How Gen-Z is helping rural Michiganders turn out to vote in the UP

Michigan is one of several critical swing states in this year’s election, and for Carly Sandstrom, a Marquette native and canvasser with the Progressive Turnout Project, that means knocking on doors and making calls to get voters to the ballot box. 

Carly Sandstrom has been encouraging others to use their voice at the polls long before she was old enough to vote. 

Back in 2018, while still in high school, the Marquette native volunteered to knock on doors to inform her community about an upcoming nonpartisan race for city commission.

“I had a lot of respect for the candidate who was running. He was a lot younger than all of the other candidates, and he helped me get involved in our city,” said Sandstrom in an interview with The ‘Gander. 

“I don’t think I was even old enough to vote yet, but I wanted people to understand that young people deserve a say in what’s happening.” 

When she got to college, Sandstrom continued to canvas. She enjoyed talking to people about the issues that mattered most to them. 

“I realized that canvassing is a really powerful tool—just talking to people and having conversations is important when it comes to politics,” she said. 

This year, as a canvasser for the Progressive Turnout Project—the largest voter contact organization in the country—Sandstrom has spent countless hours driving around Marquette County talking to members of her community to boost voter turnout. 

“There’s been a lack of awareness [about voting] because we are so disconnected,” said Sandstrom, adding that the distance to the nearest polling place creates a huge barrier for rural voters. 

However, through canvassing, Sandstrom has brought the power back to her community by talking to them about how they can vote in Michigan—and has solid advice for young and/or first-time voters.

“I know I felt intimidated the first time I voted, and so I always encourage young voters to take their time and do their research—especially down-ballot races. I don’t think people recognize how important those races are,” she said.

Recently, Sandstrom says she has been seeing “little signs of hope” lately as she drives through her hometown of Marquette.

“I’ll be driving through a rural farming area and I’ll see a Kamala Harris sign that hadn’t been there before, or see a Trump sign has come down.”

“Those little glimpses are making me feel hopeful.”