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Voter apathy is rising among younger voters. Many young people are alienated from the shortcomings of the current political system, as most have never voted, and some argue that the election doesn't make a difference; hence they always have the lowest turnout rates. They see an election as a civic duty but might need to realize they could make a difference in the general election.
In the 2020 presidential election, a turnout percentage of more than 38% of eligible voters did not vote in the country. Among eligible voters aged 18 to 29, a turnout percentage of 50% didn't show up at the polls on election day. This trend in such elections is troubling for several reasons, but chief among them is voter apathy can lead to unintended consequences with long-term implications on things like tax law and public health.
However, the turnout percentage of the past presidential elections was low compared to recent years, with 2020 having the highest rate. A presidential election is a complicated process. For most U.S. citizens, it begins with being registered to vote and casting ballots at their local polling station by the eighth of November. Voter apathy can have several unintended, adverse effects in modern presidential elections.
For starters, it can reduce the overall democracy by lowering the voter turnout and allowing a small group of eligible voters to make decisions for developed countries. For example, the electorate may elect candidates from specific political parties despite most constituents voting against them. It is known as "winner takes all" because it allows a candidate to win office by catering to a small section of the electorate and ignoring everyone else.
Voter apathy can also lead to consequences like corruption, making it harder to hold company and government officials accountable when they break laws and engage in misconduct. It can also make it harder for the less fortunate to be protected because even if they vote out a government official, no one else is taking care of their issues.
Causes of Voter Apathy Among Younger Voters
A democratic society that can't find a way to engage its youngest members in casting a ballot won't be able to thrive. To rebuttal the accusation that those older than 30 are the ones to blame for more youthful citizen's disengagement in politics, here are some of the many factors that cause voter apathy among young eligible voters:
Lack of Relatable and Engaging Political Candidates
The real-world impact of the candidates on most youths is minimal. The conversation is almost always about the past rather than the future, and all political issues are often reduced to a single solution; voting for a candidate because they have more experience.
Disillusionment With the Political System
Young citizens have no reason to trust the government, from the misconduct in the office of politicians to the lack of transparency in policy-making and recent elections. The broken system is the argument that many feel hence low voter turnout. Such attitudes make the youth think that the system doesn't represent them and that the issues that matter to them need to be brought to light by their representatives.
Limited Understanding of the Political Process and Its Implications
Young citizens may be apathetic towards the political process because they need to be fully aware of how important it is to get involved, of the importance of voting, or that their votes count. They feel that the system needs to be more precise, with elections just part of a complicated web of political action hence their low turnout rates.
Insufficient Emphasis on Civic Education
Some people see civic training as a waste of time. Thus, there is no reason to educate students on the importance of elections and democracy issues, not to mention the importance of being informed on topics that may impact their lives.
The Role of Social Media and Online Echo Chambers
A Young voter often gets information on issues from friends, family, and social media. They may need to realize they can get different interpretations or contradictory advice on an issue. Furthermore, they are only sometimes getting the incomplete picture, and if they get the whole truth, their source may be biased somehow.
Furthermore, a young voter has less experience in recent elections than those who have voted in previous presidential elections decreasing their voter turnout.
Strategies to Engage and Empower Younger Citizens
By engaging these young Americans early on, you can inspire casting ballots among them, allowing them to participate in our democracy and keep it alive for generations. You can use the following strategies to engage, empower, and mobilize registration among young citizens who represent much of the country's influence in future elections:
Encouraging Relatable and Inspiring Political Candidates
A younger voter is motivated to get registration when they see someone who is relatable and inspiring. Look for candidates with life experiences or characteristics that connect with the youth. You can achieve this by:
Highlighting Young Candidates and Candidates Who Address Youth Issues
It accomplishes two things. It shows that these issues are essential to the candidate, and young citizens take this as an opportunity to be inspired to get involved in elections. You'll also see a correlation between a candidate's energy level and age. Candidates with the energy, ambition, and vision that come with being younger are usually better at engaging more youthful people hence will improve the voter turnout of the youth.
Focusing on Authenticity and Relatability in Messaging
Young citizens look for candidates who are authentic and have a relatable message. You can accomplish this by generating content that is relevant to the topic of the campaign.
Providing Accessible Information on the Political Process
Young voters are more likely to make an informed decision if provided with the necessary information. You can accomplish this by providing them with information on the political process, including where they can register to vote, what they need to do once they get registered, and how they can use their registration status to vote. Pew research center also provides information on voting.
Simplifying Complex Political Topics and Presenting Them in Engaging Formats
Young people are less likely to be interested in a political candidate if they find their political topics difficult to understand or follow. The age groups of 18-25 and 26-35 will most likely listen to a candidate's message if it's delivered in a video, podcast, or meme format.
Utilizing Social Media and Digital Platforms to Disseminate Information
The youth are incredibly active on social media platforms and are very receptive to candidates who engage. Digital media allows you to get your message out and reach a large crowd of the electorate in a brief period. You can accomplish this by using social media, such as Twitter and Instagram, and platforms like Vine and Snapchat.
Enhancing Civic Tutoring
You can accomplish this by encouraging parents to enroll their children in civic programs. Host a reading club, join a book club, or host an event that promotes interest in politics. A wealth of educational materials is also available online, including lesson plans and webinars on civic tutoring. Some apps allow you to take the civic class on your phone.
Integrating Civic Education in School Curricula
The classroom is the perfect place to begin exposing age groups of children to civic education. You can accomplish this by organizing seminars or workshops that are relevant to current events and are conducted by experts.
In addition, you can host a debate or panel discussion on an issue relevant to the students. Your organization can also offer grants to teachers for educational materials necessary for classroom lessons on civic matters.
Creating Opportunities for Political Involvement
Young voters will likely engage in political activity with multiple participation opportunities. Young voters are also more likely to engage in political action if the event is fun and engaging. It can be done by promoting events that include food, games, or prizes. Tailoring content to engage college students will also increase political involvement. You can also create opportunities for political involvement by:
Creating a Mentorship Program for Youth Voters to Get Registered
This program provides them with the resources they need to vote and shows that the candidate cares about the future of voting in America. You can accomplish this by offering incentives, such as a chance to talk to the candidate on the phone or in person. It also helps to let young voters know it's okay if they voted for any candidate, regardless of their affiliated political party.
Promoting the Importance of Voting and Civic Responsibility
You can accomplish this by giving them reasons why voting is necessary, such as how it is relevant to their lives and how it can help improve their community.
Furthermore, you can promote voting by utilizing celebrity endorsements and social media influencers to encourage early voting.
Young voters are more likely to listen to the opinions of celebrities as they look up to them as role models. You can invite celebrities to endorse your candidate or post their pictures on your social media profiles. In addition, you can offer incentives, such as a chance to meet the celebrity for those who will have voted by 10.00 am. It will encourage early voting.
Social media influencers have a vast reach to young voters of the age group 18-35. You can apply this to your campaign by posting on their social media pages with a large following or having them create content relevant to the topic of the campaign.
Implementing Public Awareness Campaigns Emphasizing the Impact of Voting
Public education campaigns touching on voting, such as teaching young voters how their actions can affect the future and how civic participation is helpful to them, are effective for engaging youth. Furthermore, game tournaments that promote the importance of an election and getting registered are great ways to create an engaging environment and encourage voting.
The Role of Technology in Combating Voter Apathy
Many voters have given up on presidential elections because they feel their voice and vote don't matter. However, technology has made voting one of the most interactive and impactful acts that some naturalized citizens can do toward democracy. Technology has come to aid in fighting voter apathy by allowing people to learn about candidates or political issues without asking friends who may need to be more politically active themselves.
It allows the voting-age population to have political discussions with people of their choosing and enables them to vote on an issue. Most importantly, it has given potential voters a way to see the impact they make by simply voting. The most popular recent example of technology helping fight voter apathy is the Obama campaign's use of text messaging when alerting a voter about early voting. The United States election project created this campaign to create interest in elections through constant text messages every couple of weeks before each election cycle.
People who signed up for the service could also learn about voting locations and political issues and even watch videos of Obama speaking. The most crucial part is that the voting-age population was kept informed on how they could vote as early as possible. There are other ways that technology can fight apathy among voters outside of frequent text messages, such as:
Online Voter Registration and Ease of Access
With technology, it is quicker than ever to get registered to vote. There are many online places where people can get registered to vote in minutes. One of those places is MyVoterGuide.com which enables people to get registered with a username, password combination, and an e-mail address. The website also allows the voting-age population to track their election records and create an account to access their ballot information on election day. It is also an open invitation for people to contact the secretary of state's office.
Implementing Innovative Digital Platforms for Civic Engagement and Political Discourse
Political discussions have been made more interactive with digital platforms by political candidates and the government. Many well-developed websites promote digital discussions on family, education, politics, and other issues. A good example is Ballotpedia, an online voter guide allowing people to learn about candidates by visiting their campaign websites. It also allows users to submit suggestions, create polls and use text message voting.
The technology can provide the voter with free information conveniently while also keeping them updated on the issues they are interested in learning about. It helps the voter learn more about the political issues of today and how they stand on them.
You can also implement a streaming service that allows people to listen to different political speeches and candidates and discuss important issues in public or private chats. The service should also show how much an individual influences other registered voters by showing how often their comments have been quoted or shared.
Leveraging Technology to Facilitate Remote Voting and Enhance Accessibility
The most important aspect of technology you can use to fight apathy among young voters is allowing people to vote worldwide. With technology, registered voters can cast their votes from home or a place of work. It can increase voter turnout and encourage participation in national elections among people even when they are not physically in the best shape.
Remote voting has been made possible as electronically transmitted ballots allow ballots to be cast by machine instead of paper. Remote ballot casting stations allow homebound people to vote from a central location. They allow the voter to vote in person but eliminate the need to visit a polling place on national election day, increasing voter turnout.
Base-line
Voter apathy is an issue that has plagued America for many decades as it leads to low voter turnout. We have fought it by providing alternative methods for participating in the presidential elections that are convenient and pleasant. The future of fighting apathy among young registered voters will rest on how we use technology and how it can help people who cannot vote in person.
Furthermore, addressing apathy among young voters is essential as it represents a critical gap in political participation and civic engagement. To maintain the current voting turnout rate, we will need the younger generation to exercise their right to participate in presidential elections and be engaged in politics. With increased youth engagement in politics, we will also see a rise in voter turnout. It has the added effect of increasing knowledge and awareness of important issues.
As such, political issues like education, income inequality, and health care are among the most discussed issues in the upcoming decades. However, it will mainly take the efforts of community leaders, political candidates, and educators to encourage voter participation effectively and get more youth registered. Many Americans can enjoy a stable economy, just and fair laws, and strong communities with these efforts.
