Each election cycle the youth vote gets hyped, yet each cycle its impact proves insignificant. Not since 1972 has more than 50 percent of young adults (defined 18-24) voted in a presidential election. Historically, the youth vote has been the most under-represented of any demographic in national elections. For perspective, young adults constituted 13 percent of the total voting-age citizen population in 2004, but made up only 9 percent of the voting population. In comparison, adults 55 and older composed 31 percent of the voting-age citizen population, but were 35 percent of the population that voted in the presidential election. Many factors have played into this under-representation; the most important difference being registration. Again, in 2004, 79 percent of citizens over 55 were registered to vote, compared to 58 percent of young adults. This is yet another reason why the recent Montgomery County Registrar's misleading warning sent to Virginia Tech students about false registration difficulties was so disconcerting, since registration has a high correlation with voting (in 2004, 89 percent of registered voters reported they voted). Since 1964, the percentage of young adults voting has decreased markedly, from 50.9 percent in 1964 to 32.3 percent in 2000 (with 1992 being the only anomaly, where voting increased to 42.8 percent from 36.2 percent in 1988, only to fall again to 32.4 percent in 1996).
However, it is not as though inroads haven't been made. In 2004, the voting rate jumped to 46.7 percent, the highest since 1972. And while in 2004 young adults had the lowest voting and registration rates, since the 2000 presidential election they have had the largest increase in both rates out of any group, with registration rates increasing by 7 percent and voting rates increasing 11 percent. The pundits are again proclaiming this the year the youth rocks the vote."" Some indicators are backing their claim. The primary season saw voter turnout increase over 120 percent from 2000, and young voter participation doubled and even tripled in some states. A recent study done by Harvard's Institute of Politics found that ""more than 3-in-5 young voters are excited about the election."" This generation of young adults is also more likely than ever before to graduate high school and pursue higher education. This is significant because at each successive level of educational achievement, registration and voting rates increase (78 percent of those with a bachelor's degree voted, compared to 40 percent of those who had not completed high school).
Although a 47 percent voting rate seems good, it pales in comparison to the 66 percent rate of voters 25 and older. Until the youth vote shows up to the polls and forces Washington to respect them as a viable voting contingent with political power and might, young adults will continue to be overlooked and marginalized. Washington operates under the general assumption that people with bigger stakes are the most likely to go to the polls: older individuals, homeowners, married couples and people with more schooling, higher income and better jobs. Washington will continue to assume, because history has so far proven them right, that young people will register and vote at lower rates because of mitigating factors like our transient nature or our general attitude of ignorance and indolence.
It is not as if young adults don't have an important stake in the direction and future of our country. The major crises facing our nation may affect us the most because we have the most to lose long term: the economy (re: job market, retirement savings, home ownership), wars of choice, foreign relations, immigration, rising costs of education, health care and social security. We can't continue to vote at half the rate of those over 55 years of age (in 2000, 72 percent of 55 and older voted, just 36 percent of those 18-24 voted). The baby boom generation has had their chance. They were supposed to be the generation that would indelibly shape the direction of the country for the better. Well, after 16 years of baby boom rule, our country is in the midst of some of our biggest challenges since the Great Depression. We face a dysfunctional political system that seems to be a ""tale rooted in old grudges and revenge plots hatched on a handful of college campuses long ago - played out on the national stage.""
There is a growing X/Y generational divide forming between those under 40 and those over, and this election is a chance for new voices and new approaches to be heard. But the change must begin with you exercising this right, a right that has seen men spit in the faces of Kings to defend; that has seen free men endure lynchings and unspeakable atrocities to defend; seen grandmothers, mothers and daughters suffer decades of humiliation to defend; and seen Reverends giving speeches about dreams that bring tears to grown men's eyes to defend. It is a right so easy to exercise that all you have to do is wake up one morning every two years with the determination to find your local polling place and cast a ballot. Yet it is a right so venerated, so exceptional, that people have died just for the opportunity to say they did it. Tuesday, November 4th is your opportunity to help shape this country in your image. Please vote.
Joseph Koss is a junior majoring in secondary education in social studies. Please send responses to opnion@dailycardinal.com.
