Wyoming Secretary Of State Shocked By Lack Of Youth Vote

Wyoming Secretary of State Ed Murray says the percentage of Wyoming voters between the ages of 18-24 who voted in 2014 is ''unacceptable."

Murray, who is the state's top elections official, says he personally was "appalled and shocked" at the 10 percent figure and is calling for steps to be taken to get younger people to vote.

He is calling for the return of civics courses to state schools as part of the solution, especially citing a program known as "We the People" as being helpful.

Murray says he's seen figures that among students who took the course, 90 percent voted when they became eligible to cast a ballot. He says he thinks another part of the solution is effective mentoring about the importance of voting by parents and other adults.

Murray says his parents always emphasized the importance of voting "and made it a tradition."

Murray says he wants to hold a statewide summit later this year to discuss the problem and look at possible solutions.