The Paw Print

By Maddie Spanbauer

This year, the Illinois primaries will take place on March 19, but are young people likely to participate in the polls when the time comes for them to share their voice? Trends have shown that the younger population is the least likely to cast a ballot, but there may be some reasons for this besides voter apathy.

According to the Tufts CIRCLE, only 23% of youth showed up to vote in the 2022 midterm elections. This was lower than the 2018 midterm turnout, with 28%, but significantly higher than the turnout in 2014, with 13%. The states with the highest turnout had no voter ID laws and allowed for same-day registrations, and states with the lowest turnout had restrictions on voter ID laws and did not allow same-day registration. This discrepancy has been a huge indicator of voter turnout throughout the country and means that young voters are less inclined to cast a ballot when they don’t have the necessary resources to do so.

According to Pew Research Center, 36% of those educated on elections still feel that their vote doesn’t matter, but voting can be an incredibly important part of sharing your voice as a participant in representative government. Young people have played a large part in the climate change movement, and as they age into adulthood, voting could be the best way for them to put words into action.

Samantha Bratley ‘25 will turn 18 in September 2024, and she plans on voting in the 2024 presidential election. “I think it’s important for young people to vote because the people we elect are going to affect the government and policy decisions in ways that could affect us for the rest of our lives. Especially with climate change, we must have a say in our future. I’m planning on voting in 2024 because I want to have a say in our democracy and our government, and voting is the best way for me to do that. It’s especially important when my reproductive rights are at stake,” she said.

There are several reasons why young people feel that they shouldn’t cast their ballot on Election Day. One reason is simply a lack of ability to vote in person. Since Election Day is not a national holiday, and many young people don’t have flexible schedules, they don’t get an opportunity to get off work to vote. This could be remedied with early and absentee voting, but many states have voter restrictions that prevent the use of this type of voting.

Another reason why young people may not vote is because they may be attending college in a state different from the one they reside in. This means that it becomes harder to cast a ballot because in-person voting is not an option. The only remaining choice is absentee voting, which, as previously mentioned, is restricted by voter laws in many states.

Anika Alavilli ‘26 thinks that voting is a meaningful way to see change happen in your community. “I think that young voices in elections are very important because each generation has different ideals and if you want to see change in the country or your community or anything really, it is really important to vote and participate because otherwise, the things that you want to see happen won’t happen.”

Along similar lines, Ellianna Creed ‘27 said, “Young people are the future, and they’re the ones who are going to have to face the decisions that [politicians] make when they get older. I think that not voting is a political statement in itself because choosing to not do anything is saying something.”

Voting is a significant responsibility, but it is also an integral part of participating in a democracy. It’s important to educate yourself on elections and their impact because the decisions made by elected officials will likely affect you for years to come. But the most important point that could be made regarding voting is that young adult input matters in our democratic government, and voting is the best way to give yourself a say in your future.