This is the fifth article in the League of Women Voters Minneapolis 2025 Democracy Series

While 2025 might not be a presidential election year, there are still many important local elections in Minneapolis — mayor, city council, parks and recreation board, and board of estimate and taxation. In these local elections, a handful of votes can determine the election outcome– making your vote extra important. However, elections have been changing. It’s also critically important to be aware of changing influences on voting decisions. In this article, high school students Avital Krebs and Gezelle Gonzalez Maldonado unpack how elections are impacted by social media, why young people should vote, how to vote, and basic information about the voting process in the United States.

Why social media is a game changer: Starting in the 1930s, candidates commonly used radio, film, television and newspapers to publicize themselves and their policies. Until recently, there was never a direct, targeted way to connect with voters on a larger scale. The introduction of social media has been a game-changer for candidates to reach and impact their voters. As Americans have flocked to social media, candidates have followed. This was most notable beginning with Barack Obama’s second presidential run in 2012, which marked a turn in digital campaign strategy and helped him succeed at winning the election.

Social media platforms provide access to individual voters by allowing candidates to share their platforms with millions of users. With the 2022 launch of ChatGPT, artificial intelligence (AI) was brought into the mainstream, and quickly implemented into social media. AI multiplied the ability, through algorithms, to tailor content based on users’ already-established viewing habits, which can reinforce existing political beliefs. This is often referred to as “being in a bubble” and means that voters see what already aligns with their viewpoints, limiting exposure to other candidates and standpoints.

Many influencers – popular posters with millions of followers – on social media use their platforms to push their own political agendas, often spreading misinformation to millions of followers. There are few official fact-checkers on social media, so influencers can write whatever they want without being held accountable for accuracy. This makes youth and undecided individuals especially vulnerable, as they can easily accept, and often further share, these misleading and often factually inaccurate messages. By spreading misinformation and fueling conspiracy theories, influencers can shape how young people think and vote. This ultimately undermines public trust and further polarizes voters.

In the most recent presidential election, the role of social media escalated to new heights. Both campaigns joined TikTok in 2024; the Trump campaign amassed 11.2 million followers and the Biden/Harris campaign gained 4.4 million followers. Both campaigns used social media trends to reach voters effectively. As the two candidates and their vice-presidential nominees flooded social media, the potential to get their messages to young voters was greater than ever.

Despite high engagement with TikTok videos, the actual voter turnout in the last election, was far lower than expected. Only 47% of eligible 18-29 year olds voted, slightly lower than in 2020 (50%), though higher than in 2016 (39%), according to Tufts’ Center for Information and Research on Civil Learning and Engagement (circle.tufts.edu/latest-research/new-data-nearly-half-youth-voted-2024). Social media might have advised young voters about candidates and elections, but it didn’t translate into higher voter turnout. In Minnesota, however, the youth voter turnout was higher than the rest of the country (62%).

Along with lower voting numbers, there are concerns that a generation raised on social media as their sole source of information may lack media literacy, leading to challenges in making informed decisions and navigating misinformation. Many questions remain as to the long-term impact and how to effectively reach young people with factual, trustworthy information.

Why should you care about elections as a young person? It can be hard to care about real-world issues, especially for a minor, who may feel they have no direct impact. One key example is voting, which allows your voice to be heard, even if it’s hard to feel the immediate impact. Yet, it’s crucial to understand that elections have long term implications— such as federal student aid, climate change, book bans which directly affect what students are reading, and DEI policies—that affect your future, so fostering a sense of civic responsibility early can help you prepare to vote at 18. Even before you turn 18, you can support those who can vote by babysitting, providing language support, walking with them to the polls, and more. You can help educate those who can vote about the issues that impact you, lending a voice to the system even before you have the chance to actively vote.

Youth also have opportunities to engage in other parts of the voting process to begin to learn how government works. You can interact with candidates visiting your school and participate in activities such as Youth in Government and Model United Nations. Along with pre-registering to vote themselves, young people aged 16 and 17 can also act as election judge trainees. These types of involvement offer ways to build interest and trust in the political system and voting while also playing a crucial role in helping youth under 18 develop foundational knowledge about the government and elections.

How to pre-register and register to vote: As of 2023 in Minnesota, you have the right to pre-register to vote as a 16 and 17 year-old. This encourages youth to engage early in the process and simplifies voting when you become eligible to cast your first ballot at 18. It can be done online and takes only about two minutes through the MN Secretary of State website. It requires either a Minnesota driver’s license, Minnesota ID card number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number as well as an email address and residential address. You also may have to sign a statementthat you are a U.S. citizen. Thanks to pre-registration, when the clock strikes midnight on your 18th birthday, you are automatically registered and ready to vote (mnvotes.sos.mn.gov/VoterRegistration/index).

Minnesota has made both pre-registration and voter registration when you are 18 very straightforward. It’s the same process. If you move within Minnesota, you must update your address online before election day. You can even register to vote on election day! A student who lives out of state can mail in an absentee ballot to vote in Minnesota (sos.mn.gov/media/zhuboyz0/college-students.pdf); (sos.mn.gov/elections-voting/other-ways-to-vote/vote-early-by-mail/) .

Basic Information on the Election System: Elections are exciting and there are many ways to get involved. However, they can also be complicated, which is why it is important for young voters to understand how the system works and all the moving parts — from the Electoral College to gerrymandering.

Understanding our voting system

How are presidents elected in the U.S.? What is the Electoral College? Why is it important? Did you know that in the United States there is only one way for a president to be elected? We have two parts to our presidential elections: the Electoral College (usa.gov/electoral-college) and the popular vote. The popular vote is the total votes cast by its citizens, but it’s the Electoral College that officially decides who wins. Each state has a certain number of electoral votes, and most states give all their votes to the candidate who wins the popular vote in that state.

The Electoral College is a body of 538 electors established by the U.S. Constitution to solely elect the president. Each state’s number of electors corresponds to its total representation in Congress: 435 representatives, 100 senators, plus three electors for the District of Columbia. In Minnesota, we have eight representatives and two senators, adding up to 10 votes in the Electoral College. The Electoral College, which only applies to presidential elections, is a system unique to the United States and not used in other democracies. and not used in other democracies. To win the presidency, a candidate must secure at least 270 electoral votes.

Historically, most U.S. presidents have won both the Electoral College and the popular vote. Only five presidents in history have won the election through the Electoral College vote alone. In the 21st Century, George W. Bush (2000) and Donald Trump (2016) were both elected president by winning the Electoral College despite losing the national popular vote. In 2024, Trump won the electoral and popular vote. Since the Electoral College, and not the popular vote, decides the winner, swing states have become especially important. Trump won the presidency by winning the popular vote in key battleground states like Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia, Arizona, and North Carolina. Presidential candidates now focus their campaigns primarily in swing states because that’s where they need the votes to win the Electoral College (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swing_state#:~:text=In%20the%202024%20United%20States,Carolina%2C%20Pennsylvania%2C%20and%20Wisconsin.)

What are midterm elections and why are they important? While presidential elections are every four years, the midterm elections (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_midterm_election) are mid-way through the presidential term after two years. This is an important opportunity for the people to vote on checks and balances on the executive branch. U.S. congressional representatives are elected every two years for a two-year term. U.S. senators have a six-year term and one-third of them are elected every two years. This means that 471 representatives are up for election at the midterms and there is a possibility to shift the balance of power. Currently, 220 Republicans and 212 Democrats are in the U.S. House of Representatives. In the U.S. Senate, there are 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats. This is a very close margin and can change with the midterm elections. People often change their opinions during the first two years of a presidential term and choose to vote in a different way. Fewer people vote in midterm elections than in presidential elections. Your vote can make a difference in the direction of the country and that’s why it’s important for you to vote in the midterm elections.

What is gerrymandering and why has it become an issue? Gerrymandering (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerrymandering) is a term that refers to redrawing state and congressional district boundaries to benefit a particular party. Every 10 years, the U.S. Constitution mandates a census that requires all residents of the U.S. to be counted (census.gov/about/what.html). After that, the political district boundaries are redrawn by state legislatures to reflect the demographic changes. When one party is in control, the district maps may be rewritten in their favor. This is called gerrymandering. Both political parties have used gerrymandering to put and keep their party in control. This practice often disenfranchises voters along ethnic and economic, as well as political party lines.

As a result, there has been an effort in the court systems and state legislatures to have fair maps drawn by independent commissions (fairmapswi.com). This is an ongoing process that has not yet been resolved in all states.

Conclusion: If you are not yet 18, or are not a U.S. citizen, you are not yet able to vote. But there are still many things you can do to influence who gets elected.

Voting is a fundamental right of American citizens and it can have immense effects. Voting is how the people take the helm of American democracy. Minnesota ranks first in young voter turnout and second for overall voter turnout, and it is important to continue with that legacy. Young voters are an important part of the vote, representing the future of society. By preparing now, whether that means pre-registering or researching important topics, minors can ensure they are ready to shape the future when it is their turn to vote. Your vote really does matter!