A young woman casting her vote. Photo by adamkaz/Getty Images.
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From coconut trees to cats and dogs, the youth population has appeared to have vested more effort and interest in this election—or at least, these past 50 days—than can be said for past cycles. However, does this recent onslaught of social media videos and edits accurately reflect the youth voting pool’s intentions of staying engaged and following through to vote? Should we expect to see much from these young voters this election? Although they mock politicians’ nonsensical debate claims, is the U.S. barking up the wrong tree by counting on this cohort to keep up their energy and enthusiasm all the way to the polling booths?
With an impending election day and razor-thin margins between candidates, the 2024 presidential election has been described as the tightest, most nail-biting one yet. With hot-button issues like abortion, immigration, and the perpetually mentioned Project 2025, getting to the polls could be more consequential now than ever, making the countdown to election day resemble more of a doomsday clock.
The closer we get to November 5th, the more that candidates’ heads turn toward stereotypically undecided and unmotivated voters, such as the 18-29 age group. While the youth vote has experienced a rise in the past decade, it still lags behind in the rankings of generational voter percentages. Social media has acted as a kind of gateway into politics for teens, exposing them to party policies and current events. Simultaneously, social media can also lead to echo chambers and the spread of misinformation.
Graphic depicting youth voting trends in the past decade (Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement).
Youth activity on social media may hyperbolize how engaged this group is and, by proxy, overexaggerate what the candidates should expect from them. Though it remains true that youth voter turnout is on the rise, there remains major room for improvement. In a 2022 study conducted by Tufts University, the highest percentage of youth turnout seen in the states is a mere 37%, with some states such as Tennessee dipping to the low teens. The problem lies less in making these individuals aware of the political landscape and more on persuading them to get out and cast their votes.
One may point a finger at the dwindling belief in government for these underwhelming figures. There seems to be a mutual loss of faith: the older generations counting less on the youth to show out, and the youth believing less in the political world they are entering. In a 2022 study done by US News, polling of 18 to 29-year-olds revealed that 42% of respondents “don’t believe [their] vote will make a real difference.” Notably, that figure had increased eleven points from the same poll conducted four years prior.
So why do we see an increase in these numbers? Voters often described choosing a candidate to vote for in the coming election as a choice of “the lesser of two evils.” One stand-out issue voters shared almost universally during the Trump-Biden race was the age of the candidates. With 60-year-old Kamala Harris being the new Democratic nominee (compared to 78-year-old Trump and 81-year-old Biden), some ground has been gained—especially in regards to the youth vote.
These budding citizens also wish to see more representation and have their voices heard. As such, there has even been talk of “widening the range” of this peer group. While reevaluating the voting age is worthy of discussion, with how high-stakes the 2024 presidential election has been branded, our main goal should be engaging those who already meet the requirements to vote.
A protestor in New York advocates for voter participation (Ira L. Black-Corbis/Getty Images).
As a member of the aforementioned voter pool, I encourage all those who are eligible to register to vote to cast their ballots and make their voices heard. Merely complaining about the political scene is inconsequential and, quite frankly, hypocritical. If we want to see an improvement in our options, we must put in the effort to see that change. This means getting out to the polling stations or applying for your mail-in ballots and actually voting. This is our own future that we are building, and if we continue to simply protest and boycott contributing to it, we are only hurting ourselves. Cast your vote, stay involved, and encourage your friends and family to do the same.
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This article was edited by Sofia Roshan Hope Gellada.
