ACS Partners with NYC Votes to Expand Youth Voter Education

Young New Yorkers can get a head start on participating in elections. But not everyone knows that. 

That's something Elvita Dominique, Executive Director of Equity Strategies at the NYC Administration for Children's Services (ACS), has seen firsthand. 

"In conducting our engagement, we learned that many young people are not aware that they can pre-register to vote beginning at 16 years old," Dominique shared. 

It's a small piece of information that can open the door to something much bigger: helping young people recognize that they play a big role in shaping their city's future. 

That's why NYC Votes and ACS are working together to bring voter education and opportunities to participate directly to families in NYC. 

ACS works to address inequities affecting children, young people, and families across New York City. Through that work, Dominique has learned that understanding young people's experiences starts with listening to them. 

"It can be easy to flatten people in our system into one story, but all their stories are nuanced and varied," Dominique said. "I wish more people understood the importance of listening to our young people." 

Young New Yorkers have their own ideas about what their communities need based on their lived experiences. And while they may not all be old enough to vote, their perspectives still matter. 

Dominique sees young people navigating important questions about their identities, their communities, and their futures. 

"I think they care about figuring out where and how they fit into their communities and what they, their families and communities need to live a good life," she explained. 

This past summer, NYC Votes participated in voter registration outreach at ACS-sponsored community events across the city. These events gave New Yorkers opportunities to learn about voting and access registration resources. 

The partnership has also included voter education workshops for young people, training for ACS staff, and educational materials that ACS can share with the communities it serves. 

These efforts help make information about elections more accessible, especially for young people who may be learning about voting for the first time. 

Dominique says NYC Votes has been particularly helpful in finding ways to reach young people and individuals involved in the justice system. 

"NYC Votes is very thoughtful about the best way to engage a variety of constituencies within New York," she said. "They have been very supportive partners, particularly in helping ACS consider how best to engage youth and justice involved individuals around voter engagement." 

And for someone who has never thought much about elections, simply having access to that information can be an important first step. Finding out who represents your neighborhood and understanding how local government makes decisions are all ways young people can begin preparing to participate. 

Helping young people recognize the value of their perspectives is just as important.

"They are our future and, as adults, it is our responsibility to advocate for them, amplify their voices and make sure they feel heard, valued and understood," she said. 

Not every young person has the same opportunities to learn about voting. Some are balancing school, family responsibilities, or other challenges. Others may have limited access to voter education or may not know where to find reliable information. 

Dominique recognizes that many of the young people and families ACS serves are already managing difficult circumstances. 

"The young people and families we work with are overcoming a variety of obstacles and they may have a lot to manage in their lives," she explained. "It can be a challenge to find the time to focus on civic engagement." 

Instead of expecting young people and families to find election information on their own, NYC Votes and ACS are helping make those resources available through existing programs, events, and services. 

But there's also a larger challenge. Many communities most impacted by ACS have low rates of participation in elections. For ACS, making voting information easier to access is one way to help address that gap. 

"We strongly believe that exercising one's right to vote is an important equity strategy for communities impacted by ACS to have their say in the work of City government," she said. 

The work between NYC Votes and ACS is ongoing, with plans to offer more voter education workshops for young people, as part of a shared goal to make sure those who need it can understand how they can make their voices heard. Pre-registering at 16 is just the beginning.