Half of young people didn’t vote in 2020. That can change.

Sep 16

Introduction

For decades, political scientists have studied a consistent trend in elections, not just in the U.S., but throughout the world: low youth turnout at the ballot box. These young people, between 18 and 24 years of age, are consistently outvoted by their elders; the 2016 election saw a 56% overall turnout, yet only a 39.4% youth turnout. Luckily, those numbers improved in 2020, with a 61.3% overall turnout and a 48% youth turnout.

Despite the uptick in voting, that’s less than half of all eligible young voters who are making their voices heard. According to a U.S. Census report, 66.7% of the U.S. population ages 18+ were registered to vote. That figure reaches 75.9% for the 65-74 age group, 20.1 percentage points higher than the rate of registered 18-24 year olds. These statistics vary greatly by state as well. New Jersey stands out, with 75.3% of 18-24 year old citizens having voted in the 2020 election. Conversely, only 30.5% of young citizens in Oklahoma did the same (1).

Recent studies have shown that youth interest in voting is high, but a lack of registration and information remains an obstacle.

Today, we’ll walk through why this phenomenon might be happening, and concrete steps on how it can change.

Why do young people in particular turn out at low rates?

There’s no one reason that young people vote less than older citizens. However, political science research has centered on a few main trends that seem to contribute to the issue.

First, voting is a habit. A 1998 Yale University study found that casting a ballot in one election makes voters “significantly more likely” to participate in subsequent elections. Like any other good habit, it must be built up over years of consistency, and must be reinforced by positive examples from the external environment. Both of these criteria for cementing a strong habit prove difficult to many young people. First, because of the very nature of their age, young people have had less opportunities to practice voting and reinforce it as a habit. Then, given the novelty of voting, their peers also don’t model voting habits, reinforcing a lack of social influence to vote.

Barriers for young voters include a lack of time, financial security, and access to civics education. Young people often have rigid work schedules and less money in their bank accounts, making it difficult to sacrifice a day off of work to make it to the ballot box.

Additionally, making a plan to vote or even figuring out where your polling place can seem intimidating and confusing, especially if you’re doing it for the very first time. A study on youth voting performed by professors at the University of Virginia and Duke University, published in 2020, concluded that many young people feel that they don’t have the time or energy to get registered to vote, comb through candidate information, make a list of who to vote for, and research where their polling place is (let alone getting to the polls to cast a ballot).

Finally, even informed young people vote less because they are primarily engaged in other forms of political action. Typically, younger generations are more likely to engage in citizen activism: participating in public protests, spreading awareness on social media, and signing petitions for issues key to them such as environmental conservation and economic equity. . This trend makes it clear that young people don’t lack an interest in and passion for civic engagement, but rather face both systemic and perceived barriers of entry to involvement in the democratic process.

What can be done to increase turnout?

As we’ve established, young people want to get involved. In fact, a recent study suggests that 85% of young people have an interest in public affairs, and a staggering 83% actually intend to vote (4). Thus, efforts to increase engagement should focus on removing logistical barriers and helping young people get registered and make a plan to vote wherever they reside.

This can be tricky as voter registration rules and election systems vary from state-to-state. For example, California voters can pre-register as early as age 16, whereas Texas permits a person who is 17 years and 10 months of age to register. Arkansas, on the other hand, among 24 other states, does not outline a specific age, but rather allows young people to register as long as they will be 18 by the next general election. North Dakota simply does not require registration before election day at all (5).

No wonder young people may find it confusing and need some navigation. That’s why BallotReady created Registration Engine. In just a few easy steps, users can check their registration status, get registered to vote in their state, and identify key upcoming elections in their districts.

Finally, newly registered voters can take advantage of Ballot Engine, which synthesizes candidate information for users. You can browse candidate biographies, positions on the issues you’re passionate about, and get an in-depth look at the exact questions that will be on your ballot.

Conclusion

It hasn’t always been the case that a majority of America’s young voters stayed home on Election Day. In the 1960s, youth turnout in presidential elections was nearly 60%, in part due to the direct stake young voters had in the military drafts of World War II and the Vietnam War. Young people led the charge in ratifying the 26th amendment in 1971, reducing the minimum voting age and granting 18-20 year-olds civic privileges that matched what was being asked of them by the draft. In short: policies that directly affect the lives of young voters make young voters more likely to vote. Bringing concrete issues that young voters are passionate about to the forefront in policy-making will ultimately be the most effective motivator - and, concurrently, it’s key to get as many young people registered and prepared to vote as possible.

BallotReady exists to break down barriers to voting, to simplify the complex processes involved, and to personalize every one’s voting experience. We’re with you every step of the way, whether you’ve been voting for decades or this is your very first election.

Interested in seeing how it works? Sign up for a demo to get in touch!