For Immediate Release: June 27, 2024 

Contact: Camila Navarrette 

Communications Director 

Camila@NewEraColorado.org 

(323) 423-5898 

Mobilizing the Future: New Era Colorado Action Fund Boosts Youth Voter Turnout in Primary Election 

DENVER, CO – Young People for All People, an independent expenditure committee recently filed and funded by New Era Colorado Action Fund, the most effective youth organizing nonprofit in the state, successfully executed its first primary election program to turn out 18-34-year-olds at 25 percentage points, triple the state average of 8 percent. Young voters made up 13 to 23 percent of the vote share in Senate District 19, House District 4, and House District 52—including 23 percent in the tight HD 4 race. 

Young People for All People Independent Expenditure targeted young people in HD4, HD52, and SD19, including 50,000 members of New Era Colorado Action Fund’s base, through a variety of organizing and communications tactics: 

• Ran a targeted phone and mail persuasion campaign and a Get Out the Vote (GOTV) program to reach over 30,000 young voters. 
• Placed various ads, including on Spotify, City Cast Denver, and Google Ads, to reach approximately 100,000 young people in targeted districts. 
• Consistently reached out to its digital base of about 50,000 young people to communicate key election information.

Young People for All People successfully turned young people out to vote for Youth Agenda Champion Yara Zokaie, who was elected into office in House District 52. “Yara’s win is a testament to the fact that when young people are informed and empowered, they will take action, and we can elect Youth Agenda Champions—this primary election and this November. Period,” said Christina Soliz, deputy director at New Era Colorado Action Fund and registered agent for Young People for All People. “Our first election program through an independent expenditure committee was truly driven by young people for the political progress of all people. A theme throughout our conversations with young voters (and made clear through statewide turnout results) is that they feel like mainstream politicians only pretend to care about our issues during an election cycle, the system is rigged for those with the biggest budgets, and their vote doesn’t matter. But our votes and our work do make a difference.”

The organization’s turnout rates and young people’s support of Youth Agenda Champions are notable, given the excessive last-minute spending from dark money groups and national corporations. “Despite the grotesque influx of cash from faceless corporations and politicized billionaires, young people refused to have their votes bought. Corporate-backed campaigns used their resources to slander young Black and brown candidates while co-opting progressive language and issues. Money talks, but young people are tired of listening,” said Soliz. “We are not here to do someone else’s dirty work; young people are here to drive progress for our communities with leaders who actually advance our issues, not just add buzzwords to mailers. While we’re disappointed, we refuse to be disheartened. Young People for All People will continue to fight for young voices to be heard throughout the political process to get us closer to the world young people—not old, out-of-touch oligarchs—want to create.”

The 2024 primary election results reflect New Era’s history of turning out young voters at one of the highest rates in the country. In 2022, New Era’s base turned out 60 percent, 21 points higher than 18-34-year-olds statewide. In 2020, New Era registrants turned out 86 percent, 16 points higher than statewide youth turnout. Young People for All People will continue reaching out and turning out young voters for the November general election.

Since its founding, New Era Colorado has registered almost 300,000 young people to vote and consistently turns young voters out at one of the highest rates in the country. The establishment of the Young People for All People independent expenditure committee marks a new era of the organization’s political involvement: one where young people and Youth Agenda Champions are critical drivers of policy and political progress to create the anti-racist and liberated future young people dream of. 

About New Era Colorado Action Fund: New Era Colorado Action Fund is a 501(4) nonprofit organization that organizes young people to win on the Youth Agenda through elections and policy to ensure that elected officials are held accountable to the Youth Agenda before and after elections.