According to the Civic Youth, 19.9 percent of 18 to 29-year-olds cast ballots in the 2014 elections. (This was the lowest youth turnout rate in any federal election.)
46 million young people ages 18-29 are eligible to vote.
Young people (18-29) make up 21 percent of the voting eligible population in the U.S.
21 percent of the voting eligible population... Our vote can have a huge impact on federal elections. Why don't we take advantage of this opportunity?
Now, don't get me wrong. I include myself in these embarrassing percentages. This isn't a finger-pointing article against our generation, but an exploration to better understand why we fail to use our privileges as U.S. citizens.
We all get it, right? Our generation is... Well, not to be harsh... But failing to take advantage of our responsibilities as U.S. citizens. So, what's there to do? Here are five tips--routines, apps, and various tools--to become better informed, and overall, better U.S. citizens.
1. Set a news site as your homepage.
attribution: http://www.cnn.com/feedback/help/homepage/frameset...
Setting a general news website, such as CNN or FOX News can better inform you on a day-to-day basis. It’s all about routine and familiarity. Waking up and opening your laptop to a top news site can create a healthy habit of waking up informed. Yet, there’s more than just setting these sites as your homepage. You must read them! From politics to local news and government decisions—even quickly scanning the headlines can become a way to stay up to date with the world around you.
2. Memorize general facts.
attribution: http://www.pewresearch.org/quiz/the-news-iq-quiz/
Alright… Let’s go through a few questions that every American should be familiar with.
How many branches of government are there? If both the president and vice president can no longer serve, who becomes president? Who appoints the Supreme Court justices? Who are your state senators?
Random questions such as these may not seem important, but they are. Keep up to date with general policies, names of government officials, and what’s going on in the voting arena. Trust me, it can take you a long way.
3. Download news apps.
attribution: http://www.theskimm.com
Ever heard of the Skimm? It. Is. Brilliant. Highly trained editors read what’s in local and national news, highlight important points, and summarize the information all in a beautiful app for us to skim! How genius is that? We all wake up and check Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, etc. Making the Skimm one of our morning check routines is an easy step for becoming more aware U.S. citizens!
4. Watch the news.
attribution: http://abcnews.go.com/WNN/video/abc-news-rob-nelso...
Seems pretty simple, right?! Well, apparently not. According to the Atlantic, only 55 percent of young people from ages 18 to 29 use TV as one of their main sources for news. Why is this? Many of us wake up, watch a few Netflix episodes, and begin our day. Beginning our days with Netflix along with watching 15 minutes of local news is an extremely easy tool for becoming better equipped to make a change in our society.
5. Vote!
attribution: http://www.ci.seatac.wa.us/index.aspx?page=697
All of this leads to one thing: being an active U.S. citizen. Yes, it is great to be more informed for better conversations and the ability to hold a political opinion. Yet, none of this information truly matters if we don’t do something with it. Developing routines and becoming more informed can lead to us making a difference in our society. Yet, we can do none of this if we don’t have the information to create a foundation for our opinions.
We were given a brain, a voice, and an opinion. Why not use it?
