Students Demand Action Volunteers Are Working Around the Clock to Get Out the Youth Vote Ahead of Election Day

With the election one week away, Students Demand Action volunteers, a grassroots arm of Everytown for Gun Safety, have been working tirelessly to help register voters and get out the vote ahead of November 3. Mobilizing the youth vote has never been more important — a new Axios poll revealed that young voters will be critical to the election, especially in swing states where support overwhelmingly favors Vice President Joe Biden over President Trump. 

Here’s what people are saying about Students Demand Action election work:

Prism: Student group registers over 100,000 voters

“Student organizers from Students Demand Action reached an important milestone… registering over 100,000 voters. Launched earlier this summer, the Students Demand Action ‘Summer of Action’ program prioritized youth voter registration as a way to get young people involved ahead of the upcoming election.  
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‘Registering young voters is a big part of our advocacy,’ said Jordan. A member of the Students Demand Action National Advisory Board, Jordan said the team is motivated to increase youth voter turnout as compared to 2016. ‘With this year’s election, we plan on having a much higher turnout [because] we have registered so many young voters.’”

Huffington Post: Election 2020: How These Teens Who Can’t Yet Vote Are Getting Involved

“‘Even if I can’t cast my ballot this year, by registering my peers, my generation will be my voice,’ she said. ‘I can’t improve my country by casting my ballot, so my role is to help others cast theirs.’
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‘Not only are we working to enact common-sense gun legislation to reduce gun violence at Students Demand Action, but in this election, it feels as though we are working to preserve democracy itself,’ she said.”

Refinery29: Are Young People Actually Voting In The 2020 Election?

“I care about ending the gun violence crisis in America. An average of 100 people are shot and killed every day. Women are being shot by their intimate partners, LGBTQ+ individuals are being shot simply because of who they love, students are fearful that going to school may end in death, and people contemplating suicide have too easy access to a device that can end their life. There is no reason not to enact common-sense solutions that will save lives, and I choose to support candidates who are committed to ending this crisis, which is why I’m voting for Biden/Harris.”

Students Demand Action also recently announced the members of its 2020-2021 National Advisory Board. The board is made up of 16 dedicated student leaders and gun violence survivors from across the country.

Here’s what people are saying about the National Advisory Board across the county:

Arizona: San Tan Sun Times on National Advisory Board Member Anvitha Doddipalli: Chandler teen on national anti-gun violence board

“She first researched the issue of gun violence for a paper for a class, recalling, I was quite shocked at the lack of response to this issue.’ … And then, she said, ‘slowly I was drawn to activism. I didn’t want to just sit back.’
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‘Our goal is to merely prevent gun violence and keep communities safe, which is something that we can all agree on,’ Anvitha continued. ‘That is why the gun violence prevention movement is made up of individuals across partisan boundaries, including gun owners. We’re just all coming together to pass common-sense legislation.’”

Maryland: Maryland Matters on National Advisory Board Member Jeannie She: Md. Student Chosen for National Board of Gun Violence Prevention Organization

“She’s interest in gun violence prevention advocacy began last year, when her family was directly affected by the May 31 shootings in Virginia Beach, where she grew up. That day, she got a call from her father telling her that there was an active shooter near his office job.
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‘…I had a new fiery passion to focus my attention and my efforts on gun violence prevention because I have such vivid memories of May 31 that no one should ever have to experience,’ she said. In her efforts, She met a student who introduced her to Students Demand Action.”

Tennessee: Chattanooga Times Free Press on National Advisory Board Member Seo Yoon Yang: Signal Mountain student a national leader in anti-gun violence movement

“Yang was one of a generation of young anti-gun violence activists who saw the Parkland shootings as a call to action.…‘We want to see legislation that honors the Second Amendment but regulates guns in a way that keeps our community safe.’”

Vermont: Saint Albans Messenger on National Advisory Board Member Maddie Ahmadi: Essex High sophomore Maddie Ahmadi looks to fight gun violence on Students Demand Action national board

“‘I hope, on the national level, I can really work with these amazing students to create a more inclusive movement and let everyone know that you can be a gun owner and be a part of Students Demand Action,” said Ahmadi. ‘You can be a Republican and be a part of Students Demand Action; you can be liberal and be a part of Students Demand Action…I want it to be the most accepting and inclusive movement it can possibly be.’
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‘We just advocate for common sense gun laws and gun violence prevention legislation that is going to create safer communities across the country.’”

Students Demand Action volunteers are available for interviews to discuss what’s at stake for young voters in the upcoming election and how Students Demand Action volunteers are organizing on the ground to turn out votes for gun sense candidates up and down the ballot. If you are interested, please do not hesitate to reach out.