Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE)

At a challenging time for our democracy—and for the generation that is rising to lead it—young people need political homes where they can learn, grow, and take action together to improve our civic life.

We're excited to share a new report and framework on how all kinds of organizations, from sports teams to issue-based advocacy groups, can become stronger political homes for young people. Through thematic interviews, we identify key elements of political homes and provide a toolkit for how organizations can assess and improve their capacity to serve youth.

Building Political Homes for Youth Authors: Sara Suzuki, Seona Maskara, Ruby Belle Booth, Alberto Medina Contributors: Sarah Burnham, Eva Kroh

What does a donation to CIRCLE on do?

It supports the educators, policymakers, civic leaders, and young organizers who are working on the ground to strengthen youth learning and engagement. Hundreds of organizations, which reach thousands of youth, rely on CIRCLE for the actionable data and expertise they can’t get anywhere else. You can help us expand our impact even further, so that every young person has the knowledge and opportunities to participate in democracy.

When young people have the tools they need, communities change. Support CIRCLE at the link in our bio!

TOMORROW is !

Your Giving Tuesday gift to CIRCLE powers the research and insights that turn into action and political change. From conducting the nation’s only objective study of college student voting, sharing innovative frameworks on young people’s relationship with our democracy, to producing timely data on how youth shape election results, and using that data to drive the national conversation about young people’s power.

Any contribution, no matter how small, has a big impact on our work—and on young people’s ability to lead our nation toward a more just and equitable future.

Please consider making a donation; your gift tomorrow can unlock additional funding thanks to the generosity of other supporters by clicking the link in our bio.

If you're attending the SLSV Coalition's National Student Vote Summit, you learned this last night, but new data shows more than half of college students voted in the 2024 presidential election, based on information from CIRCLE's National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE)!

Learn more here at the link in our bio!

UPDATE: Based on revised exit poll data, we now estimate that 28% of young people, ages 18-29, voted in the 2025 New York City mayoral election.

This represents a significant level of voter participation by youth in a municipal election. Combined with their overwhelming support for Zohran Mamdani (75% of youth voted for him), it's safe to say that young voters played a major role in Mayor Elect-Mamdani's victory.

See our full analysis of the youth vote last week in NYC (and in New Jersey and Virginia) at the link in the first comment.

NEW: Youth voter turnout surged in last night's key elections in New York City, New Jersey, and Virginia—and young people's overwhelming support for Democratic candidates was key to their victories.

Check out our full data and analysis at the link in our bio!

NEW: Youth voter turnout surged in last night's key elections in New York City, New Jersey, and Virginia—and young people's overwhelming support for Democratic candidates was key to their victories.

Check out our full data and analysis!

Young Voters Power Mamdani Victory, Shape Key 2025 Elections Authors: Alberto Medina, Sara Suzuki, Ruby Belle Booth In one of their first major opportunities to shape the political landscape since the last presidential election, young voters played a major role in three key 2025 elections in New York, New Jersey, and Virginia.

Young people played a major role in three high-profile 2025 elections.

In New York City, 75% of young voters (ages 18-29) supported Mamdani, who appears likely to become the city's mayor.

In New Jersey and Virginia, two thirds of youth supported Democratic gubernatorial candidates Mikie Sherrill and Abigail Spanberger. The Virginia race has already been called for Spanberger, who earned a much higher share of the youth vote than the previous Democratic candidate in 2021.

These are early exit poll numbers that may shift in the coming hours. Check back for more upcoming data and analysis of youth voter participation in these elections!

NEW RESEARCH!

We're excited to release a major new CIRCLE report, produced in partnership with Protect Democracy, about young people's attitudes toward our system of government at this critical moment in American democracy.

"How Does Gen Z Really Feel about Democracy" highlights major trends in young people's views and uncovers three profiles of democratic attitudes: Passive Appreciation, Dismissive Detachment, and Hostile Dissatisfaction that are shaping how young people approach—or disengage from—politics and civic action.

Based on these insights, we make concrete recommendations that can strengthen efforts to protect democracy and to improve youth civic engagement now and in the future.

Report: How Does Gen Z Really Feel about Democracy? Authors: Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) and Protect Democracy

Thank you for supporting CIRCLE during !

We are so grateful for all who share our work, advance our mission, and contribute year-round.

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