Every two years, Americans vote in elections that help determine who serves on school boards, city councils and state legislatures, as well as who becomes sheriff, judge, governor or a member of Congress.

Yet for many young Americans, midterm elections receive far less attention than presidential contests.

That gap is at the center of Midterm Matters, a project developed by the 2025–2026 Fellows of the James E. Clyburn Leadership Institute (JECLI). The Fellows engaged more than 1,100 young adults in conversations about elections, civic participation and the issues shaping their lives.

The project did not begin by telling young Black Americans what to think. It began by asking questions.

Fellows visited classrooms, college campuses, churches, barber shops and community centers and started with a basic question:

What are midterms?

For some participants, the answer was simple: no one had ever really explained them. Midterm Matters describes itself not as a poll, but as a conversation with a generation frequently discussed in politics but not always directly engaged.

Connecting Elections to Everyday Life

Across the conversations, participants connected government and elections to issues they experience every day.

In Georgia, discussions focused on jobs, wages and the cost of living. In Minnesota, participants raised concerns about student debt, research funding and whether a college degree would still lead to meaningful opportunity.

A central theme emerged: relevance matters.

When people see the connection between public policy and their rent, wages, tuition, education or employment opportunities, elections become less abstract.

One college student described watching the cost of gas, food and basic necessities rise month after month.

Meeting Young Voters Where They Are

Another message surfaced repeatedly: young voters are looking for political information where they already spend their time.

When participants were asked where they learned about candidates, social media was among the most common responses. Participants referenced social platforms, news outlets and TikTok as important sources of political information.

Dr. Rosalind Matthews, a Georgia Fellow, recalled speaking with a young woman who wanted to vote with the same pride and purpose she remembered seeing in her grandmother. Her challenge was finding candidates online and learning enough about their platforms to feel informed.

Her experience raises an important question: Are young people expected to find the political process, or is the political process willing to meet them where they are?

“We See Them, But Do They See Us?”

One of the documentary’s most powerful moments comes when a participant is asked what message they would send to elected leaders about young Black voters.

The response ends with a simple question:

“We see them, but do they see us?”

That question captures much of what the project uncovered.

Participants spoke about more than voting. They spoke about trust, visibility, reliable information and sustained engagement. The documentary describes trust as something built by showing up before the election, during it and long after the cameras leave.

The Conversation Continues

The Fellows’ conclusion is not that young Black Americans are disengaged. Instead, the project found young people asking to be informed, respected and invited into the process.

For the 2025–2026 Fellows, Midterm Matters is more than the conclusion of a research project. It is a call to continue listening, make civic information easier to understand, and engage people in the places where they already live, learn and communicate.

Because midterms do matter—and understanding why is an important step toward meaningful civic participation.

Learn more about the James E. Clyburn Leadership Institute and its Fellows:
https://omeganetworkforaction.org/jeclinstitute/