The 26th Amendment of the US Constitution prohibits denying voting rights to any American who is at least 18 years old. This amendment was ratified in 1971 and lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. Much of the pressure to make this change came from the Vietnam War when young men went overseas to fight but were denied the right to vote. “Old Enough to Fight; Old Enough to Vote” became a popular slogan.
The Youth Vote covers the demographic of 18-24-year-olds. Despite the issues that affect these voters heavily like minimum wage and climate change, youth voters have historically not turned out for elections in large numbers. For example, in the 1996 election, 7 out of 10 eligible potential youth voters did not vote.
Are these voters just apathetic? Some are, for sure. But the voting process can be burdensome with its registration requirements and separate time for voting. Young people move a lot as a demographic during this time of life, whether it’s to attend college or move elsewhere to find a job. Candidates don’t often focus on these voters because they’re harder to engage than middle-aged voters with families. This creates a cycle where youth voters aren’t engaged and then they don’t turn out to vote. This leads to candidates not wanting to spend campaign time and money chasing unreliable votes. Youth voters have not been invested in the same way their older counterparts have been.
This election has presented another hurdle for the Youth Vote—COVID-19. College campuses across the nation have gone online. Organizers have had to use digital strategies to reach these voters, heading to platforms like Tik Tok, Instagram, and Snapchat. However, most of the voting efforts focus on college students, ignoring non-students and poorer youth who may not have reliable internet access. Students living in hotels near college campuses can’t use the hotel’s address as a permanent address. COVID-19 outbreaks could also force some students home with little or no time to register before the election. This could affect youth turnout.
But here’s some good news. According to a survey published in the Harvard Gazette, the Youth Vote could decide this election. Turnout is expected to break records (Double-digit increases were seen in 31 states in the 2018 midterms and this election is expected to be even bigger) Youth Voters are engaging in voting now more than ever because of issues at stake that are important to them—student loan debt, civil rights, job opportunities, and climate change—and of course, the pandemic response.
Here’s just how powerful that turnout could potentially be. The Youth Vote makes up 25% of the electorate but has been underrepresented since the ratification of the 26th Amendment. Had youth voters been the only ones voting in the Presidential election of 2016, it is predicted that Hillary Clinton would have received 420 Electoral Votes to Trump’s 118. Donald J. Trump would not be President and many, many policies and US positions would be dramatically different. Youth voters have been shaped by events like the Parkland shootings and concern for racial and gender equality and LBGTQ rights and lean in favor of gun control, expanded civil rights, strong action on climate change, student loan forgiveness, and an increased minimum wage.
The Youth Vote can change the trajectory of the nation’s future. Staying informed, engaged, registered, and ready to vote as a Youth Voter means that you’re not just ready to be an active participant in democracy. It means you’re going to contribute to what will be written in the history books and what will change the future of the country.