The Voter Turnout Increased by Young People

Voting is one of the most positive aspects of democracy, for which minorities have fought years and years before us, that is now neglected as the last election showed, when only a bit over half of the population exercised their rights. This paper will be focusing on the 18-34 age group, that is representing 27% of the U.S. population, out of which only around 45% voted (JORDAN MISRA). There are some beliefs that millennials show apathy toward treasured institutions or that the older one grows, the more responsible one becomes in terms of doing their civic duty. Political scientist Glenn H. Utter is the author of numerous reference works, including several on the intersection between religion and politics, gun control, and other political issues before publishing 'Youth and Political Participation: A Reference Handbook.' This comprehensive handbook examines the importance and history of youth participation in politics, suggesting reasons for the disengagement, and discussing efforts to increase the interest of young voters in the political process, one in which they could be a controlling factor. This essay will examine some ways voter turnout can be increased.

Chapter 2 focuses on the contemporary situation concerning young people and political engagement, presenting research on differing methods of increasing interest in and knowledge about the political realm. In order to encourage civic engagement among those young people who are not otherwise likely to participate, educators and others must employ strategies to spark interest in politics and a sense of allegiance to the political realm. Also imparting knowledge about political structures including government institutions and the rules of political engagement, that includes a realistic understanding of why the system operates as it does and how to participate in it most effectively, including ways in which the political process might be altered to facilitate closer adherence to democratic principles and greater citizen involvement. One possible way to view college courses and other activities aimed to increase political participation is that they are similar to the remedial courses some institutions offer to bring the mathematics, reading, and writing skills of some students up to college-level performance. The process of political socialization, which involves young people acquiring from the family and the public school system knowledge and attitudes about the political process, may be considered to have fallen short in many cases in the primary objective of preparing adult citizens who care about and want to participate in the operation of the political system. (76) From 1950 to 1970, many young Americans took the opportunity to participate extensively in U.S. politics, advocating causes in which they firmly believed. The civil rights movement attracted many idealistic youths to the goal of racial equality, and U.S. involvement in Vietnam energized large numbers of young people who questioned the wisdom, legality, and morality of that military venture, mainly because the U.S. government was drafting young males into the Army to take part in the military conflict. However, as these issues receded from the forefront of the public agenda, and political participation generally declined, youth participation in politics diminished. Thus the low level of political participation among youth became an important issue for educators and the civic-minded, given the recognition that the health of a democracy depends on the willingness of members to engage in the process, including voting in elections; staying informed about public issues at a national, state, and local level; and participating in civic organizations.(38)

Chapter 6 presents the General Social Survey data relevant to the political attitudes and behavior of young people in the United States. Geoffrey Baym (2010), discusses the change in broadcast news reporting since the 1960s, presents a paradigm of reporting. The model may help to explain the role that news reporting has played in the decreasing knowledge of and involvement in politics among younger. (42) Baym calls it the high-modern paradigm, which arose following World War II and involved the attempt to provide an objective presentation of the day's events. Listeners and viewers were assumed to be rational individuals who could use the news presentation each day to establish their conclusions about the political world. Because of the limited channels available and the absence of videotape and DVD players, television viewing at dinner time, for adults and children, was limited almost entirely to the half-hour news program of one of the three major networks. This model fits well into the traditional understanding of representative democracy, in which the average citizen's responsibility is to stay abreast of political events and issues and to establish informed opinions that can help make appropriate choices in elections. According to Baym, the high-modern paradigm, although providing good news reporting, tended to limit the opportunities for political engagement: 'it offered no role for the public to play save that of a passive audience, whose requirements for citizenship could be fulfilled simply by watching television' (Baym, 170).

Students of political participation and voting behavior suggest several possible solutions to the low level of political participation among young people. Analysts usually turn their attention in two interconnected directions: first, the characteristics of individuals—interest, knowledge, and motivations—that raise or lower the probability of participating in the political realm, and second, aspects of the political process that may encourage or discourage political participation. Possible solutions to systemic factors contributing to low voter turnout include more significant efforts to simplify the voter registration process. In the United States, voting involves a two-stage process. First, a potential voter must register to vote, and then, they must cast a ballot in the election. Many have argued that the registration requirement dampens voter turnout and have recommended dispensing with voter registration entirely by placing the responsibility of registration on public officials rather than the person or by allowing for election day registration. If an individual has registered to vote or may register at the same time as voting, then the probability of casting a ballot in a particular election increases significantly. The single most accurate predictor of whether a person will vote in an election is whether they are registered: if so, there is a positive probability that they will vote; if not, the probability, excluding fraud or error, is zero. The government had taken various steps to encourage the participation of people of all ages. For instance, in 1993, Congress passed the National Voter Registration Act, often called the Motor Voter bill because it required states to offer citizens the opportunity to register to vote at public agency offices, including motor vehicle bureaus. Other possible explanations for low voter turnout include the frequency of elections. In contrast to other nations, U.S. citizens are asked to turn out to vote on numerous occasions for federal, state, and local elections. Often these elections are held at different times, requiring voters to participate in several elections in four years. With numerous candidates running for various public offices, young people's more limited knowledge of the political process may discourage participation in elections in which candidates are unfamiliar to the potential voter. Also, elections in the United States, unlike other established democracies, are regularly held on weekdays when people have to find time during the workday to vote.

Contemporary campaign techniques, including negative campaigning and structured media advertising, may also leave potential voters dissatisfied with the electoral process. As candidates came to rely on the mass media for campaigning, political parties became less effective as voter mobilization organizations, which contributed to low voter turnout generally. Some political scientists have suggested that political parties and candidates have tended not to make specific appeals to younger voters because this age cohort already has a record of low voter turnout. Candidates consider spending time and resources appealing to this age group a waste as such efforts often fail to bear adequate results in higher voter turnout. Therefore, the expectation that a large proportion of young people will not turn out to vote results in a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The active participation of citizens cannot take place overnight when people reach the voting age. This is learned by doing, accumulating experience daily, analyzing the opportunities available to participate in the decision-making process, listening to different opinions, and including assuming certain consequences. That is, citizens are involved in the decision-making process.