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NextGen has a couple thousand in La Crosse registered and ready to vote

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The well-publicized efforts to get young people registered to vote in Wisconsin could really pay off.

NextGen Wisconsin is part of billionaire philanthropist Tom Steyer’s larger NextGen America effort to influence the coming election in favor of progressive candidates.

Kade Walker has been working with NextGen Wisconsin in La Crosse for weeks to get young voters registered and prep them to vote.

Walker says the process has been methodical.

“What we do, is sit down with them in a one-on-one conversation and show them how their vote impacts (key issues affecting them),” Walker said, adding he has just under 2,000 mostly college students in La Crosse pledged to vote in November.

“Young people actually respond better to pledging their vote — making that plan and that commitment to vote,” Walker said. “But, beyond that, we’re following up with those people and they’re also helping out, volunteering, to make sure their friends get out there and vote and to make sure no one is left behind on this train.”

NextGen America has pledge $33 million to advancing progressive candidates in the upcoming midterm elections around the nation.

Nearly $3 million of that will be spent in Wisconsin alone, largely focusing on a couple of congressional districts but also the U.S. Senate and governor races. Much of the work of the group in Wisconsin has been lining up young people to just get to the polls.

Walker has been canvassing in La Crosse for weeks and says he’s heard lots of enthusiasm from young people learning how their vote can have an impact

“All young people have energy right now to get to the polls,” Walker said. “We’ve never seen this kind of energy out there, and I think it’s just making sure they have the education and the tools necessary to get out there.”

With online voter registration ending this week, the group also will continue to provide information about registering the day of the elections. In person absentee voting is now underway in parts of Wisconsin, which is one of 11 states targeted by NextGen America.

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