NextGen America Launches First Digital Ad in Virginia Legislative Elections

Six figure ad campaign aimed at mobilizing young Virginians to vote in November

RICHMOND, VA — Today, NextGen America launched “Power to Do Something” — its first digital ad in the Virginia state legislative elections. The six-figure ad campaign begins Friday and will target over 275,000 Virginians between 18 and 35 years old to vote for Democrats in November. The ad will run on various digital platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Pandora and Spotify, in six House of Delegates districts (HD-12, 26, 28, 66, 68, and 94) and five state Senate Districts (SD-7, 10, 12, 17, and 21).

The ad highlights the advances that Democrats made in the 2017 legislative elections when youth turnout reached a record 34% — 8 points over the 2013 rate — and helped Democrats win 15 seats in the House of Delegates. Due to those Democratic victories, 400,000 Virginians gained access to Medicaid. The ad stresses that young Virginians can make change again on issues like gun safety, reproductive rights, and climate change, if they show up to the polls and vote.

With an initial spend of $1 million, NextGen America is focused on registering 12,000 young Virginians to vote to ultimately flip the General Assembly to Democratic control. With 18 full-time staff and over 1,500 volunteers from last cycle, NextGen Virginia is organizing young people on 19 college campuses, including 4 HBCUs and 3 community colleges, and in their communities.