On Tuesday, the League of Women Voters of Oconee and Pickens Counties will host a public panel discussion about low youth voter turnout.

Clemson students will attend the panel featuring Rylie Deweese, a senior double major in communications and political science, as the discussion moderator. The discussion will occur from 5-6 p.m. at Clemson United Methodist Church.

Deweese told The Tiger in an interview that young voters represent “one of the nation’s largest and most diverse groups,” but that turnout among individuals under 30 remains lower than among older generations.

LWVOP hopes that “hearing directly from students will help communities better understand how to support civic engagement and informed participation,” Deweese said.

Pat Spurlock, president of LWVOP, said that if the younger demographic wants to understand why the generation tends not to vote, they “have to start listening.”

“This discussion isn’t about blaming youth for low turnout, it’s about examining barriers, disillusionment and the disconnect many feel about today’s political system,” Spurlock wrote to The Tiger. “Our goal is to have an honest conversation about how to build trust and engage the next generation of voters.”

The event came to be as a result of LWVOP receiving an Empowerment Grant from the League of Women Voters of South Carolina.

“This grant provides vital support for Upstate Votes, the organization’s voter education and engagement initiative for 2026. This panel is a result of the Upstate Votes initiative,” Deweese told The Tiger.

Topics during the discussion will include voting access, misinformation, student mobility, economic pressures and trust in political institutions, according to Deweese.

The event will be open to the public, and the panel will hold a Q&A following the discussion.