PAGE 10 October 2020 PAGE 09 October 2020
According to Cambridge University Press, the United States has
the lowest rates of youth voter turnout in the world. While the
number of overall voters is rising, the participation of young
people during elections trails behind. In a time this crucial, one
would assume that every citizen who is capable of voting would
jump at every opportunity to get involved. However, election
season often leaves people feeling disillusioned and defeated,
and the 2020 presidential election is no exception. The outcome
of the November 2016 vote left many to believe that their voices
didn't count, when the outcome determined by the Electoral
College overrode what the general public actually voted for.
What is the point of voting when the powers at large are going
to do whatever they want anyway?
The Electoral College was created by the authors of the U.S.
Constitution as a way to elect a president outside of the popular
vote or Congress. The so-called Founding Fathers could not
agree on how to elect a president, as some thought the
appointment should be determined through a democratic popular
vote while others argued that Congress should determine who
sits in Office. Their compromise was the Electoral College.
Electors - the individuals that make up the Electoral College - are
appointed by each state. The presidential votes they cast usually
align with the popular vote. However, this was not the case in
2016, while electors remained loyal to their party rather than the
interests of the people (Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by a
landslide).
In addition to feeling silenced at the polls, the younger
generation struggles to rally behind the candidates they're given.
At a time when millennials (age 24-39) and Gen Z (age 17-23)
have the power to choose their leaders, most feel that none of
the candidates presented to them actually listen or speak to
their needs and concerns. The compounding flaws and
disappointments immersed within our current system
discourages young people from voting, at a time when being
politically active on all fronts is the most critical. Additionally,
many young people feel like politicians pander to millennials and
Gen Z for their votes, but the promises they actually keep are to
older, conservative demographics.
It might be hard to believe, but young people have collective
power at the polls. For the first time, according to the Pew
Research Center, the non-white vote will account for more than
one-third of all ballots cast, and Generation Z will be amidst the
eligible voting pool. One in 10 eligible voters will be members of
Gen Z, while millennials and older generations will account for a
smaller share of voters than they did in 2016.
The Census Bureau reports that people aged 18-34 consistently
vote at lower rates than all other age groups. According to Youth
Service America, the top four reasons that young people don't
vote are that they can't afford to take time off work, they are
out of town, they forget to vote, or they simply are not
interested. The lack of interest is due to dislike of candidates,
the ballot issues don't pertain to their concerns, or they believe
their vote doesn't actually count. However, people who are
apathetic to voting seem to be in the minority. Most young
people genuinely want their voices to be heard, but there are
obstacles standing in their way of the ballot box.
It's not uncommon for individuals to be resigned to waiting
hours in line at the polls to vote. For people with work, family,
and educational obligations, taking a day off to cast a ballot is
unfeasible. Voting suppression on college campuses is rampant,
as a university with more than 50,000 students might be
supplied with just one polling location. Some mobile polling sites,
such as the ones set up on college campuses, have been banned
altogether by Republican legislation. This is especially
problematic for students without transportation, as they rely on
their campus to provide them a place to vote. Confusing voter ID
laws and strict registration deadlines also stand in the way of
young people and their ballots, especially for those who have
recently become of voting age.
Some young people are eager to vote, but are confused about
the registration process and how to find their polling place. It's
common for people to show up at the polls with every intention
to vote, only to find out they're not actually registered. Same
day registration, where a person may register to vote on the
same day they cast their ballot, is only available in 21 states and
the District of Columbia. California took it a step further by
implementing the New Motor Voter Act that automatically
registers citizens to vote when they use services from the
Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), unless the individual
declines. The law is expected to drastically change California's
electorate demographic. Data for Progress
reports that
automatic voter registration, such as the New Motor Voter Act,
will increase voter turnout among youth.
Many young, first-time voters are also unaware of what goes on
in state and local politics. These elections are just as important
as the general election, since many of the measures determined
on the local scale determine what goes on the national ballot.
Simply put, voting in small elections is one of the easiest,
quickest ways to influence change surrounding pressing matters.
For example, Missouri Medicaid Expansion was passed during the
state's August 4 primary election.
If given the opportunity, young voters can bring the voter
turnout up from just 60%. Combined, millennials and Gen Z
represent a larger part of the population than Baby Boomers. In
fact, millennials are the largest living generation in America,
according to the Pew Research Center. Therefore, every vote
counts. The youth vote is credited with getting President Barack
Obama elected for a second time. President Obama won 60% of
the national youth vote, according to the Center for Information
& Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. The population
of the young voting demographic could allow them to challenge
the existing two-party system, as a higher percentage of young
voters have political views independent of Democratic or
Republican. Additionally, election officials are more likely to pay
attention to younger generations when their voter turnout is
higher.
Many ballot issues directly impact young people and will continue
to do so for years to come. One example is the Supreme Court
appointment. Citizens have to vote for the officials that will
appoint the next Supreme Court Justice. Whoever occupies that
seat and the decisions they make will affect us for nearly a
lifetime (until the appointment either retires or dies, as in the
case of Ruth Bader Ginsburg). Other issues include climate
change, college tuition reform, employment, reproductive rights,
and racial justice. No one can predict where they will be in the
next four years, so it is imperative that citizens, especially the
youth, vote in their best interests while they have the chance.
With detailed information of each ballot measure for free online,
being an educated voter is easier than ever. Websites like
Ballotpedia provide information seekers with unbiased
information ahead of local, state, and general elections. The site
also provides sample ballots, specific to where a person is
registered to vote, so that voters can get acquainted with the
(often confusing) language they'll be using to cast their votes.
The sample ballot includes the measures to be decided upon and
a list of candidates with their political backgrounds and stances
outlined.
The state of Missouri makes voter registration fairly easy.
Eligible participants can register to vote online by selecting the
online form (not the PDF form) and filling it out to submit
electronically. This site can also be used to check existing
registration or update the voter's registered address.
Information regarding mail-in ballots, important for people who
wish to avoid contracting COVID-19 at polling sites, and
absentee ballots are outlined as well.
According to the Census Bureau, Baby Boomers did not have a
good track record as it pertained to voting during their youth.
It's possible that people don't find the importance of their voice
until they're older, but why wait? While being inundated daily on
the news by the corruption of our current political system, along
with voter suppression, it feels counterproductive to try and fight
the system through the system. However, it's important to
remember that voting is not the end-all, be-all of political
activism. Instead, voting is a necessary form of damage control.
Voting will not make all our problems instantly disappear, but it
is a political action that aids in the fight for democracy and
against racial, gender, identity, and class oppression.
