Contact: NGA Press Office
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Tonight, Tony Evers and Mandela Barnes were elected as the governor and lieutenant governor of Wisconsin and Tammy Baldwin won re-election. Across the state, young voters turned out at a significantly higher levels than in previous midterm elections. This youth surge in turnout follows a year of activism by young Wisconsinites who marched 50 miles to demand gun reform from Paul Ryan, occupied school administration buildings in Stevens Point to protest Scott Walker’s educations cuts, and rallied against Donald Trump’s inhumane immigration policy across the state.
In response, NextGen Wisconsin State Youth Director George Olufosoye released the following statement:
“Since 2011, when Scott Walker enacted destructive policies and deep cuts to school funding, young people have experienced the stakes of our politics firsthand. Walker may have been able to ignore our voices before, but tonight, he heard us loud and clear as young voters showed up in historic numbers at the ballot box to elect Tony Evers and Mandela Barnes. This year, young people did what many doubted they’d do and realized their electoral power to reclaim their education and future — and we aren’t stopping here. Tomorrow, we begin to work to take back our nation from Donald Trump and his hateful agenda.”
