Where are the young voters?
Following a polarizing election in 2016, many expected the voter turnout in the 2020 election to show an increase in voters, especially young voters. After all, it seems many, if not most teenagers are politically involved or at least politically aware these days. However, based on the progression of the 2020 primaries, it appears this isn’t the case. If anything, the number of young voters is decreasing compared to the previous election.
On a global scale, the U.S. already seems to have a relatively low voter turnout. Compared to turnouts in other democratic republics which are upwards of 60%, the U.S. hardly passes the 50% threshold, at 55.7%. There are a number of reasons why people suppose this is the case. Registration is one of them, as most other democratic nations rely on the government rather than individuals of voting age to take care of the registration process. Having Super Tuesday, on, well, a Tuesday also decreases the number of potential voters when many are either at work or school for the majority of the day. Fortunately, absentee and early voting are alternative options, but not everyone is aware of that, nor are they always easily accessible.
The gap between the number of older and younger voters can also be explained by inadequate civic education, which may be caused by an increased focus on other subjects in school curriculums along with teaching methods that fail to engage students. Unsurprisingly, this has a negative impact on the percentage of active young voters, as it’s easier to be motivated to vote when you understand the government you’re impacting. In fact, the states with the highest rates of youth engagement in politics also dedicate the most educational time to courses related to the U.S. government.
Still, this doesn’t answer the question of why so few young voters are showing up while having a tendency to voice so much political concern after an especially divisive presidential result. Unfortunately, voter suppression is always a cause for concern for decreasing voter turnout. Furthermore, as mentioned before, the lack of political education makes young people less likely to vote, as well as registration and voting dates being less than convenient. Another aspect that may complicate the voting process, especially for younger voters, is struggling to find information on candidates. With so much uncertainty surrounding media sources, it can be difficult to navigate trusted and complete sources regarding different candidates—not to mention that a historically large candidate pool for the Democratic Party made this especially overwhelming in 2020. Other young voters note that the 2016 election made them lose faith in the system, or that politicians appeal more to older voters. A lot of young voters emphasize the complication of registration or absentee voting, especially for college-aged voters that need to register for out-of-state. Some feel that their energy is better spent volunteering where they feel like they can enact real change.
In general, it seems that young voters have little confidence in the voting system and their own impact. While this may seem unimportant as long as other age groups are participating, young voters will eventually age, too. It feels ironic for a country that strives to represent democracy to produce so little enthusiasm from its youth. It’s my hope that the country can put in the work to help young Americans understand the process, as well as eliminate the many unnecessary obstructions that complicate a system that could be much simpler, as modeled by other nations.
by INÈS DUPUPET