Young Voters Are Driven By The Urge To Protect Their Rights, students and an expert say

 By Sierra Benger

Some students and an expert say that trends surrounding young adult voting are focused on defending civil rights and shaping an inclusive atmosphere.

 Courtney Goyette, a freshman at Stonehill College, said she feels it’s important for her voice to be heard, especially as a woman, and plans on going to the polls to vote.

“I want to feel that my opinion is valued and know that I at least did my part. As a woman, a lot of my rights have been dictated by men. I can’t necessarily change this, but by voting as a woman, I at least can vote for people who prioritize my rights,” said Goyette.

Emma Harrison, a Stonehill College freshman. She also said that lower voting turnout rates might be due to some youth not having the privilege of detailed education and resources to help them grasp political matters.

In a study by The Circle at Tufts, young adults were asked why they chose not to vote.

In this study, 14% said they didn't have enough information about the candidates and how to vote.

According to their post-election poll, 17% of young people of color, compared to 10% to white youth, said that they didn’t vote due to lack of information about the candidates and voting process.

 who plans to vote during the next election at the polls, said she feels compelled to vote to support her rights as a woman and a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

“It’s important for women to vote because we haven’t even had this right for very long, and men should not determine our rights. Also, as a lesbian, I want to vote for someone who supports my rights. Being gay isn’t political, it’s part of my identity, and I don’t want someone in office who will act like it's a political matter,” said Harrison.

Irene Houde, a sociology professor at Stonehill College who specializes in gender and LGBTQ+ studies, said that she thinks that many members of the LGBTQ+ community tend to be politically active because their rights have been debated for centuries.

“Members of the LGBTQ+ community need to be active in the political atmosphere because their rights are being directly impacted,” Houde said.

Also focused on protecting his rights, Nasir Litchmore, a sophomore at UMass Lowell, feels compelled to vote at the polls to advocate for equality as a member of the Black community.

“I’m voting because I think it’s important to vote for someone who has everyone’s rights and well-being in mind. As a Black man, I feel it’s important to vote and elect people into office who care about my struggles and who want to uplift and support the black community and other minorities,” said Litchmore.

A freshman at Stonehill College, Peilan Bedell, plans on voting in-person and said that not only is it important to vote for a candidate who will prioritize your rights, but also to keep in mind ballot questions that can affect the lives of many.

“It’s good to be politically aware, and I think everyone should exercise their rights as citizens. I also want to have a say, not only about who will be in office, but also through the ballot questions. Personally, I find these important because some of the questions affect me and people I know,” said Bedell.

While some students feel strongly about protecting their rights and having a say in the government's decisions, statistically young adults have much lower voting turnout rates than older age groups.

In 2024, 47.7% of citizens 18-24 years old voted, while voter turnout for 25-44 year olds was 60.2%, for 45-64 year olds it was 70%, and for 65 years old and older it was 74.7%, according to usafacts.org.

She also said that lower voting turnout rates might be due to some youth not having the privilege of detailed education and resources to help them grasp political matters.

In a study by The Circle at Tufts, 14 percent of young adults who didn’t choose to vote said they didn't have enough information about the candidates and how to vote.

According to the post-election poll, 17 percent of young people of color, compared to 10 percent to white youth, said that they didn’t vote due to lack of information about the candidates and voting process.

Professor Houde said that younger adults have lower voting turnout rates because of lack of knowledge and exposure to the political system.

“Older age groups are more politically active because through their adult years they’ve gained more knowledge and experience in political matters,” said Houde.