Young voters in these two states could make or break Harris’ chances

But there may be more apathetic people than busy people. Like Nevada, Arizona has significant share young people. Almost a quarter of the population is between 20 and 34 years old; an even larger share of people are under 19, representing the next generation of potential voters. A June report Arizona State University professors found that voters ages 20 to 30 make up 19 percent of Arizona’s voting-age population and 18 percent of all registered voters in the state; however, they accounted for only 10 percent of the vote in 2022. Forty-nine percent of these voters are unaffiliated.

Chuck Coughlin, a Democratic strategist in Arizona, said young voters are expected to make up less than 12 percent of the electorate. If Harris can expand her borders, she will win the top states, he predicted; but it requires a certain level of enthusiasm. “I think — as far as a 62-year-old white male can talk about these things — (young voters) tend to opt out. They’re like, ‘I don’t want to deal with this crap anymore’ … not realizing the decisive role they could play in the election,” he said.

It’s a familiar situation for Ashton, a 17-year-old Phoenix high school student on Greenfield’s voting team who was frustrated that he was too young to vote in this election. His classmates who have reached adulthood are usually not very excited to vote, he said. “I think there’s a difference between ‘want to vote’ and ‘going to vote,’” he said. Still, while Harris may not be the “dream candidate” for young voters, Ashton argues, “we understand that minimal change is still change.”