Making a difference with young voters
by Lizbeth Zambrano
photo courtesy of speechfoodie.com
Even though voting is optional for U.S citizens eighteen years and older, youth play a large role in elections and should not allow complicated processes to prevent them from voting and gaining experience.
According to civicyouth.org, “Fourty-six million young people, ages 18 to 29, are eligible to vote, while 39 million seniors are eligible to vote.” This puts young adults’ fates in the hands of the middle aged and seniors. As students age, their experience will grow and will in turn allow them to make better voting decisions. Due to being one of the largest populations that can vote, youth voter turnout is particularly crucial.
In the 2016 presidential election, according to the Pew Research Center, “Boomers and older voters represented fewer than half of all votes for the first time.” By outvoting the older generations, young adults can take a step forward and influence their future. In addition, voting as a young adult is imperative because one gains an immeasurable amount of experience. Being registered can help to familiarize new voters with the process of doing research on candidates before they vote and condition a healthy habit. Reliable resources, such as www.aascu.org or other voter education websites, can make it accessible for young adults to educate themselves.
According to the Pew Research Center, one reason young adults do not vote is because filling out voter registration can be inconvenient and confusing. Be that as it may, voting in modern times is much simpler than one may believe. Californians can register to vote online at https://registertovote.ca.gov/, a more accessible platform. The Californian registration forms require citizens to provide a driver’s license or California identification card number, the last four digits of their social security number, and their date of birth. More information can be obtained at the Secretary of State’s voter hotline at (800)345-VOTE(8683).
In the final analysis, youth have a pivotal role in elections in the United States and gaining experience will also help them vote in future elections.