Youth Voter Turnout: How We Impacted the Election

Her Campus, Sana Mamtaney:

Georgia’s youth had the largest contribution out of all youth votes in the country, making up 21 percent of the entire vote in the state. Georgia is not typically a battleground state and votes red, but this year, it flipped blue for the first time in decades. This is no coincidence: the high youth turnout and flipping blue go hand in hand. Georgia’s youth would not have come out to vote had it not been for grassroots organizing by groups like the New Georgia Project, Campus Vote Project, Students for 2020 and Opportunity Youth United. Young organizers, particularly young BIPOC young organizers, made flipping Georgia possible by registering people to vote and encouraging them to make choices that would benefit justice and human rights.

While the youth made history this election, in the past, youth voter turnout has been particularly low. The idea that many young people are apathetic is not necessarily a false one, but this statement fails to mention why many of them are apathetic. Our education system doesn’t lend itself to teaching students about modern politics or why their vote is important. Many history classes simply focus on rote memorization of dates and wars without discussing the meanings and impacts of the political movements that have influenced their lives today, and the ongoing movements that continue to influence their lives. A lot of young people that are given the proper education on civics or are directly impacted by politics themselves are highly motivated and passionate about taking political action. Our education needs to get those who are more privileged to understand why politics are so important, and encourage them to vote.

Read the full article here.