On a brisk Election Day, Peter Varhol, a 71-year-old moderator who has worked the polls at St Francis of Assisi Church in New Britain for the last six years, greeted each voter with a smile and a handshake. The room was filled with people from all walks of life.
However, very few of those walking through the door were below the age of 30.
Central Connecticut State University, which is only three blocks away, is home to nearly 9,000 undergraduate students. Out of the students interviewed on campus, most had not voted in their local election.
In New Britain, the election included a tight mayoral race for an open seat between Republican Sharon Beloin-Saavedra and Democrat Bobby Sanchez, and multiple candidates for three open seats on the Board of Education.
While young voter participation in elections has been rising in recent years, municipal elections typically see a lower turnout among all age groups and local candidates can struggle to break through with new voters.
Sarah Cobb, a third-year student at CCSU and a resident of New Britain, made sure to cast her ballot. She said she thinks more people need to pay attention to municipal elections.
“I am definitely disappointed and feel like more people could’ve shown up and voted, especially college students,” Cobb said. “More people need to educate themselves because, at the end of the day, voting is one way we can make sure our voices are heard and that the city continues to flourish.”
Sullivan Bartalotta, a 20-year-old junior from Rocky Hill studying theater at CCSU, voted in his hometown election. He considers himself an informed voter and wishes more young people would find the time to support their local candidates.
“When it comes to politics, I feel it is very mixed,” Bartalotta said. “Some people are very informed and do appreciate the democratic process we have. But generally, youth need to take more time in their day to get informed and vote for the candidates who they genuinely support.”
Varhol voiced similar concerns about the lack of voters from Gen Z, the generation born between 1997 and 2012, many of whom are now eligible to cast a ballot.
“Our obligation as American citizens is to get out here and vote,” Varhol said. “I am ecstatic each time a new young buck voter comes in, because they are the future.”
While youth voter turnout at the St. Francis of Assisi Church was low in the morning and during the early voting period, Varhol still had hopes that some younger voters would show up after their classes were finished.
“I want the younger generation to realize this is your country,” Varhol said, “and if you want to see a change in your community, this is how you do it. To put it simply, many need to get off their lazy behinds and do something about it. Because if you don’t give a damn now, when will that change?”
While the majority of the students interviewed didn’t show up to vote, all of them said they understood the importance of local elections. One of those students was Manny Demiraj, an 18-year-old from Waterbury, Connecticut.
“I find that a lot of Gen Z are either super into politics or are completely burnt out from it,” Demiraj said. “Me personally, I am not involved as politically as maybe I should be, especially at the local level where many of these decisions have direct impacts on the community we live in. And I think a lot of Gen Z can relate to that feeling.”
Many students said that presidential elections are when people their age actually start getting involved in voting. This is consistent with data provided by Tufts University which saw 47% national youth turnout for the 2024 presidential election but only a 23% national youth turnout for their local elections in 2022.
Scotti Wallace and Jackson Sloan, two 20-year-old students at CCSU, didn’t even know that it was Election Day.
“To be honest, I didn’t know,” Wallace said. “Even still, I don’t really know who my local candidates are, so if I did vote, I wouldn’t know what I’m voting for.”
For students like Cobb, the message is clear: engagement matters. She said encouraging friends and neighbors to vote is just as important as showing up at the polls herself.
“If we don’t participate, we can’t complain about the outcomes,” she said. “It’s our responsibility to help guide the future of New Britain, one vote at a time.”
