2015 is halfway over, and it’s already been one whirlwind of a year. In only six months, the United States has managed to make it to the Women’s World Cup Finals, legalize same-sex marriage in all 50 states and still find time to debate the controversial issues of what actions to take regarding ISIS and the banning of the Confederate flag.
We’ve got a lot on our plate, to say the least. There is no doubt that the next election is going to be interesting. So what does all of this have to do with college students?
As young adults, there is one thing absolutely that we should put on our to-do list, and that's voting. In fact, we should all be carefully considering and researching presidential candidates as they’re announced, in order to prepare for the upcoming election.
Voter turnout during the 2014 midterm elections was the lowest this country had seen since World War II (over 70 years ago). Granted, voter turnout for midterm elections is known to be consistently lower than it is for presidential elections. When looking back at the data from the 2012 election, it’s evident that voter turnout was lower than it was for both the 2008 and 2004 Presidential elections.
What’s even worse is that voters aged 18-29 have the lowest voter turnout of any age group, despite the fact that these candidates' policies affect us. They impact our lives just as much (if not more than) they do those of everyone else in the United States. Voter turnout for this age group was only 45% in 2012, which is 6% lower than it was for the 2008 Presidential election. The drop in voting among young adults was significantly higher than it was for any other age group. So no matter how old you are or where you come from, you can see that these statistics are disheartening.
Voting matters for people in our age group because the political issues debated have the potential to drastically affect us now more than they ever have. The 2016 presidential candidates are already making statements about their policies regarding student debt and the cost of college, which is something that is a personal issue for a large portion of our generation. Whether we are talking about gender equality, welfare, military spending or climate change, we are going to be affected for the rest of our lives by the choices we make by voting. The biggest mistake we could possibly make, is deciding not to make any decision at all.
When we don’t vote, the voices of our generation are not heard. The problems that matter most to us, and what we're trying to have heard, are not addressed. So throughout the next year and a half, do your homework. Research candidates, ask questions, and keep up with current events so that when it comes time to cast your vote, you are both willing and ready.
