Examining Low Young Voter Turnout

1193 Words5 Pages
One of our most, and many would argue, the most valuable rights as citizens of a democracy is our right to vote. It gives us a voice in the direction our elected representatives steer our country. Unfortunately, historically young voters are underrepresented due to their low voting turnout. This came as a shock to me being a young voter myself. Growing up in California I was excited about getting the chance to vote, to have a voice as it were. However, this is clearly not the case for all potential young voters.
The Problem Young voter turnout has historically been disproportionately lower than all other voting groups. In California alone, as indicated in the California Civic Engagement Project, conducted by UC Davis during the 2012…show more content…
With those that attended college being twice as more likely to vote (Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning & Engagement).
Political Polarization There’s a great deal of debate on whether the issue of increased political polarization of our elected representatives has had a positive or negative effect on voter turnout, there’s however little debate on whether the political process has become more polarized. While this is an issue for voter turnout of all ages, I’m in a unique position to speak on it as a young voter. As I mentioned earlier growing up I was excited at the chance to help shape public policy with my vote. However, as the years went on the increasingly polarized atmosphere of my representatives has had a draining effect on me. I don’t tune in to the TV broadcasts or read the newspaper with the same gusto anymore. The constant name calling and gridlock has had a profoundly negative effect on my enthusiasm to partake civic activity. Being a young voter I have dwelt on this quite a bit, and come to the conclusion that this has discouraged me from taking part in the political process. Apparently that’s a common symptom of increased political polarization on the electorate, as noted by several political scientists. For example, in a paper published in American Journal of Political Science Dr. John Rogowski notes that “My main finding is that, rather than stimulate political
Show More
Related

  • The Decline Of Electoral Participation Among Young Canadians

    2542 Words  | 11 Pages

    The Decline of Electoral Participation Among Young Canadians Since a robust voter turnout is instrumental to the functioning of a healthy democracy, the ongoing decline of youth voter turnout in Canada is highly alarming. According to the Canadian Election Study, the reported voter turnout among Canadians aged 18 to 24 dropped from 83 percent in 1974 to 60 percent in 2000 (Barnes and Virgint, 2010). The aim of this paper is to explain this decline. While it is generally accepted that people’s propensity

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Photo ID Laws

    939 Words  | 4 Pages

    fall of turnout is more closely related to the competitiveness of the race or the individual candidate than to identification laws. Examining turnout in Texas’ individual counties confirms this principle. For example, Tarrant county’s 2014 legislative race was far more competitive than the 2012 race, which caused the 3% uptick in turnout between those years. Similarly, in Hildago County, Texas Governor Wayne Abbot’s active GOTV measures among the Hispanic population caused a boost in turnout (The Economist

    Read More

  • Confidence in the Federal Government and Voter Turnout Essay

    4743 Words  | 19 Pages

    Confidence in the Federal Government and Voter Turnout Introduction Since the presidency of John F. Kennedy, there has been a decline in American confidence in the federal government (Walker, 2000). The importance of confidence in the American federal government is immense. Political participation can be defined as “Any activity that attempts to influence public policy or the selection of government officials” (Austin Community College). One hopes that Americans do not lack confidence

    Read More

  • Young Voters and Why a Higher Percentage of Apathy

    1909 Words  | 8 Pages

    The lacked of youth voters has been a major concern for the democratic system in the United States and other countries. Studies has been and still trying to understand why youth tends to slack off when it comes to this crucial part of democratic practices. In light of this continuing problem, solutions have been offered to involve youths, primarily in their early 20s, to participate in this democratic practice. Because this is a high concern of many countries, many authors have written about why

    Read More

  • Voter Identification Laws, Diminished Registration Opportunities

    3549 Words  | 15 Pages

    Voter Identification Laws, Diminished Registration Opportunities, and Reduced Early Voting Periods Impact Minority, Poor, and Elderly Voters In every election, the major parties are trying to figure out how to win the election by ascertaining which voters or groups of voters support or oppose their candidate. One of the strategies used to win an election is the use of voter mobilization or conversely demobilization. It is general knowledge that a part of the Democratic party 's tactics to win elections

    Read More

More about Examining Low Young Voter Turnout

Open Document