Feel democracy come alive in your ballot! Smell the PAC money in the air! Hum the "Electoral College" song from Schoolhouse Rock as you take your place in history! Hear George Washington roll in his grave and wheeze out, "I said no bipartisan politics..."
Distrust of old, white politicians and voter apathy might as well be another defining characteristic of Gen Y. According to a 2013 Harvard Institute of Politics poll, nearly 59 percent of people under the age of 30 agreed that elected officials are motivated by selfish reasons, and only 35 percent believe that running for office is an honorable thing to do. Considering that 65 percent of people under the age of 30 think all politicians are huge scumbags, it makes sense that nobody really wants to participate in the political process.
According to the US Census, 45 percent of citizens aged 18-29 voted out of those eligible in 2012, compared to 72 percent of those over the age of 65.
However, the fact of the matter is that social, environmental and economic issues are all highly entrenched within the American government. There are too many issues that affect millennials immediately that need to be addressed. College debt, Social Security, healthcare, federal minimum wage and the growing wealth inequality are just a few, tiny little examples of those issues.
Honestly? You can’t afford not to care. Opting out of voting doesn't solve any political issues.
Voting when eligible also allows politicians, representatives and congressmen, to get a general idea of the demographics of participation. The government doesn’t know who you voted for, but they do know whether or not you voted. The statistical data is used to determine which demographics are more active in the political process, and politicians will literally frame their political campaign around this data. Thus, populations with lower voter turnout are going to have their issues given less attention.
This same reason is why politicians work hard to please older voters. The interests of older generations are consistently protected, as politicians know that their opinions matter more since they vote consistently. Older, white, property-owning citizens shape public policy.
America’s political process should reflect the interests of its entire people, not just old white voters. People of color, those in poverty and younger generations are just as much part of America — unfortunately, we have to prove that through numerical voter strength. In order to have lawmakers focus on us, we have to speak up. The reality is that our political value isn't guaranteed unless we prove it to the people at the White House.
Voting now could also symbolize great political power in the future. Voting has been found to be “habit-forming” — young people who learn the voting process now are likely to continue voting in future elections. Getting young people to vote early could lead to a future of active Gen Y voters, according to a report by The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE).
There are a lot of other factors surrounding voter eligibility that may negatively impact Gen Y. The process requires a permanent address, a state ID and the time and transportation necessary to vote on Election Day. This explains a large amount of drop-in and drop-out activity. Many minorities, younger citizens and poor people can find it hard to fulfill any or all of those requirements.
Meanwhile, old, white, property-owners don’t have the same issue. The voting records prove that: Turnout has only dropped by two percentage points over the last quarter-century, according to data from TargetSmart Communications.
According to CIRCLE, 46 million young people are eligible to vote, while only 39 million seniors are eligible to vote. Young people 18-29 make up 21 percent of the voting eligible population in the U.S. That’s over one fifth of the U.S.
Overall, the youth can’t be so forgiving of itself. The generation is already often accused of laziness and “slacktivism” — or online social activism that requires little time or involvement. Voting — in all elections, presidential, congressional or local —is the most powerful way to show that Gen Y is an active part of the United States’ political process.
The young vote helped put Barack Obama into office in 2008 and 2012. According to analysis by the CIRCLE, Obama captured the youth vote in his reelection, with young voters proving the decisive difference in Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio. If Romney had achieved a 50-50 split among the youth, he could have flipped those states to his column and won.
The youth decides the potential presidents, legislation and attitudes of the future by voting. And, of course, the future affects the youngest age groups the most, considering we’re the ones who are going to be living in it.
Those who don’t vote, frankly, have no right to complain about "the sorry state of politics" since no action was taken when the opportunity existed. After you vote, feel free to post as many of those terrible Impact font memes as you want on your Facebook.
Another important note — vote in your state's primary! The primaries are arguably a lot more important than the elections themselves. The gerrymandering of districts often means that areas are going to consistently lean towards a party, regardless of candidate. Thus the primaries, in which the representative candidate is chosen, are crucial. Keep updated as the dates approach.
Do not become disenchanted with the government — that might be what politicians even want us to do for their own benefit. The dangerous assumption that millennials have no power is only a perpetuation of those who do not know us, speaking for us. There’s a place for youth in government.
Brush up on your politics. Now with the ease of information access online, there’s no excuse not to. Whether you’re liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican or another third party, get involved! Register to vote on this badly designed government website. It's all part of being an American. Our Founding Fathers would want no less.
