Voter participation among 18-29 year-olds has had an upward trend in recent years, but many anticipate a drop on Tuesday.
Although historically, young voters have had low turnout during midterms, the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement reported a three percent increase in young voter turnout from 2002 to 2006 midterm elections.
There has been a nine percent decrease in young voters who reported they will “definitely be voting” in the 2010 midterms from Nov. 2009 to Oct. 2010, according to a survey released by the Harvard University Institute of Politics’ 18th edition of “Survey of Young Americans’ Attitudes Towards Politics and Public Service” on Oct. 21.
Rosie Sontheimer, a journalism senior and president of OU’s Young Democrats, said that she’s perceived an overall lack of interest ranging from the local issues to the statewide and even up to the national level.
“We don’t have Obama running,” Sontheimer said. “We aren’t running against the Republicans. But then the important part is that this election is possibly more important than that election was. In spring of 2011, everyone elected to the state legislature will be voting on redistricting, which is going to affect who goes into Congress.”
In contrast, Hunter Ligon, president of College Republicans and broadcast junior, reports seeing a large amount of political interest and participation on the Republican side.
“I think the typical a young voter is probably someone who doesn’t agree with how America’s being run and is starting to pick up on the news,” Ligon said. “I think students are thinking that Jari Askins isn’t going to be the best person to get them a job after college. And I think they’re also thinking that the Republicans are going to be the most responsible and not lead us into more debt.”
Rock the Vote, a youth vote mobilization research organization, in a September press release stated that of the 18-29 year old demographic, “an overwhelming majority (83%) still says they believe their generation has the power to change our country, yet 59% say they feel more cynical about politics than they did two years ago.”
The Oct. 21 Harvard survey concluded a few reasons why more than 70 percent of young voters concluded they are not sure if they will vote in the midterms. They say the generation that showed their intent on making an impact in 2008 with their large voter turnout now feels discouraged due to a series of events.
“Something happened,” the report said. “The economy crashed. Jobs were lost. Oil spilled. Troops were re-deployed. Partisanship exploded.”
Midterm elections historically are unattractive to non-regular and young voters, according to Mayor Cindy Rosenthal, director of The Carl Albert Center, a nonpartisan Congressional Research & Studies Center.
“Young voters aren’t as involved in the community,” Rosenthal said. “They don’t have kids in the public schools, they don’t have a home, and so they don’t have the same self-interest in the local community. The key is whether they can see the issues in play that will personally effect them.”
Rosenthal identified several potential factors that might have contributed to depressing voter turnout among college students.
“The problems you face with the student population are that first they may not be registered, which is a big problem,” Rosenthal said. “Second, if they are registered it’s probably at home and then they have to find out about absentee voting and what that takes. And third, they’re very transient. While they might have voted in 2008, they’re not necessarily going to be in the same place now.”