Youth vote

The youth vote in the United States is a political term used to describe 18- to 24-year-olds and their voting habits. Many policy areas specifically affect the youth of the United States, such as education issues and the juvenile justice system. The general trend in voter turnout for American elections has been decreasing for all age groups, but “young people’s participation has taken the biggest nosedive”. This low youth turnout is part of the generational trend of voting activity. Young people have the lowest turnout, though as the individual ages, turnout increases to a peak at the age of 50 and then falls again. Ever since 18-year-olds were given the right to vote in 1972, youth have been under represented at the polls. In 1976, one of the first elections in which 18-year-olds were able to vote, 18-24 year-olds made up 18 percent of all eligible voters in America, but only 13 percent actually voted - an under-representation of one-third. In the next election in 1978, youth were under-represented by 50 percent. “Seven out of ten young people…did not vote in the 1996 presidential election… 20 percent below the general turnout”. In 1998, out of the 13 percent of eligible youth voters in America, only five percent voted. During the competitive presidential race of 2000, 36 percent of youth turned out to vote and in 2004, the “banner year in the history of youth voting,” 47 percent of the American youth voted. Recently, in the 2008 U.S. Presidential election, the number of youth voters tripled and even quadrupled in some states compared to the 2004 elections.

The lack of youth participation in the voting process is not a random phenomenon. There are multiple variables that have an influence on the voting behaviors of youth in the United States.

The voting process has two steps. An eligible voter - a U.S. citizen over the age of 18 - must first register to vote and then commit the act of voting. The voting process is regulated by each state individually and therefore varies from state to state. The process of registering to vote is different depending on the state. Pre-registration is available to youth under the age of 18 in 20 states and Washington D.C. Potential voters may also register on Election Day - or on the day on which they vote early - in 10 states and Washington D.C. This may be done at the polling place or at an election official's office. Residents of the 40 states which do not allow same day registration require potential voters to register by a deadline, typically from eight to 30 days out from the election. Over half of the states in the U.S. offer some sort or online voter registration. This consists of the same process as a paper registration form, only it is digital on the internet and send to election officials to review over the web. This process was first introduced in Arizona in 2002. There are different regulations on the time and avenue through which a citizen can vote. Early voting is available in 33 states and Washington D.C. This must be done in person at a designated polling place. Early voting period lengths vary from state to state. If a potential voter is not able to vote in person on Election Day or during the early voting period, they may request an absentee ballot. In 20 states, an excuse must be filed to receive the absentee ballot. In 27 states and Washington D.C., a voter may acquire an absentee ballot without an excuse. In Washington, Oregon and Colorado all voting is done through the mail. A ballot is mailed to the voters residence and after the voter fills it out, he/she may mail it back. No in person polls are conducted. Otherwise, the typical voting period is twelve hours on a weekday at which time voters must go to the polls in person and cast their votes.

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Wikipedia