OHIO — Young voters across the country and in Ohio are energized. Part of that comes from the platforms they’ve developed on the issues that matter to them most this election season. 

“This year, young people are excited about fair maps,” said Rachel Collyer, Program Director for Ohio Student Action. “We need real democracy, and we need fair maps where young people and everyone’s votes can all be counted equally and fairly. The war in Gaza and the desire for a ceasefire are important to young people. Add in abortion access and reproductive freedoms and that’s a large portion of the platform. There’s a lot at stake when it comes to the Senate race and the implications for abortion. There’s also a lot at stake with the state Supreme Court and how future interpretations around bodily autonomy could come down. Young people care a lot about this issue, and so this is still going to be top of mind, despite having won reproductive freedoms in last year’s election."

While they continue to sharpen their platform and to get the word out, there are now plans to make sure the 80 different races in Ohio will be specific to different areas of the state through their voter guide. That guide will cover the impact of the issues in different races.

“We’re calling this a year, voting local, not just presidential, because there’s so much that is impacted at the state and local level that impacts the issues that young people care about,” Collyer said. 

In addition to the voter guide, they’re kicking off the largest get out the vote program for young people in the state.

“We’re going to be on a number of different campuses with both our paid and volunteer program,” said Collyer. “We plan to collect 40,000 voter registrations for young people across the state, and we plan to distribute 200,000 voter guides this fall,” said Collyer.

The hope is to seize the moment across the state by having face-to-face conversations on the issues.