories. 

• Young voters face unique challenges to participating. Many young voters are living on college campuses at election time, while those who’ve already graduated may move often and live in rented housing. Young people who don’t yet drive may also lack valid IDs. Getting these people to vote requires persistent outreach each election cycle, attention to the specific barriers confronting young 

Why Donors Should Consider TurnUp

• TurnUp has demonstrated impact. The group claims that it “organized by far the largest youth-led youth voter registration and turnout operation in the 2020 election, the 2022 midterms and the 2021 + 2022 Georgia runoff elections based on publicly available data.” By sending millions of text messages, garnering tens of millions of social media impression, and engaging in hundreds of thousands of phone and in-person conversations, TurnUp says it helped register over 200,000 voters since beginning operation. It also says it now has 4,000 youth organizers and more than 20,000 young volunteers.

• TurnUp offers a low-cost, efficient method for GOTV. The TurnUp app centralizes the voter registration process, provides alerts for registration deadlines and upcoming early voting dates, compiles information about nearby political events and organizations to participate in, and allows group organizers to post mass messages to members. It helps younger voters avoid the hassle of digging around for these resources, which is often the biggest hurdle keeping first-time voters from the polls. 

• TurnUp is also very active with in-person voter engagement. Offline, TurnUp has a vast network of young volunteers running voter registration drives at high schools and conducting other outreach events. The group has a core internship training program, an online program, and on campus turnout program and ideas incubator that allows young volunteers to get political experience and practice a variety of skills.

Conclusion

Youth-run and youth-focused, TurnUp has quickly made itself a leading resource for connecting with new voters and engaging them in the political process. It offers promising potential for political organizing moving forward and could help Democrats better connect with younger voters, who continue to vote as much lower rates than other age groups.