We are a paradoxical group of young people. We are often characterized as being a generation full of confident, aspirational, and assertive individuals, yet when it comes to voting, we are one of the least represented groups out there. So, why aren’t we voting?
We don't trust those slimy politicians
In 1972, 18-year-olds were given the right to vote. Coincidentally, this is the same year Richard Nixon was caught ordering thugs to break into the Watergate Hotel to steal important documents. Not cool, Tricky Dicky. This destroyed the youth’s perception of politicians.
Young people did not want to vote for a slimy, dishonest government then, and we still don’t now. This perception was only perpetuated with Bill Clinton, who did in fact have sexual relations with that woman. The most hurtful lie a politician has ever told was Ronald Reagan, when he said, “Trees cause more pollution than automobiles do.” Nowadays, politicians are almost expected to be cheating criminals who lie, manipulate, and commit fraud. Don’t get me wrong. There are some honest, good-hearted politicians out there somewhere, but they are being drowned out with all the bad apples falling off Reagan’s polluted tree in Washington.
We can't relate to topics they talk about
Candidates speak on issues that relate to their anticipated voting audience: middle-aged adults. The problem is that young people don’t care about the same things middle-aged people do. We have little interest in social security because we can’t even find jobs. We have little interest in medical insurance because we are in the prime of our lives with little to no health problems.
We have little interest in a lot of issues that are usual talking points. We want to talk about affordable education because we are drowning in student loans, and are looking for a way to avoid debt. We want to discuss the job market because we are trying to plan future careers. We want to talk about war because we are the generation that will be deployed for war efforts we may not agree with. Our parents aren’t the only ones with voter registration cards.
Candidates don’t campaign to us, especially in California
Candidates overlook us when they are on the campaign trail because we have low voter turnout. It is a vicious cycle: Politicians do not reach out because we do not vote, and we do not vote because politicians do not reach out. Someone has to break the cycle, and it won’t be us. How are we supposed to know who to vote for if a candidate doesn’t tell us their positions on the issues? We face a double whammy here in California because we live in a very Democratic leaning state. No politician, Democrat or Republican, will waste their time campaigning in an already decided state when swing states like Ohio and Florida cannot make up their mind.
Our vote doesn’t matter
You are more likely to be hit by lightning twice than you are to be the deciding vote in a presidential election, and even if a candidate wins the popular vote, they could still lose the election - the beauty of the electoral college system. That being said, if your vote means nothing, why on earth would you waste your time standing in line to press a button when you could be watching the new episode of "The Walking Dead" in your pajamas? Imagine if everyone in the country felt that exact same way. Literally no one would step foot in a polling booth. We have to get over the fact that our vote means little. If our entire generation doesn’t go out and vote in 2016, something atrocious will happen. Donald Trump will happen.
