Written by Adoni Sopshire Edited by Eliza Dorton and Annika Lilja
With a 50% youth voter participation rate, 2020 saw the highest turnout since the voting age was lowered to 18 in 1971. Looking back on the 2024 election, Tufts University estimates that 42% of voters aged 18 to 29 cast ballots this year, a decrease from the 50% turnout in 2020. Tensions are higher than ever– but young voters are losing faith in their ability to incite change. A recent GenForward study revealed that 60% of voters ages 18-26 do not believe the current democratic system is just, with 40% not trusting their local, state, or federal governments. Perhaps this can be tied to events that evoke uncertainty in the pursuit of justice by the American government, such as the January 6th insurrection and its aftermath, the abuse of the presidential pardon, and the funding of Israel amidst the war in Gaza. Researchers are unable to solidify the reasoning behind this new “fatalistic” viewpoint towards voting among our youth, but all signs point to the 2020 pandemic (Lempinen).
During a time of rioting, isolation, and “doom scrolling” –a term used to describe the endless intake of negative news during the pandemic– the American youth were forced to take inventory of the values most important to them; self-discovery and expression were emphasized through social media, and relatable online communities for teens were formed. This confidence can be seen in the 2020 high youth voter turnout. With everything online, a general sense of power radiated; online circles felt revolutionary and possibilities were infinite. Beyond the perceived power of teens, the politicization of mask regulations gave teens a reason to care– or at the very least, to vote. With the end of the pandemic and the regulation of masks fading, this driving force behind voting is no longer relevant. Coupled with recent atrocities and violence permeating the news, many young people have lost confidence in their ability to incite change.
Now that the pandemic has ended, conflicts have only intensified; between the ongoing war in Gaza, uncertain reproductive freedoms, and a warming climate, teens feel that the damage is beyond partisan control. Through the pessimistic viewpoints, though, one positive fact has been found: among both conservative and liberal teens, egalitarian beliefs– those that emphasize equality and justice for all– have become more prominent (Heyes). These egalitarian beliefs show a promising future for teens that expands beyond partisan lines and suggests teens are active, or at the very least moved, in ways that can’t be gauged through polls. Although teens are disillusioned by their inability to incite societal change through voting, many teens have chosen more direct methods of impact, such as community volunteering, monetary donations, or protests.
Sources:
circle.tufts.edu/latest-research/half-youth-voted-2020-11-point-increase-2016
www.thecivicscenter.org/blog/youth-voting-in-2024-election
www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/flashpoint/how-youth-vote-impacted-2024-election/275-4f3220ec-578a-4091-88e9-24437f21ded4.
https://genforwardsurvey.com/