SAINT PAUL – When it comes to elections, Minnesotans are consistently the best voters in the United States, routinely ranking #1 for turnout, according to the Minnesota Secretary of State.

For the 2018 Statewide General Election, 64.25 percent of eligible voters cast a ballot. A recent study from The Center for Information & Research on Civil Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University dug deeper into voter participation rates across the country and found that young voters in Minnesota also voted in 2018 at the highest rates in the country, coming in at 43.7 percent participation.

“Empowering young people to vote is one of my most important responsibilities,” said Secretary of State Steve Simon. “We have a great tradition in Minnesota of voting in high numbers, but that tradition will only continue if we pass it on to the next generation. Good habits start early – the young voters of today are the seasoned voters of tomorrow. No metric is more important to the future of our state than the participation of young people in our political process. I am so proud of all Minnesotans for exercising their right to vote, but I am especially enthusiastic to see young Minnesotans embracing their political power.”

The Minnesota College Ballot Bowl provides resources that support voter outreach and education at public, private, two-year and four-year colleges and university campuses across Minnesota.

According to the CIRCLE study, an estimated 31 percent of eligible 18-to-29-year-olds voted in the 2018 midterm election. That represented a 10 percent increase over nationwide turnout in the 2014 midterm election. In Minnesota, the increase in youth turnout in 2018 was more than 20 percent higher than the same age group in the 2014 election. Minnesota’s increase in youth turnout was second only to Montana.

By — Shirelle Moore