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Democratic Primaries

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question everything

(48,699 posts)
Fri Mar 13, 2020, 08:28 PM Mar 2020

Millennials want change, so why aren't they voting? [View all]

Young people could change this country. They have the numbers. In 2016, Americans aged 18 to 35 were roughly 31% of the U.S. electorate — same as the powerful Baby Boom generation. Only, the younger voters’ percentage is on the rise while the boomers’ is declining because of mortality. By now, millennials (ages 23 to 38) could be the largest cohort in American politics.

They are, by a long shot, the most liberal and racially diverse of the age groups eligible to vote. By substantial margins, they’re more likely to favor universal healthcare, climate action, diplomacy over military might, abortion rights, and to say that immigrants strengthen America, according to the Pew Research Center. But they’re not changing the country. Not enough. That’s largely because, for all their potential power, they aren’t voting — at least in substantial numbers.

The dismaying fact is that on Super Tuesday, despite the heavy stakes affecting their future, younger voters didn’t show up. In Virginia, for example, where overall voting surged 62% over four years ago, the share of young voters declined to 13%, three points less than in 2016. The young cohort’s standard-bearer, Sen. Bernie Sanders, won 55% of those young voters. But former Vice President Joe Biden took the state, commandingly. It was the same in North Carolina. Young voters were 14% of the electorate on Super Tuesday, compared to 16% four years ago. In Tennessee, 11% compared to 15%.

(snip)

One young woman told National Public Radio that she works several jobs and goes to school but in Washington, voting is almost all by mail. She suggested making Election Day a holiday. Another said there should be “an incentive to come to the polls to vote.” She suggested doughnuts.

What kind of breakdown in civics education produces young adults who think that voting is some kind of favor they do for someone else, like participating in a product survey, and that they should get a little something in return?

FROM AN EDITORIAL IN THE PALM BEACH POST

http://www.startribune.com/millennials-want-change-so-why-aren-t-they-voting/568752802/



If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
74 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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It's too much like work. Even AOC recognized that in her comments after her Fox appearance. George II Mar 2020 #1
Millennials are Sanders' alleged base. What a huge miscalculation... brush Mar 2020 #56
He really believes he's the first and only one with an economic equality message and the reason betsuni Mar 2020 #61
Knowing, as we've seen in this thread, that the young do not rush to vote, his followers should question everything Mar 2020 #72
WTF Just_Vote_Dem Mar 2020 #2
Young people never vote. Turin_C3PO Mar 2020 #3
One would think, though, that these days with "Social media" they would know better question everything Mar 2020 #8
They should but they don't. Turin_C3PO Mar 2020 #14
Probably leave ideologies behind. question everything Mar 2020 #55
As soon Rebl2 Mar 2020 #44
Post removed Post removed Mar 2020 #4
Quit bashing young people. Turin_C3PO Mar 2020 #13
No. They just don't have experience to draw from when making their decisions. Vivienne235729 Mar 2020 #17
ok, maybe we can just blame their parents AlexSFCA Mar 2020 #18
Don't you have kids? If you do, you would know that sometimes we teach our kids one thing... Vivienne235729 Mar 2020 #21
I sure AlexSFCA Mar 2020 #24
Of course. Our kids are TAUGHT. There are a whole lotta kids out there that are not, though Vivienne235729 Mar 2020 #26
By the time your kid can vote Loki Liesmith Mar 2020 #29
My kids went with dad and I for every vote. We are vocal in our house with politics and LizBeth Mar 2020 #41
I would bet everyone here with kids (or not) votes. n/t whathehell Mar 2020 #27
For sure. In fact, I talk to my daughter about all things politics. And she sees me voting. Vivienne235729 Mar 2020 #34
I think that this is what happened in 1968 question everything Mar 2020 #54
oh what a load of NONSENSE Skittles Mar 2020 #30
LOL! Thank you. Chellee Mar 2020 #42
+infinity ismnotwasm Mar 2020 #43
Thank you, Skittles! Turin_C3PO Mar 2020 #47
+100000000000 Celerity Mar 2020 #49
They've been accustomed to receiving Participation Trophies sop Mar 2020 #5
Once again, Turin_C3PO Mar 2020 #15
but conservative youth votes AlexSFCA Mar 2020 #23
Not really. Turin_C3PO Mar 2020 #25
Thanks for standing up for younger people. PETRUS Mar 2020 #38
They're the Eloi defacto7 Mar 2020 #6
They love rallies.......so why don't they get in to the booth AND VOTE.?? a kennedy Mar 2020 #7
I guess we need to make voting more "exciting" for them whathehell Mar 2020 #28
Millennials volunteer at a higher rate than other generations; I think many of them feel that WhiskeyGrinder Mar 2020 #9
I am young. Work. And have never missed an election. Drunken Irishman Mar 2020 #10
It's all like, hard 'n stuff. Codeine Mar 2020 #11
No kidding JackSabbath Mar 2020 #46
Lotta people being assholes on this thread. WhiskeyGrinder Mar 2020 #12
Yep jberryhill Mar 2020 #53
Bashing Will Not Bring them to Biden's Side! McKim Mar 2020 #16
What is said on posts should not matter.. kevink077 Mar 2020 #39
What's the "incentive"?! Beartracks Mar 2020 #19
They're too busy having fun. showblue22 Mar 2020 #20
Rallies are deceptive relayerbob Mar 2020 #22
Voting requires effort customerserviceguy Mar 2020 #31
It has nothing to do with Turin_C3PO Mar 2020 #40
As a person born basically on the cusp of the Millennial/Gen Z divide Celerity Mar 2020 #57
It has sadly always been thus Politicub Mar 2020 #32
alas, they are behaving like all younger generations have Skittles Mar 2020 #33
Plenty of older cosplay-radicals informing them that it doesn't matter. Grokenstein Mar 2020 #35
Get them a secure phone app they will be all over it. Thomas Hurt Mar 2020 #36
Doughnuts? FFS. SMC22307 Mar 2020 #37
From my view, it's a vicious cycle Dopers_Greed Mar 2020 #45
Vietnam got that generation active. Seeing your friends go off to die wakes you up. Pobeka Mar 2020 #48
And yet many stayed home in 1968 question everything Mar 2020 #58
And how the age got lowered to 18, because treestar Mar 2020 #70
do keep in mind DonCoquixote Mar 2020 #50
A lot of them are college students and they cant rainy Mar 2020 #51
Civics classes were dropped before this cohort reached high school. polichick Mar 2020 #52
The youth love to come out and party at rallies, but they don't like to go into voting booths alone. zackymilly Mar 2020 #59
There's a difference between a "movement" and a "following" Yavin4 Mar 2020 #60
What are the actual age cohorts being specifically discussed here in the article? Celerity Mar 2020 #62
On election day 1996, the local paper searched for the "man in the street" opinions question everything Mar 2020 #73
Okay, but what does that have to do with my questions, which were of an empirical nature, not Celerity Mar 2020 #74
She should have been alive in the 1870s TheFarseer Mar 2020 #63
I don't know, but demographics will still be changing mvd Mar 2020 #64
sometimes.... quickesst Mar 2020 #65
They want change, but they want us to do it for them world wide wally Mar 2020 #66
Because it takes a lot of effort to come up with MyNameGoesHere Mar 2020 #67
They keep looking for the Vote button on Sander's twitter account but can't find it. Tercules Mar 2020 #68
I don't understand it treestar Mar 2020 #69
Me too. betsuni Mar 2020 #71
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