In the 1996 U.S. presidential election, less than one-third of 18- to 24-year-olds voted. And 15 percent voted in the 1998 congressional elections.
It's official: Young people vote less than any other age group, but it hasn't always been that way.
A year after the national voting age dropped from 21 to 18, and after years of Vietnam War protests, college students went to the polls en masse for the 1972 presidential election.
In fact, in 1972, the 18-20 year olds voted at 48.3% and the 21-24 year olds at 50.7%. Of course, the age groups that consistently vote, the 45-64 year olds and the 65+ group, vastly outvoted the kids. (45-64 @ 70.8% and the 65+ @ 63.5%).
Election after election, the young voter turnout has trended downward, so that in 1996, the 18-20 year olds voted at 31%, the 21-24 year olds at 33.39% while the oldsters continuted to vote in high numbers.....the 45-64 year olds voted at 64.43% and the 65+ group at 67%.
It seems, at least to me, that the groups of people who seem to complain the most, the young people, do little to remedy the situation. They bleat about this and that being unfair, unjust, etc., etc., yet they don't turn out to vote.
I was watching CNN and they just did 10 minutes on the Youth Vote, as if it really meant anything. It was just a meaningless waste of airtime........
So, bleat about how bad things are all you want. You do know why no one takes you seriously, right? Because you talk a lot of smack but do nothing to back it up. I know some of you do vote, and to you I applaud. But the vast majority here can vent their angst all they like, but when it comes time to stand up and really be counted, they'd rather be in bed and blame the outcome on someone else.
As an aside, in the Congressional elections of 1994, the younger two groups were shamed in turnout by the older two groups.....16.6% and 22.4% vs. 56.7% and 61.3%, respectively.
nullFigures taken from the Federal Election Commission.
It's official: Young people vote less than any other age group, but it hasn't always been that way.
A year after the national voting age dropped from 21 to 18, and after years of Vietnam War protests, college students went to the polls en masse for the 1972 presidential election.
In fact, in 1972, the 18-20 year olds voted at 48.3% and the 21-24 year olds at 50.7%. Of course, the age groups that consistently vote, the 45-64 year olds and the 65+ group, vastly outvoted the kids. (45-64 @ 70.8% and the 65+ @ 63.5%).
Election after election, the young voter turnout has trended downward, so that in 1996, the 18-20 year olds voted at 31%, the 21-24 year olds at 33.39% while the oldsters continuted to vote in high numbers.....the 45-64 year olds voted at 64.43% and the 65+ group at 67%.
It seems, at least to me, that the groups of people who seem to complain the most, the young people, do little to remedy the situation. They bleat about this and that being unfair, unjust, etc., etc., yet they don't turn out to vote.
I was watching CNN and they just did 10 minutes on the Youth Vote, as if it really meant anything. It was just a meaningless waste of airtime........
So, bleat about how bad things are all you want. You do know why no one takes you seriously, right? Because you talk a lot of smack but do nothing to back it up. I know some of you do vote, and to you I applaud. But the vast majority here can vent their angst all they like, but when it comes time to stand up and really be counted, they'd rather be in bed and blame the outcome on someone else.
As an aside, in the Congressional elections of 1994, the younger two groups were shamed in turnout by the older two groups.....16.6% and 22.4% vs. 56.7% and 61.3%, respectively.
nullFigures taken from the Federal Election Commission.
I vote every chance I get to do my part as a citizen of democracy. So many of us take it for granted when there are still people in poorly run (and poor) third world countries who riot the streets in protest to have their chance to vote.
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