NO WASTED VOTES

NO WASTED VOTES (NWV) is a "get out the vote campaign" developed during the weeks leading up to the November 2024 primary election. It addresses the pattern of low voter turnout for individuals ages 18-29, with this demographic making up 30% of non-voters in 2018, and 27% of non-voters in 2022. The campaign spanned 1 week, and combines a guerilla-style art pop-up, gallery installation, and mobile-first website providing accurate and timely voter resources to individuals. 

A total of 8 user interviews were conducted with indiviuals from the target demographic. From these interviews, 3 key insights that may be strongly effecting voting behaviors are highlighted. 

KEY FINDINGS

• Effect of 2016 Election on Youth Vote

  Many indiviuals emphasized the role of critical elections in shaping Gen Z’s perspective of U.S. democratic process, specially the role of the electoral college in determining election outcomes. Some suggested that one popular belief contributing to low-voter turnout was that one’s vote was “worth more or less” based on state and jurisdiction (ex: swing states v. majority blue/red states). 

• Understanding Inequities in Voting

  Some participants expanded on concerns about historical inequities in voting rights, as well as existing barriers to voting that primarily affect marginalized groups, such as voter ID laws and roll purges.

• Generational Identity

  Many participants voiced similar concerns surrounding generation-specific issues, such as the effects of the climate crisis or implications surrounding the wide-spread development and implementation of artificial intelligence technologies