Why do young adults vote at low rates? Implications for education

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to focus on the political attitudes, experiences, and habits of young adults in the USA, with particular focus on their voting habits. Since young adults are just beyond Kindergarten-12 (K-12) schooling they are the voting segment arguably most affected by this experience, and their political habits and attitudes inform educational policy and practice. The concern under focus is that studies have found that this group votes at low rates, especially during mid-term elections ( just 22 percent of citizens ages 18-29 voted in the 2014 elections). Design/methodology/approach -Relevant theoretical and empirical research on these topics were reviewed and interviews were conducted with 40 young adults. They were asked to reflect on their childhood, adolescent, and adult familial, social, and academic experiences; their voting habits throughout their lives; and their interpretations of factors that encouraged or discouraged their habits and dispositions toward citizenship. Findings -The majority of participants reported that they did not vote in the 2014 mid-term elections and provided a range of reasons why they did not vote. Many participants also reported a reluctance to discuss politics with family members and friends. Originality/value -Building on theories regarding the role of voter turnout for democracy and juxtaposing them with competing theories of neoliberalism and individualism, and in light of the struggles for suffrage and against voter suppression in the USA, this paper argues educators can take action to better prepare young adults for participation in electoral politics.

Inquiry into the Educational Implications of Voting Practices of Young Adults in U.S. Mid-Term Elections*, **

“…The large majority of young adults who were surveyed and interviewed for this study reported that they believed that voting matters, whether they voted or did not vote in 2018. And those who voted in 2018 seemed more interested, knowledgeable, and confident in speaking or posting information on social media about politics, corroborating previous research (Knoester & Kretz, 2017; The Knight Foundation, 2015).…”

“…We argue that low access to necessary information about voting, especially regarding local elections, also contributes to low voter turnout. Low information, and lack of broad commitment to public education about these issues, along with pressure on schools to avoid controversial issues, including the banning of books in some locations, can also be understood to be a form of voter suppression (Knoester & Kretz, 2017; Doyle, 2014; Foerstel, 2002; Hasen, 2012; Johnson & Weaver, 1992).…”

“…Aspects that affect voter turnout but that receive less attention, perhaps because they are more difficult to understand and to evaluate, are issues of voter disposition, educational preparation, motivation, and the confidence required to cast a ballot (Knoester & Parkison, 2015, Knoester & Kretz, 2017; Ryan & Deci, 1996, 2018). People are less likely to vote if they do not know how, where, or when to do so, and if they do not feel that they understand the issues or know the candidates under consideration (Knoester & Parkison, 2015, Knoester & Kretz, 2017; Knoester & Gichiru, 2014).…”

“…Aspects that affect voter turnout but that receive less attention, perhaps because they are more difficult to understand and to evaluate, are issues of voter disposition, educational preparation, motivation, and the confidence required to cast a ballot (Knoester & Parkison, 2015, Knoester & Kretz, 2017; Ryan & Deci, 1996, 2018). People are less likely to vote if they do not know how, where, or when to do so, and if they do not feel that they understand the issues or know the candidates under consideration (Knoester & Parkison, 2015, Knoester & Kretz, 2017; Knoester & Gichiru, 2014). Other aspects affecting voter turnout include the clarity and availability of voting directions; the clarity with which political candidates have framed the issues and communicated with would-be voters; the availability of news media and other sources of information about issues under consideration; the background education received by would-be voters about their role in the voting process and understanding the organization of the government and its various offices; past experiences with voting; confidence in the systems of voting and government; and other aspects of the knowledge, identities and dispositions of would-be voters.…”

Centennials, ciudadanos globales y digitales

“…Se sabe que, a partir de noviembre del 2017, la cifra máxima de escritura en esta red social pasó de 140 a 280 caracteres, lo cual ha permitido incrementar los contenidos de los mensajes y el establecimiento del tipo de participación que los usuarios proyectan. De esta forma, la transmisión y el análisis de los fenómenos sociales a través de las redes sociales cobran importancia para conocer la manera en que se exponen e intercambian impresiones con el resto de los cibernautas, cómo interpretan la información y sus reacciones ante hechos que afectan a su comunidad o a alguna otra en el mundo (Knoester y Kretz, 2017).…”