This November I'll be able to vote in my first Presidential election, and I'm thrilled to see that the election is drawing more people my age into the political process because this means that politicians will have to pay attention to the needs and concerns of the under 25 crowd. Through such resources as MTV and MySpace, young people have easier opportunities to get informed. Almost all the candidates have ideas for specific programs that will help the young people of America. A recent poll on MTV asked who young people thought worked hardest to get the support of young voters. The poll showed Barack Obama on top. This is not too surprising considering he has programs in mind to help young people (affordable health care, increasing the funding for college) and stances on major issues that young people can understand and support.
Yet, despite this, not even half of my peers caucused in Minnesota last winter plan to vote in the Presidential Election. Why do so many young people still choose not to vote? For me, it was never a question of if I wanted to vote. In my mind voting is an obligation as an intelligent and functioning member of a democratic society.
I decided to find out from my peers why they were not voting. Overwhelmingly, there were only two answers: “I don’t do politics!” or “It’s not like one vote makes that big of a difference anyways…”
These responses can be easily refuted. A person living in a democracy does politics every single day when you write a copay at the doctor's office or return your library book and no one cares what you were reading. And if the 2000 election taught us anything, it taught us that every single vote makes a big difference.
Despite every celebrity who “rocks the vote” and every politician who works to convince young people that their “vote really does count!” it’s not convincing everyone. Something needs to be done to convince my peers that voting is important, worthwhile, and, yes, I'll say it, exhilarating.
I think politicians like Barack Obama are a step in the right direction. Young people can relate to an Oprah-adored, 40 something, racially diverse man much easier than they can relate to a 70 something, white man who is just more of the same nonsense that has been plaguing our country for the past eight years. It also helps when candidates, like Barack Obama, have specific plans that will directly affect the young.
I don’t have a better answer as to what can be done to convince every young voter to go out and vote. However, I do know that the future is going to be scary if large groups of us who are that future refuse to "do politics", don’t think their vote counts, and don’t even bother to get informed on issues. Ignorance is not okay and being apathetic does not make the problems go away.
All I know, is that for my part, I'll keep harassing my peers and try to persuade them to vote because this is our chance to let our voices be heard and to create change for the better.
Clare Barrowman Casey
September 2008
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