>>> THOUGH THEY ARE TYPICALLY THE SMALLEST VOTING BLOC, MORE YOUNG VOTERS CAST THEIR BALLOT IN THEIR WEEKS RUNOFF ELECTION THAN IN FEBRUARY.

CHICAGO BOARD OF ELECTIONS DATA SHOWS A 32% INCREASE FROM FEBRUARY 28th TO APRI L 4th FOR VOTERS AGES 18 TO 24.

EVEN VOTERS 25 TO 34 YEARS OLD INCREASED THEIR VOTERSHIP BY 24%.

JOINING US NOW ARE CVVYAS, CO-DIRECTOR OF CHICAGO VOTES AND ORGANIZER OF GOOD KIDS CITY.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IT WAS THAT LED TO THE INCREASE IN YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN THE RUNOFF ELECTION COMPARED TO THE GENERAL?

>> I THINK THE FACT IT GOT DOWN TO TWO CANDIDATES WAS HELPFUL, VERY TWO CLEARLY DIFFERENT CANDIDATES, TOO.

I THINK WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING OVER THE LAST FEW ELECTIONS ACTUALLY IN THE PRESIDENTIAL, IN THE GOVERNOR'S ELECTION, YOUNG PEOPLE TURNED OUT AT HIGH RATES.

SO I THINK IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE A SHIFT IN WHAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE NORM OF LOW YOUTH VOTER PARTICIPATION, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY EXCITING.

>> THE SAME QUESTION FOR YOU.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IT WAS THAT LED TO MORE YOUNG PEOPLE CASTING THEIR BALLOTS THIS TIME?

>> I AGREE WITH STEVIE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THE PARTICIPATION THAT ORGANIZATIONS PUT IN AND ALSO THE EVENT CHICAGO HOSTED, THAT DEFINITELY HELPED IT INCREASE.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE MORE.

WHAT INITIATIVES DID GOOD KIDS MAD CITY GET INTO TO GET MORE YOUNG PEOPLE OUT TO VOTE?

>> WE DID A FEW EVENTS.

SO FIRST WE HOSTED A FORUM MORE LIKE A TOWN HALL TO SPECIFICALLY INVOLVE THE YOUTH AND HAVE THE YOUTH BE HEARD AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OTHER TOWN HAPPENS AND MAYORAL FORUMS WAS THAT OURS WAS YOUTH-LED AND ALSO NOT JUST THAT, BUT YOU CAN SEE ALSO WHEN I TALK TO COLLEGE STUDENTS AND ENCOURAGED THEM TO VOTE ALONG WITH THE PEOPLE AT UNITY CLASS, COLLEGES LIKE UNITY KING, MALCOLM X AND WE HAD TWO LITTLE LIKE KICKBACKS FOR THE YOUTH.

THERE WAS ONE WITH 13 HIGH SCHOOLS THAT ATTENDED TO VOTE AND WE HAD ANOTHER ONE WHERE WE ACTUALLY PROVIDED THEM WITH STATE IDs AND ALSO ENCOURAGING THEM TO VOTE.

>> YOU'RE 17, SO NOT QUITE ABLE TO VOTE YET.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT TO YOU?

WHY DO YOU PARTICIPATE IN GETTING MORE PEOPLE YOUR AGE TO VOTE?

>> DEFINITELY.

I FEEL LIKE THE YOUTH ISN'T REALLY INVOLVED, LIKE THE YOUTH SHOULD BE MORE INVOLVED AND ALSO A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT CANDIDATES DO AFFECT THE YOUTH LIKE PUBLIC SAFETY, MEASURES AROUND SCHOOL SAFETY, AND ALSO LIKE THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY OFFER US, AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, JUST IN GENERAL PROGRAMS TO KEEP THE YOUTH OCCUPIED, THAT DEFINITELY IS AFFECTED BY CANDIDATES.

>> STEVIE, WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE SOME OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO REACH POTENTIAL YOUNG VOTERS?

>> YEAH.

SO WE DID A LOT OF GET OUT THE VOTE WORK.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE CORE OF OUR ORGANIZATION IS TO ENGAGE YOUNG VOTERS, TRYING TO HAVE NONTRADITIONAL FORMS OF CIVIC EDUCATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

WE DISTRIBUTED THOUSANDS AND HAD A REACH OF OVER 1 MILLION DIGITALLY THROUGH A VOTER GUIDE THAT WAS NONPARTISAN THAT WAS DESIGNED IN A VERY COMPELLING MANNER, ACTUALLY DESIGNED BY PEOPLE WHO WERE FORMERLY INCARCERATED AND I THINK THAT THAT DREW YOUNG PEOPLE TO THE INFORMATION THEY NEEDED TO CAST THEIR BALLOTS, ALSO CREATING NONTRADITIONAL SPACES TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT POLITICS AND CIVICS.

WE HAD A WEEKEND OF HAPPY HOURS THAT INCLUDED A FASHION SHOW, ART INSTALLATIONS AND OPEN MIC NIGHT WHERE WE GAVE OUT OUR VOTER GUIDE, REGISTERED YOUNG PEOPLE TO VOTE, MADE PLANS WITH THEM TO GO CAST THEIR BALLOTS.

WE HAD A PARADE TO THE POLLS THAT GOOD KIDS MAD CITY WAS A PART OF, WHICH IS REALLY COOL.

>> WHEN YOU'RE HAVING SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS, WHAT ARE THE WORDS YOU USE TO HELP THEM OVERCOME THE DISILLUSIONMENT THAT YOUNG PEOPLE CAN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE, THAT THEIR VOTES DON'T MATTER?

>> ESPECIALLY IN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, THAT'S JUST NOT TRUE.

I THINK WHAT WE SAW POINTS TO THAT.

YOUNG PEOPLE MADE UP -- YOUNG PEOPLE BETWEEN 18 AND 35 MADE UP THE LARGEST PORTION OF THE ELECTORATE, HAD THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON WHO BECAME MAYOR.

THAT IS JUST LIKE STRAIGHT TO THE POINT LIKE YOUR VOTE DOES MATTER.

IT HAS AN IMPACT.

IF YOU DON'T VOTE, THAT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET ELECTED ANYWAY.

SO YOU MIGHT AS WELL MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD AND IF WE DO IT AS A BLOC, CHANCES ARE THE PERSON WHO IS ELECTED IS MORE LIKELY GOING TO LISTEN TO WHAT WE ADVOCATE FOR AS A FOLLOW-UP.

>> WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BARRIERS THAT YOUNG PEOPLE FACE WITH GETTING INVOLVED CIVICALLY?

COULD IT BE CONFUSION OVER VOTING LOCATIONS OR BUSY WITH SCHOOL AND EXTRACURRICULARS AND BALANCING TIME AND FAMILY?

>> A LOT OF YOUTH DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY'RE HEARD OR LIKE THEIR VOTE MATTERS LIKE STEVIE HAD SAID AND ALSO I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE MY AGE, THEY DON'T FIND NO INTEREST BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT REALLY EDUCATED.

THERE'S A BARRIER BETWEEN LIKE EDUCATING THEMSELVES ON WHAT IT IS TO VOTE AND WHY YOUR VOTE MATTERS AND ALSO A LOT OF YOUTH CAN'T AFFORD TO GET A STATE ID OR DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO GET STATE IDs.

IT'S JUST ABOUT THE RESOURCES AND LIKE THOSE EDUCATION BARRIERS, STUFF LIKE THAT.

>> WHAT ROLE DO YOU THINK SCHOOLS HAVE IN TEACHING MORE CIVIC EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT TO STUDENTS?

>> I FEEL LIKE SCHOOLS SHOULD DEFINITELY BE TEACHING MORE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES.

THEY DON'T REALLY TEACH YOU.

MOST OF THE STUFF THAT I HAVE LEARNED IS BECAUSE OF THE GOOD KIDS MAD CITY OR EVENTS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL.

I FEEL LIKE SCHOOL SHOULD BE ENDORSING, NOT JUST LIKE VOTE FOR THIS PERSON, BUT MORE LIKE WHAT IT MEANS TO VOTE AND HOW YOUR VOTE CAN MATTER AND STUFF THAT AFFECTS STUDENTS THEMSELVES BECAUSE A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT COMES BETWEEN VOTING, OF COURSE, AFFECTS CPS STUDENTS.

SO I FEEL LIKE SCHOOL SHOULD BE EDUCATING STUDENTS MORE ABOUT IT.

>> STEVIE, HOW DO YOU BUILD ON THIS GROWTH?

DO YOU THINK THERE WILL BE EVEN MORE VOTERS THE NEXT ELECTION CYCLE?

>> I HOPE SO.

I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP DOING WORK OUTSIDE OF ELECTIONS, PARTICIPATING IN DEMOCRACY DOESN'T START AND FINISH AT THE BALLOT BOX, YOU KNOW.

THESE LEADERS STILL NEED TO HEAR FROM US.

THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITH SCHOOLS TO TEACH CURRICULUM AROUND LEGISLATIVE TRACKING, HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR ELECTED LEADERS SO THAT WE AREN'T JUST COMING BACK TO THIS DEMOGRAPHIC TRYING TO MOBILIZE AROUND THE ELECTION AND THEN WALKING AWAY.

WE'RE BUILDING IN THE IN-BETWEEN TIME SO THAT CIVIC KNOWLEDGE IS OVERWHELMINGLY BETTER DEVELOPED IN OUR CITY AND YOUNG PEOPLE ARE PREPARED TO CAST THEIR BALLOT, EXCITED TO CAST THEIR BALLOT, AND UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE AND THE IMPACT THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE WHEN THEY DO TURN OUT AND VOTE.

>> YOU GOT FOUR YEARS TO KEEP