In Pittsburgh, candidates face their future voters, part of a national effort to engage the young

PITTSBURGH (AP) — At Perry Traditional Academy, students took time out from classes on a recent Thursday to listen quietly in the school auditorium while a small group of their classmates questioned the four candidates running in Pittsburgh's upcoming mayoral primary.

The topics covered an array of issues important to the teens: policing, school funding and youth involvement in their administrations.

The forum, coordinated by the Allegheny Youth Vote Coalition working with Pittsburgh Public Schools, was the eighth held at a public high school in the city, all designed to get the youngest and future voters involved in elections. After the candidates left, they had a short oral civics test on elections, with prizes for correct answers.

What’s happening in Pittsburgh and surrounding Allegheny County is part of a national trend.

Young people have consistently turned out to vote at lower rates than older Americans. Civic organizations are hoping to reverse that by getting teenagers engaged in public debate before they are even eligible to vote, seeing it as foundational to the future of U.S. democracy.

A Pew Research Center analysis found that voters under the age of 30 made up 15% of voters in the 2020 election and 27% of nonvoters, a slight improvement in both categories over 2016, when that demographic was 13% of all voters and 33% of nonvoters. Voters were also much older than nonvoters, on average, in the 2018 and 2022 midterm elections, according to Pew.

Among the groups leading the effort nationally is the Civics Center, which works with high schoolers to run voter registration drives and hold forums that are geared toward raising their participation in elections. Others, such as The Gem Project Inc., in Newark, New Jersey, have pushed for students to be able to register and cast ballots in local elections before they turn 18.

Last year, the Newark City Council dropped the minimum voting age to 16 for school board elections, making it the first municipality in the state and the second largest city in the country to do so for any election. Oakland was the largest city in the U.S. to lower its voting age in 2020, but teens voted for the first time last year.

Breanna Quist, 18, and one of the recent registrants in Newark, said the push was especially important to her because it allowed students to vote for an office, school board, that directly affects them.

“This just shows how young people should always just take action. They shouldn’t be fearful. They should always advocate for what they believe is right,” she said during an interview at a voter registration town hall earlier this year.

Nishani Ward, 16, said it was an inspiration when Newark lowered the voting age for local elections.

“Doing this right now, I’m more likely to do it in the future and do it more routinely in the future," she said.

Media reports said turnout among 16- and 17-year-old registered voters in the April school board election was less than 4% but outpaced the overall turnout.

In some places across the country, young people have had success when demanding a greater voice in political decisions. They've argued that voting adults don’t always consider them or their needs when casting their ballots. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 21 states and the District of Columbia allow 17-year-olds who will turn 18 by the time of a general election to vote in primaries.

Even though the youth vote tends to bend left politically, this might be a good time to reconsider the minimum age because it's become less predictable, said Daniel Hart, a professor of psychology at Rutgers University who has studied lowering the voting age.

Data from AP VoteCast, a survey of interviews with registered voters in all 50 states, found that Democrat Kamala Harris had a slight edge over Republican Donald Trump among young voters, but young men swung to the right for Trump even if they didn't agree with him on all issues.

The Allegheny Youth Vote Coalition held two vote huddles in 2024, drawing students from throughout the county. They learned about the electoral process and held more than 20 voter registration drives, said Rachel Martin Golman, senior director of social impact of the National Council of Jewish Women Pittsburgh and a coalition member.

During a workshop earlier this year, one student attendee asked why the candidates didn't come speak to them, Golman said: ”And we all thought, yes, why not, and worked to make it happen."

Laura Brill, the founder and CEO of the Civics Center, a Los Angeles-based coalition member, said the point is that “most teens today have few opportunities to consider their important role in our democracy.” She said engaging the candidates directly is “the kind of formative experience we believe has been missing from high schools for decades and has undoubtedly led to the low rates of engagement we see among the up-and-coming voters.”

At Perry, the students in the audience didn't shy away from asking questions important to them and their peers.

Makaila Nyambe, 17, asked each mayoral candidate about funding for schools, while fellow junior Deahmi Mobley questioned how they might establish a good relationship between law enforcement and teens. Previous forums at other schools included questions on other issues, including how each candidate would implement diversity, equity and inclusion into their administrations.

Trash, homelessness and public safety came up constantly, along with a disagreement over whether more school spending would improve academic performance. Infrastructure, road repairs and cuts to public transit also generated discussion.

The students listened closely when all four candidates talked about neighborhood policing and building relationships -- and about the importance of young people at such a forum.

"You are the leaders we have been waiting for,” said one of the mayoral candidates, retired Pittsburgh police detective Tony Moreno.

“You are the future of Pittsburgh,” said another candidate, Thomas West, a business owner and former television news producer. "You are the future of America.”

Stalea Chapman, a 17-year-old senior, said afterward she was glad the candidates were taking the students seriously and reaching out to them because their futures are intertwined with politics and policies, especially now.

“It is a lot of pressure being young and seeing what the economy is turning to and what’s going on in the world," she said. "It’s frightening for young people because we want to be successful.”

Alexander reported from Newark, New Jersey. Associated Press Polling Editor Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux contributed to this article.

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Thomas West, a candidate in the upcoming mayoral primary in Pittsburgh, attends a candidates forum at Perry Traditional Academy in Pittsburgh, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Tony Moreno, a candidate in the upcoming mayoral primary in Pittsburgh, attends a candidates forum at Perry Traditional Academy in Pittsburgh, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Students at Perry Traditional Academy attend a forum of candidates in Pittsburgh's upcoming mayoral primary in Pittsburgh, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Stalea Chapman, 17, a senior at Perry Traditional Academy, attends a forum of candidates in Pittsburgh's upcoming mayoral primary in Pittsburgh, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Makaila Nyambe, 17, right, and Deahmi Mobley, juniors at Perry Traditional Academy, question candidates in Pittsburgh's mayoral primary during a candidates forum in Pittsburgh, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

An attendee wears a pin during a Town Hall and voter registration for school board elections at the Bethany Baptist Church, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

Youth listen to a speaker during a Town Hall and voter registration for school board elections at the Bethany Baptist Church, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

Young Voters Association President, Nathan Duguid, 19, speaks during a Town Hall and voter registration for school board elections at the Bethany Baptist Church, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

Students register to vote for school board elections during a Town Hall at the Bethany Baptist Church, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

Young Voters Association President, Nathan Duguid, 19, center, stands during a Town Hall and voter registration for school board elections at the Bethany Baptist Church, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

Attendees gather during a Town Hall and voter registration for a school board elections at the Bethany Baptist Church, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

Activist Dana M. Murray, left, speaks to students during a Town Hall and a voter registration for school board elections at the Bethany Baptist Church, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

Voting activist Danna Ward listens to a speaker during a Town Hall and voter registration for school board elections at the Bethany Baptist Church, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

A student and activist speaks during a Town Hall and voter registration for school board elections at the Bethany Baptist Church, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

Students register to vote for school board elections during a Town Hall at the Bethany Baptist Church, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move coming as activists said Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544.

Iran had no immediate reaction to the news, which came after the foreign minister of Oman — long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran — traveled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear just what Iran could promise, particularly as Trump has set strict demands over its nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal, which Tehran insists is crucial for its national defense.

Meanwhile Monday, Iran called for pro-government demonstrators to head to the streets in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

Trump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night. Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, he said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”

Trump said that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.

“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”

He added: “The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate.”

Iran through country's parliamentary speaker warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.

More than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forces.

With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.

Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets in the country’s capital and its second-largest city on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.

In Tehran, a witness told the AP that the streets of the capital empty at the sunset call to prayers each night. By the Isha, or nighttime prayer, the streets are deserted.

Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”

Another text, which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.

“Dear parents, in view of the enemy’s plan to increase the level of naked violence and the decision to kill people, ... refrain from being on the streets and gathering in places involved in violence, and inform your children about the consequences of cooperating with terrorist mercenaries, which is an example of treason against the country,” the text warned.

The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.

Nikhinson reported from aboard Air Force One.

In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, January. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran shows protesters taking to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP)