By Kaya DeAngelis
To many young adults, the act of voting is complex. It is often seen as a responsibility but may feel personally insignificant. Some see it as a chance to shape their future, while others feel disconnected from a political system that fails to meet their needs.
“While my vote may not feel super life-changing in the moment, I know I am part of a collective and serving something larger than myself,” said Abby Sanwald, a Stonehill College senior. This belief that voting is a chance to spark change and better the future is one shared by many other young voters.
Despite this sense of purpose and civil duty, young people aged 18-29 historically have low turnout rates. Dr. Guillermo Caballero, an assistant professor of political science and international studies at Stonehill College, said that when young people do vote, it’s “only in elections where they actually prefer one candidate over another.”
Joshua Ucran, a Stonehill College senior, said that some of his friends skip out on voting because they don’t think their singular vote can make a difference. Sanwald agreed, saying “they see it either as a waste of time or that their vote won’t do anything.”
For some, participating can feel discouraging. Bailey Turner, a Stonehill College senior, said her last voting experience felt “insignificant,” feeling that with either candidate, the needs of her generation and country would not be met.
“I should have probably felt pride at being able to play a role in deciding who got to run the country,” she said, “but I just didn’t.”
Despite these sentiments, the 2020 Presidential election saw a dramatic increase in youth voter turnout, recording the second-highest youth turnout rate in the past century. According to the Pew Research Center, this was only 50% of the eligible youth voters in the United States.
The reasons behind young people not voting are varied. The importance of making an informed decision is a huge factor. Stonehill College junior Sarah Genoni insists on an educated approach to voting.
“I don’t want to vote for someone just to vote… it’s important for people our age to form their own opinions,” she said. Her current lack of knowledge on the candidates and issues is leaded to her choice not to vote in this year’s upcoming elections.
However, young people choose not to vote for a myriad of reasons. As Caballero put it, “some people are just non-voters, and that’s okay.”
According to an article published by CIRCLE at Tufts University, forty-four percent of young non-voters were disinterested or did not like the candidates. Thirty-one percent were too busy, ran out of time, or missed the registration deadline. Twelve percent said they didn’t vote because they didn’t know how to register or had issues with voter registration forms.
Caballero touched on this issue around voter registration and other barriers to voting, including gerrymandering. Gerrymandering is the manipulation of the boundaries of an electoral district to advantage or disadvantage a party, racial or ethnic group, or socioeconomic class.
Young minority voters are kept from the polls in ways that are deeply systemic, said Caballero. Sometimes it is not well-publicized where and when voting will take place. Other times, working people cannot take time off to travel to the polls, or the polling location is a far distance from rural homes. “Why would you vote when you have to eat?” he said, highlighting the logistical burden that voting can impose on some families.
These systemic barriers may make local elections even more important to young people. Sanwald said that local and state elections have a “direct impact on our daily lives.”
“They affect everything, really. Housing, education, policymaking… I see voting more as a responsibility than a choice,” she said.
While the focus remains on election day, Caballero argues that the American political system is too individualistic, placing too much emphasis on Presidential races.
He said that framing politics around voting is “just plain bad.”
“People tend to think that politics is only about voting,” he said, “but voting is like flossing your teeth. It’s not the end-all-be-all.”
In his viewpoint, voting is only one part of civic life. He emphasized the importance of having regular conversations around voting, being active in your local government, and staying updated on your community events and special elections.
The challenge of talking about politics with peers is another issue for young voters. While Ucran feels comfortable having a “straight up talk about political issues” with close friends, he finds it harder with others.
“You never know how someone will feel about being asked a question like that,” he said, “politics can be a touchy subject for people.”
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