Youth vote
Encyclopedia
The youth vote is a political term used primarily in the United States
to describe 18 to 29-year-olds and their voting habits.
The term "Youth Vote" goes back to the 1930s, when low-income rural and urban young people in the United States were first mobilized to vote in bloc
s by the youth activism
movement. Their issues were largely related to joblessness
, homelessness, education
, and guaranteed income.
While youth were alternately activated and suppressed in their voting habits through the 1950s, the early 1960s saw a renewed interest in encouraging young peoples' progressive
voting habits. When Students for a Democratic Society
put out a global call to action for youth via the Port Huron Statement
, millions of youth around the world reacted. A variety of youth voting efforts sprung up across Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa. The United States experienced a massive upsurge in youth civic action of all sorts, with a particular emphasis on the youth vote. A variety of organizations, including the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
, the Black Panthers, the Young Lords
, and Youth Liberation of Ann Arbor
each worked to encourage young people to vote together and for common issues.
The number of young voters in the 2008 US presidential election has tripled, even quadrupled in some states compared to the 2004 elections. In his Time Magazine article "why Young Voters Care Again" David Von Drehle reports that "Obama drew more under-30 voters than all Republican candidates combined in South Carolina." Therefore, not only are more young voters turning out to vote, but many of them are voting for Obama.
New technology, the internet especially, is making it easier for candidates to reach the youth and, in turn, more young people are voting. Websites such as Facebook and Youtube not only allow students who don't subscribe to newspapers or watch the evening news stay on top of the polls, but also allows them to share their excitement over the polls and candidates.
Today, a number of organizations proclaim their commitment to garnering the youth voice. They include Our Time
, Rock the Vote
, League of Young Voters, 18 in '08
, Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), Declare Yourself
, Young Voter PAC, WWE Smackdown Your Vote, the New York Public Interest Research Group
(NYPIRG), Headcount
and YouthVote USA.
A 2008 poll has concluded a possible dramatic drop by young voters in the 2008 Canadian election. The poll found that only about 50% of respondents would vote. This was down from the 2006 Canadian election in which 57% of youths voted.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to describe 18 to 29-year-olds and their voting habits.
The term "Youth Vote" goes back to the 1930s, when low-income rural and urban young people in the United States were first mobilized to vote in bloc
Voting bloc
A voting bloc is a group of voters that are so motivated by a specific concern or group of concerns that it helps determine how they vote in elections. The divisions between voting blocs are known as cleavage...
s by the youth activism
Youth activism
Youth activism is when the youth voice is engaged in community organizing for social change. Around the world, young people are engaged in activism as planners, researchers, teachers, evaluators, social workers, decision-makers, advocates and leading actors in the environmental movement, social...
movement. Their issues were largely related to joblessness
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
, homelessness, education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, and guaranteed income.
While youth were alternately activated and suppressed in their voting habits through the 1950s, the early 1960s saw a renewed interest in encouraging young peoples' progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
voting habits. When Students for a Democratic Society
Students for a Democratic Society (1960 organization)
Students for a Democratic Society was a student activist movement in the United States that was one of the main iconic representations of the country's New Left. The organization developed and expanded rapidly in the mid-1960s before dissolving at its last convention in 1969...
put out a global call to action for youth via the Port Huron Statement
Port Huron Statement
The Port Huron Statement is the manifesto of the American student activist movement Students for a Democratic Society , written primarily by Tom Hayden, then the Field Secretary of SDS, and completed on June 15, 1962 at an SDS convention at what is now a state park in Lakeport, Michigan, a...
, millions of youth around the world reacted. A variety of youth voting efforts sprung up across Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa. The United States experienced a massive upsurge in youth civic action of all sorts, with a particular emphasis on the youth vote. A variety of organizations, including the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee ' was one of the principal organizations of the American Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. It emerged from a series of student meetings led by Ella Baker held at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina in April 1960...
, the Black Panthers, the Young Lords
Young Lords
The Young Lords, later Young Lords Organization and in New York , Young Lords Party, was a Puerto Rican nationalist group in several United States cities, notably New York City and Chicago.-Founding:...
, and Youth Liberation of Ann Arbor
Youth Liberation of Ann Arbor
Youth Liberation of Ann Arbor was an organization based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It existed from 1970 to 1979, and is often cited in more recent academic literature as one of the leading forerunners of several youth movements in the United States, including the youth rights movement, youth voice...
each worked to encourage young people to vote together and for common issues.
The number of young voters in the 2008 US presidential election has tripled, even quadrupled in some states compared to the 2004 elections. In his Time Magazine article "why Young Voters Care Again" David Von Drehle reports that "Obama drew more under-30 voters than all Republican candidates combined in South Carolina." Therefore, not only are more young voters turning out to vote, but many of them are voting for Obama.
New technology, the internet especially, is making it easier for candidates to reach the youth and, in turn, more young people are voting. Websites such as Facebook and Youtube not only allow students who don't subscribe to newspapers or watch the evening news stay on top of the polls, but also allows them to share their excitement over the polls and candidates.
Today, a number of organizations proclaim their commitment to garnering the youth voice. They include Our Time
OUR TIME (nonprofit)
Our Time is a membership group for Americans under 30 leveraging strength in numbers in the name of "greater representation of young Americans in all segments of society." The organization descends from Declare Yourself and the Student Association for Voter Empowerment, and began operations as a...
, Rock the Vote
Rock the Vote
Rock the Vote is a non-profit organization in the United States of America whose mission is to engage and build the political power of young people....
, League of Young Voters, 18 in '08
18 in '08
18 in ’08 is a non-profit, nonpartisan peer to peer youth voter engagement and mobilization organization. It was co-founded in 2007 by Dave Burstein, who is the current executive director, and his parents...
, Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), Declare Yourself
Declare Yourself
Declare Yourself is a campaign initiated during the 2004 United States presidential elections to encourage young people to register to vote. It began as the "Declaration of Independence Road Trip", a 50-city cross-country tour of a rare Dunlap broadside of the Declaration of Independence lasting ...
, Young Voter PAC, WWE Smackdown Your Vote, the New York Public Interest Research Group
New York Public Interest Research Group
The New York Public Interest Research Group is a New York State-wide non-partisan political organization. It has existed since 1973. Its current executive director is Rebecca Weber and its founding director was Donald K. Ross. Blair Horner was its Legislative Director for many years.NYPIRG is...
(NYPIRG), Headcount
HeadCount
HeadCount is a nonpartisan organization that works with musicians to promote participation in democracy in the US. It is best known for registering voters at concerts – having signed up 175,000 voters since its launch in 2004. It also encourages voter turnout and general civic participation...
and YouthVote USA.
A 2008 poll has concluded a possible dramatic drop by young voters in the 2008 Canadian election. The poll found that only about 50% of respondents would vote. This was down from the 2006 Canadian election in which 57% of youths voted.
See also
- Youth politicsYouth politicsYouth politics is a category of issues which distinctly involve, affect or otherwise impact youth.-USA:With roots in the early youth activism of the Newsboys and Mother Jones' child labor protests at the turn of the 20th century, youth politics were first identified in American politics with the...
- Youth suffrageYouth suffrageYouth suffrage, or children's suffrage, is the right to vote for young people and forms part of the broader youth rights movement. Until recently Iran had a voting age of 15; Austria, Brazil, Cuba and Nicaragua have a voting age of 16; and Indonesia, East Timor, Sudan, and Seychelles have a voting...
- Apathy is BoringApathy is BoringThe Apathy is Boring Project is a Canadian national non-partisan project that uses art, media, and technology to encourage active citizenry, outreaching to a broad demographic of youth about how to be more involved in their communities and the democratic process.By engaging youth who are...
A Canadian non-profit and non-partisan organization that promotes youth involvement in politics
External links
- Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at the University of Maryland, College Park
- Youth Vote Overseas Online registration and ballot request tools for U.S. voters 18-29 living overseas including students, volunteers and young professionals
- 18 in '08