By Hon. Scott Benson, Detroit City Councilmember
Voters under the age of 30 have recently flexed their political muscles. When voters aged 18-29 turn out, they are a formidable force in influencing election results. Research shows in the 2020 presidential election, young voter participation surged to 53%, directly influencing the outcome of several swing states. While in 2024, participation dipped slightly to 47%, young voters still played a significant role.
Young Black voters can and should drive change in our city. Young voters of color represent a rapidly expanding and key demographic in elections. The most recent statistics show that 40 million eligible voters in our country are young people of color, with 5.7 million of them being Black youth. They tend to prioritize distinct issues such as gun violence, combating racism, and securing living-wage jobs. When young people of color vote, they help ensure these issues rise to the surface in national, state, and local elections. When they don’t vote, they are underrepresented when decisions are made on important issues.
Exercising your right to vote as a young Black person is more than just doing your civic duty. There is deep historical context tied to your vote. It is not hyperbolic to say that blood was shed in this country to secure your right to vote. This is also true for young women, no matter your race, whose voting rights were secured by the suffragette movement. Voting continues the legacy of civil rights advocacy and grassroots engagement, and it contributes to a more inclusive and representative democracy.
Studies show that lower youth voter turnout often means the issues that matter most to them are often not receiving the attention they deserve from elected officials. A recent study showed that in elections where education funding or labor rights were key discussions, youth engagement was significantly lower, potentially affecting billions in educational resources or impacting job creation policies. (Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency, 2024)
Other studies show that voting is good for you in a myriad of ways. Civic engagement in adolescence often lead to higher life satisfaction, lifelong civic participation, and educational attainment in adulthood. Further, empowering young voters and addressing the barriers to their participation can help restore their faith in democracy, as many young people today feel disconnected from politics despite their passion for the issues.
The upcoming Detroit primary election is critical to the future of our city. We will be choosing two mayoral candidates to face off in the November general election. If young people think there is nothing in this election for them, they need to think again.
My message to our young voters is that we need you. We need you to be a powerful force to help guide the future of our city. We need your collaboration, your ideas, and your energy.
I currently serve on the Detroit City Council, so I am deeply involved in the issues our city is facing – creating better economic opportunities, making housing more affordable, improving public transit, ensuring environmental protection, working toward a vibrant downtown and safe neighborhoods with amenities like parks and rec centers that attract young families.
When young Black voters make their voices heard at the ballot box, it has a direct and significant impact on municipal policies that impact your daily life. It impacts the allocation of financial resources within our community. It can also directly translate into an improved financial quality of life for the entire Black community by focusing elected officials on the issues that matter to this important and powerful voting bloc.
Journalist Rita Omokha, author of the book Resist, has traced a century of young Black activism. She says it is important for older generations to teach younger generations how to protest, and that has been true at every important civil rights inflection point for Black Americans. She also points to a famous Bible verse, Ecclesiastes 4:13, that says, “It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who refuses all advice.” She says the takeaway is the need for collaboration between generations, with elders bringing experience and knowledge and youth bringing energy and fresh perspectives. That is how you build effective movements, she notes.
It’s also how you build an engaged community. So, please engage with your community and vote in the August 5 primary election. Detroit needs you.
