OutVote Research Brief: Why LGBTQ+ Youth Voter Engagement is More Important Than Ever
This brief proposes a nonpartisan voter engagement initiative focused on mobilizing young LGBTQ+ voters: OutVote. The proposed approach targets young LGBTQ+ voters, a growing demographic with the potential to impact election outcomes, particularly in swing states. Evidence suggests that voting behaviors have a stronger influence on LGBTQ+ policy outcomes than actions by other political actors, and demographic trends indicate that LGBTQ+ youth represent a rapidly expanding segment of the electorate. The report outlines key implementation strategies, including peer-to-peer engagement, recruitment of youth ambassadors, and focusing on contentious races in swing states. The initiative also highlights the need for broader engagement, both nationally and within states where LGBTQ+ rights are most vulnerable. Mobilizing young queer voters offers a preventative approach to stopping anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, addressing the immediate need for action while fostering long-term civic engagement within the LGBTQ+ community.
outvote research coordinator
josh babu (he/they)
Originally from Arizona, Josh studied molecular biology and gender and sexuality studies at Princeton, where his research explored the clinical benefits of gender-affirming hormone therapy for gender-diverse youth. As a Rhodes Scholar, Josh then received a Master’s in Comparative Social Policy and a Master of Public Policy at the University of Oxford. Josh's graduate research, which won the George Smith Award for Best Thesis, explored legal protections for LGBTQIA+ individuals in the United States. Josh documented state-level trends in pro- and anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation over the past fifteen years and investigated which factors contribute most heavily to a state’s LGBTQIA+ policy outcomes. Josh is set to attend Harvard Medical School to begin a career as a physician-policymaker and advocate for the rights of LGBTQIA+ patient populations. Josh believes fiercely that science and research are key to the fight for LGBTQIA+ equality, as they grant us the perspective to know exactly where our efforts should lie.