JOHN B. HOLBEIN & D. SUNSHINE HILLYGUS: Why many young folks don't vote. How to change it

Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020 -- Why don't more young people vote? What can we do to help solve this problem? First, reduce the complexity of voter registration and voting. Second, transform civic education with a curriculum that requires development of the practical skills and information necessary to become an active voter.

Posted 10:00 a.m. Feb 19, 2020 — Updated 10:00 a.m. Feb 19, 2020

EDITOR'S NOTE: John B. Holbein is an assistant professor of public policy, politics and education at the University of Virginia; D. Sunshine Hillygus is a professor of political science at Duke University.

The United States has one of the lowest rates of youth voter turnout in the world. In both presidential and midterm elections, older voters often turn out at twice the rate of young people.

In 2018, headlines announced historic levels of youth turnout, still we saw 70% of 18-29-year-olds sit out the election. And that was a good year for youth turnout. Despite being one of the largest voting blocs in the electorate, young people too often fail to exercise their voting power.

Things aren’t much better in North Carolina. About 1-in-5 eligible 18-29-year-olds in the state voted in recent presidential elections. In contrast, half of all adults did so. Things are even worse in midterm elections, where roughly 1-in-10 eligible young North Carolinians vote.

The negative impact on our democracy cannot be understated. If young people turned out at the same rates as older citizens, the way elections are run, the people elected to public office and the policies implemented would all fundamentally change.

So, why don’t more young people vote? And what can we do to help solve this problem?

Some argue that younger Americans fail to turn out because they are apathetic about politics. Pundits commonly lament that millennials are cynical, disinterested and self-absorbed -- turned off by today’s polarized environment or more concerned about taking selfies than participating in civic life.

But this claim simply isn’t true. Young people have strong civic attitudes, and it has grown in the last two decades. Since 2000, 76% of young people say they are interested in politics and 74% say they care who gets elected. And here’s the kicker: Before elections, a full 81% of young people say they intend to vote.

Political motivation is not the problem.

Though many young people want and intend to vote, they are much more likely than their elder counterparts to be derailed by the obstacles that stand in the way of the voting booth. Young people are twice as likely as older voters to fail to follow through on their vote intentions. Personal and structural barriers too often get in the way.

In our new book, “Making Young Voters: Converting Civic Attitudes into Civic Action,” we identify two reforms that will help young people follow through on their participatory intentions.

First, reduce the complexity of voter registration and voting. States have substantial, but varying, institutional hurdles that must be cleared to vote. These include when, where and how to register to vote, and which materials to bring to the polls. Those attending college out-of-state are even more likely to find the rules and process to be confusing. While these requirements might seem trivial to experienced voters, they serve as barriers to those voting for the first time.

Complexity and uncertainty about North Carolina election laws has led some youth advocacy groups to their voter registration efforts elsewhere. Specific election rules have changed so many times that education leaders, youth advocacy groups, and young people themselves are simply so confused they don’t know what to do. How confusing? Consider this: A state law allowing preregistration of 16 and 17 year olds was passed in 2009, repealed in 2013, and then reinstated by the courts in 2016; voter ID requirements were instituted in 2013, overturned by the courts in 2016, implemented as a constitutional amendment in 2018, and are currently blocked from taking effect.

Our research shows that reforms like Election Day registration, preregistration for 16- and 17-year-olds, automatic voter registration and in-class registration drives in high schools substantially increase the number of young people voting for the first time.

Second, we need to transform civic education in the United States. At present, many schools follow what we call “bubble sheet civics” by focusing instruction on facts and figures about politics, government and history. This approach simply doesn’t work.

An effective civics curriculum requires development of the practical skills and information necessary to become an active voter. Schools need to discuss contemporary political issues, get students involved in civic and political action (e.g. registering other citizens to vote or working on a community problem) and teach young people the fundamental skills needed to follow through on their good intentions.

Our research shows that educational programs that teach young people general life skills about how to develop, plan and achieve goals have a large impact not only on academic success, but also on voter turnout.

One such program -- the Fast Track Project -- implemented in the 1990s in North Carolina and other states increased the voting turnout of underprivileged students by a full 30%. Furthermore, there is evidence that teaching young people the mechanics and process of voting -- how to register, how the voting booth and ballot works and how to deal with unanticipated hurdles, can also have a big impact.

To make young voters, we need to do more than we’re already doing. Youth voter turnout is at crisis levels in North Carolina and across the country. Much is at stake, and efforts to increase youth participation are well worth the attention of policymakers, citizens and other vested parties interested in improving the quality of our democracy.

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