{"id":2495,"date":"2020-03-19T21:07:25","date_gmt":"2020-03-20T01:07:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2019-2020\/?p=2495"},"modified":"2020-06-09T12:26:58","modified_gmt":"2020-06-09T16:26:58","slug":"will-it-ever-be-possible-to-get-out-the-youth-vote","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2019-2020\/will-it-ever-be-possible-to-get-out-the-youth-vote\/","title":{"rendered":"Will It Ever Be Possible to Get out the Youth Vote?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Bridgette Adu-Wadier<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Photo via Student Reporting Labs Turning Out the Youth Vote series<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Read the original story here<\/a> on PBS NewsHour Extra.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While politicians attempt to engage young adults (ages 18-29) each election season, this group has had low turnout for decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But we may be seeing a shift. In 2018, 36 percent<\/a><\/strong> of young people voted nationwide in the midterm elections \u2013 a large jump in turnout compared to the 2014 midterms, where 20 percent of 18-29-year-olds voted, according to the U.S. Census.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Youth voting choices over the years show a widening gap between votes for Democrats and votes for Republicans. Graph courtesy of the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

But will they come out again en masse in the 2020 general election? While overall youth voter turnout this primary season has disappointed some Democrats, particularly in the Bernie Sanders\u2019 camp, younger voters participated in more voter registration drives and engaged in more political activism than in 2018, according to the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no doubt that young people will have an impact with the issues that they care about.\u201d<\/p>– Abby Kiesa<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no doubt that young people will have an impact with the issues that they care about,\u201d says Abby Kiesa, director of impact at CIRCLE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From climate change to guns and education, many young activists have made national headlines in their efforts to mobilize thousands of other young people. And it is not just the Greta Thunbergs of the world who are making big changes. Youth power political campaigns on the local, state and national levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe amount that young people work on campaigns is immense,\u201d said Kiesa. \u201cBy working on campaigns, elections, investing in leadership, investing in training young people \u2014 the time that they invest is really important.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Youth-driven initiatives such as voter registration drives can help remedy the lack of participation by triggering habits that build over time to increase turnout, according to Kiesa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opportunities such as volunteering on campaigns are not just pivotal for future voters. They are also learning experiences for those who cannot vote or are not yet eligible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Voter turnout for young people has stayed low for various reasons, according to the Center for American Progress<\/strong>,<\/a> including insufficient civics education, a voting process that\u2019s difficult to navigate, relocation for college and jobs as well as missed registration deadlines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many youth face barriers to voting, such as lack of language access, voter ID requirements and reduced early voting opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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