Getting Out the Vote

As the presidential primary season heats up, candidates are earnestly courting their voting constituencies day in and day out. Labor interests, big business, soccer moms and senior citizens—every group has had its interests addressed. But one group—as usual—remains habitually ignored. Although a potentially powerful voting block, America’s college students are notorious for being absent at the voting booths on Election Day. Their apathy towards politics leads many political contenders to view college students with equal apathy. Young-adult issues are systematically ignored in campaign platforms as the divide between young people and political process continues to widen.

According to the Youth Vote Coalition, the electoral participation of Americans under the age of 25 has declined by between 13 and 15 percent since 1972, when 18-to-21-year-olds were first permitted to vote. This decline eclipses the decline among the general public and marks a significant decrease in both the political engagement—and political influence—of young people.

To address this concern, the Institute of Politics (IOP) has initiated a new effort designed to address the lack of youth political engagement. According to members of the IOP, the Institute’s new National Campaign effort was developed as a response to the growing number of college students who have become disengaged from the political process, and its primary goal is to encourage college students to become more civic-minded. The Institute should be praised for its ambitious endeavor to help increase youth political participation.

The National Survey of Undergraduates, conducted by the IOP in 2002 found that while college students are active in community volunteering, many remain relatively inactive when it comes to political campaigns. Most striking, 86 percent of students indicated they wanted more practical information about politics before getting involved. And 92 percent of college students responded that more direct contact with elected officials, political candidates and others in government would be an effective way of getting students involved in politics.

The National Campaign’s practical ends, which include programs to provide youth interaction with political leaders, greater accessibility to public service internships and a foundation for civic education across the country, can help to reverse the growing divide between young people and the political process. And when young people are active in the political process, they will attract the attention of candidates—compelling legislators to address concerns of a younger voting constituency.

Helping to reverse the downward trend of youth political participation is a necessity, and Harvard students involved with the IOP can make lasting contributions by inspiring college students across the country to enter the political arena.