Young voters in Chico are turning out to vote in the state’s primary election.
But some say people their age aren’t fully engaged with politics and voting.
“I know a lot of people in my generation are kind of struggling with getting their votes in,” said Caden King, 19, “or they don't care.”
The Butte County clerk-recorder and registrar of voters said that just over 5% of 18- to 24-year-olds had returned ballots as of March 4. There are 12,000 registered voters in that age group.
King said he thinks the two-party system leaves many people his age feeling reluctant to get involved.
“There's such a division in America that some people are almost just afraid to get into politics because they don't want to be seen as the bad guy by their friends or something like that,” he said. “I think it's important to actually have an opinion about what country you live in and cast your vote.”
Polling officials on Chico State’s campus estimated around 100 people had shown up to vote at the student union as of Monday afternoon.
“The process of voting was actually a lot easier than I thought it was gonna be,” said Lucia Gonzalaez, 19, a first-time voter.
Travis Norris, 19, also cast his ballot on campus.
“I want to have a say in what's going on and where I live,” he said. “I feel like that's gonna really make a big impact in our country – if young voters get out there and start voting.”
Kennede King, 20, worked at a polling station from 2020 to 2022. She said the experience helped make her more keen on voting.
“I kind of saw that the only people coming in were above the age of 50,” she said. That made her think, “more people my age should be here voting.”
To help engage her peers, King said more influencers on social media should help get young people to register to vote.
“Because that's what people in my generation listen to, is like the people on Tik Tok and Instagram,” she said. “So, I feel like that could have a big say in it.”