Peter Levine: Youth Voter Turnout 20%: What does that mean?

[Alcibiades]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-levine/youth-voter-turnout-20-wh_b_778244.html

SNIP

If you are a Democrat, you should not blame young people. They did turn out at fairly typical rates and they supported Democratic candidates, on the whole. Nationwide, in House races, 56% of young people voted for Democratic candidates and 40% voted for Republican candidates. Republicans did somewhat better than in 2008 but much worse than in 1994, 1998, 2000, and 2002, when they ran neck-and-neck with Democrats for the youth vote. Earlier today, Bill Wimsatt wrote on the Huff Post "for four national elections in a row, young voters continue to be the most progressive segment of the population -- and the most progressive generation on record since exit polling began in 1972."

In virtually every state, young adults were the most Democratic age group. For example, Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) won 58% of the under-30 vote but only 44% of seniors. Ron Paul (R) won the Kentucky Senate race easily, but he lost the under-30s by three points. Indiana and Louisiana are exceptions: the Republican Senatorial candidates in those states won the youth vote and performed better with young adults than they did with Gen-Xers (ages 30-44).

SNIP

Of course, in addition to the factors Levine considers, it is worth noting that this cohort included a higher than historically average number of first-generation Americans, some of whom are native-born and some of whom are naturalized, all of whom have historically tended to vote at lower rates than folks whose parents were not immigrants.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=12&ved=0CB0QFjABOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Facademiccommons.columbia.edu%2Fassets%2Ffiles%2Fdownload.php%3Fpid%3Dac%3A124571%26filename%3Dpols_w3245_2009_krawczyk.pdf&rct=j&q=immigrant%20voting%20rate&ei=nUzUTPR2h63wBp7i4f8M&usg=AFQjCNHjaeDEi-VJoQ6foVpnSvhvBjCoEw&sig2=TOIQ9UNLfOk7ZilqRiNTMQ&cad=rja

Recessions also tend to impact voting rates, poor people vote at lower rates, and unemployed people vote at lower rates, all of which add up for a triple-whammy for the young, who are most vulnerable to the recession, and more likely to be poor and unemployed. Married people vote at higher rates, and, of course, younger people are more likely to be single. People also have to move more often in times like these, and young folks are the most mobile, and so are less likely to meet state residency requirements to register.

The good news is that young people get older and tend to retain their political affiliation while voting at a higher rate. As Ruy Teixeira has pointed out, the long term demographics favor progressives. The quote Levine cites is worth repeating:

"the most progressive generation on record since exit polling began in 1972"

I can only hope things don't get too bad before 2012. In the meantime, and I don't mean to be patronizing here, it is up to us in the older generations to recruit young activists, mobilize them, and let them learn from our mistakes so they can make entirely new ones rather than the ones we have already made.

[polichick]

1. 20%?!?! GET OFF YOUR ASSES, YOUNG AMERICA.nt

[UrbScotty]

2. And the stereotyping continues. Ugh.

I have never missed an election in the five years since I turned 18.

Not a November election, not a primary, election, not a school election.

But sure, let's lump me in with those who actually DON'T give two craps. :sarcasm:

[polichick]

3. If you voted, I'm not talking to you - it's the 80% that needs to get off its...

...collective ass - obviously.

[UrbScotty]

5. Well. Okay.

Yeah, I don't know why so many people are so lazy.

[polichick]

8. Even Bristol Palin forgot to vote - how is that possible? nt

[Alcibiades]

4. My bad

You were responding to a response, not the article itself, which is a call to understand the 20% rate, not to decry it.

[UrbScotty]

6. I do that all the time!

[polichick]

7. There really are few excuses not to vote - whatever the age...

Countless celebs and orgs like Rock-the-Vote have tried and tried to get young voters to the polls - but it seems to take a lot of years before voters get the impact that gov't has on people, the environment, the economy, etc.

imo we need a new poll tax - you get taxed if you DON'T vote.

[Alcibiades]

9. Young people have high rates of residential mobility

Many simply have not lived where they live long enough to vote--and voting for the first time is confusing enough without trying to do the absentee process, which most voters of whatever age don't understand. Many are also completing their education, and are confused about where to vote.

We need to remove the obstacles to voting, the main one being our system of voter registration. Universal, automatic voter registration would be a good first step, but the Republicans would never go for that.

The youth turnout of 20% is part of a broader trend of low turnout in off-presidential years: this year's turnout is projected to have been 42%. Part of this could be the reelection rate of incumbents--if the most important job on the ticket is your representative, but he always gets reelected, this can fuel a general perception that the race is uncompetitive and thus suppress turnout.

[polichick]

10. Should we have a better system? Sure. Is it too hard for people to vote now...

No.

Almost everyone in my family had to get an absentee ballot - no big deal.

Young people will plan in advance to buy tickets to concerts, wait all night in line to buy video games, etc. Like I said, a poll tax would help.

[mikekohr]

11. thanks for voting Scotty!

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