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Over 7,500 New Jersey Teens Registered During 2025 High School Voter Registration Week
Statewide initiative sees 15% increase in youth voter registration as schools and communities promote civic engagement among students.
The 2025 New Jersey High School Voter Registration Week concluded with 7,558 students aged 17 and 18 registering to vote, marking a 15% increase over last year's total of 6,409 registrants. The initiative, which promotes youth civic engagement, was coordinated by Jersey Civic Engage—an initiative of the New Jersey Department of State—in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Education and the League of Women Voters of New Jersey’s Energizing Young Voters program.
“Registering our youth is critical to protecting and strengthening our democracy. That’s why I am so pleased and encouraged by the results of this year’s NJ High School Voter Registration Week Program. This program and others that we conduct, like National High School Voter Registration Week and the NJ Ballot Bowl are powerful and reinforce the civic and voter engagement habits that we want to instill in our young people,” said Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way, who oversees Jersey Civic Engage in her capacity as Secretary of State.
The campaign began on April 6, 2025, launching a period of action across New Jersey high schools and communities that extended through May 20. The effort aimed to provide eligible high school students with the tools and information needed to participate in the electoral process through non-partisan registration activities.
“This remarkable increase in youth voter registration underscores the vital role our schools play in fostering informed and engaged citizens,” said Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer. “Through programs like NJ High School Voter Registration Week, our schools are not only making their civics education more tangible to students but also empowering them to understand what it means to participate actively in our democracy. This is an opportunity to celebrate the students, educators, and community partners who made this year’s efforts such a success.”
Participating schools and community partners held educational events and registration drives, encouraging teens to take an active role in democracy. These efforts emphasized the importance of civic participation and aimed to instill long-term habits of voter engagement among young residents.
"Collaboration with our trusted partners at the local and state levels made this year’s NJ High School Voter Registration Week a great success. NJ is at the forefront of reaching our vision that every 17- and 18-year-old will become a life-long voter and engaged citizen. Now the work continues to help young people understand the importance of their vote, develop the intention to vote, and be equipped to cast their ballot,” said Pat Supplee, Director of the League of Women Voters of New Jersey’s Energizing Young Voters Program.
Jersey Civic Engage and its partners continue to advocate for accessible, educational voter registration efforts. More information about the initiative is available at JerseyCivicEngage.NJ.Gov.
