About Voting Statistics for Youth
There are very few boilerplate issues that have as much as excitement as voting. How people vote and if they vote is a subject that monopolize newspaper headlines during an election year. The next generation of voters is always in the purview of politicians and political pundits and statistics surrounding the youth vote are always dramatic.
Other People Are Reading
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Identification
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The 26th amendment allowed for the voting age in all elections to drop from 21 to 18. This immediately gave hundreds of thousands of young people the right to vote. The 1972 presidential election was the first that allowed 18-year-olds the right to vote. "Youth" is defined as anywhere between 18 and 30 years. Recent monikers have called younger generations Millenials or Generation X. In the year 2015, young people will make up 33 percent of the voting population.
Features
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During the 2004 and 2008 elections, the youth vote was overwhelmingly Democratic. It was also largely populated with minorities. Women and African Americans made up a large part of the youth electorate. The largest part of this growing group is Latin American. Only 25 percent of the voting population 18 to 24 years of age is enrolled in college. Grassroots efforts also galvanized this group to volunteer more often than other portions of the electorate.
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Geography
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Great strides are made with the youth vote in typical battleground states. Ohio, Montana, Indiana, Florida and North Carolina all saw significant increases in their youth vote. Voter turnout increased at least 20 percent during the 2004 and 2008 elections. Voter turnout in swing states is key to winning any presidential election. With this kind of turnout among the youth vote, they are a crucial part of the electorate.
Theories/Speculation
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The changing demographic of the youth will influence the direction of both of the major political parties. Republicans and Democrats will make overt efforts to bring minorities and women into the political process as leaders and candidates. The youth voting block will organize and eventually be able to affect major policy change at the local, state and national level in politics.
Benefits
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Addressing the concerns of the youth will greatly benefit political parties who can execute on promises. The economy and well paying jobs are always significant in any voting demographic. Youth support politicians who encourage affordable college education and higher education in general. Candidates who capture the youth with their vision will gain their vote.
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